The Effects of a Doctor Shortage

The number of doctors available to see patients is decreasing here in the United States. This is causing numerous problems for those people who need to get specific medical attention but cannot because there is no qualified specialist close to them. According to state medical societies, there may be a shortage of as many as 200,000 medical doctors in the United States by 2020. This expected shortage is partly due to the fact that roughly one third of the 750,000 doctors practicing now are over 55 years old and will be retiring soon. Making the shortage even worse is the fact that the baby boomers are getting old and need more medical attention. What do you think can be done about this shortage?