A Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute-led study published in Medical Care found that recently graduated physicians are less likely to practice in rural areas after the COVID-19 pandemic.
The study evaluated data from the 2010 to 2022 survey of residents completing training in New York. The data included 31,925 graduating residents and fellows, with 16,612 accepting a job offer to enter the workforce as new physicians.
Here are five other takeaways from the study:
1. The likelihood that participants would accept a position in a rural area fell from 3.4% to 0.62%, reversing prepandemic gains.
2. Average base salary also declined from $288,257 to $264,687, a $23,569 drop.
3. The probability of receiving job-related incentives fell from 69.2% to 66.3%.
4. Salary satisfaction declined from 86.5% to 84.1%.
5. According to the study, new primary care physicians saw larger reductions in rural practice rates and compensation than those in other specialties.