Young Doctors Remain Uninterested in Primary Care

You really think they want to spend their careers rattling a tin cup for compensation?

Despite improving pay and the critical role primary care physicians will play in the future of health care in the U.S., there remains less interest by doctors-in-training in general medicine than specialty disciplines.

A new study in the December 5 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association showing a small percentage of medical residents plan to practice general internal medicine comes as a physician shortage looms and millions of uninsured Americans with a pent up demand for primary medical care are poised to flood doctors' offices once they gain coverage 13 months from now under the Affordable Care Act signed into law two years ago by President Obama.