An analysis in STAT News found a recently developed disconnect between interest in the field of emergency medicine and the number of available residency spots. The number of applications has exceeded the number of positions historically with more than enough applicants throwing their hats in the ring from 2008 to 2022. However in recent months, the trend has reversed. Now, as the analysis shows, the number of applications has dropped well below the number of available residency positions. The news outlet cites at least one emergency medicine residency program shutting down and points to an American College of Emergency Physicians prediction released in 2021 that forecasted a surplus of nearly 8,000 emergency physicians by 2030, which possibly led to the recent nosedive for medical students’ interest in the field.
Again, here’s the bottom line: The analysis considers the fact that residents are paid less than the attending physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician’s assistants in emergency rooms, questioning what actually drives the number of open residency positions.