Physician Workforce

The hours a physician works per week don't necessarily align with burnout rates, according to a comparison of data from recent Medscape reports. 

Physician burnout can contribute to higher turnover rates, staffing shortages and malpractice or medical errors, in addition to its effects on the individual physician.

The salary gap between male and female physicians has narrowed for the first time in five years, according to Medscape's "Physician Compensation Report" for 2023, published April 14.

Here are the best and worst states across a variety of metrics that Becker's has reported on since March 22:

Orthopedics has the least amount of female physicians when compared to other specialties with just 10 percent of women making up the orthopedic workforce, according to Medscape's "Physician Compensation Report 2023."

Resident physicians with lower ratings in professionalism are more likely to receive patient complaints in early post-training practice, according to a study published April 11 in JAMA Network Open.

Physicians spend an average of 15.5 hours per week on paperwork and administration, with an average of nine hours spent on electronic health record documentation, according to the Medscape's "Physician Compensation Report" for 2023.

Over 130 medical providers in Maine have signed an open letter pushing legislators for a statewide paid family and medical leave policy, according to an April 13 report from the Maine Beacon.

Alabama legislators introduced legislation to address physician shortage in the state, NBC affiliate WAFF reported April 12.

Delaware was named the best state for remote work, according to an April 10 ranking from WalletHub.