Physician Supply and the Health Care Crisis

Excerpt

To the Editors: The supply of physicians is increasing at a much greater rate than the general population. In 1960 there were 142 physicians per 100 000 persons in the United States, and this year there are approximately 240 per 100 000 persons. The number of new entrants annually is projected to decrease slowly from 17 500 to 16 200 in 1996 and then remain steady until the year 2010. The number leaving the active population is projected to increase from 7100 to 12 500, resulting in a net increase of from 2900 to 3700 new entrants annually in that