A Lifeline for Primary Care

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Abstract
Primary care in the United States needs a lifeline. In 2009, for the 12th straight year, the number of graduating U.S. medical students choosing primary care residencies reached dismally low levels.1 Overloaded primary care practices, whose doctors are aptly compared to hamsters on a treadmill, struggle to provide prompt access and high-quality care. Three major factors contribute to this crisis. First, primary care physicians earn far lower incomes than procedural specialists, reducing career attractiveness for medical students with high debt burdens. Second, the work-related stresses felt by primary care physicians tags primary care as the career with more work at less pay. Third, medical education favors training in non–primary care fields. Rescuing primary care requires national policies that address all three issues.

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