'Build Back Better' could help the doctor shortage crisis in the US
The Democrats' social spending package would invest $1 billion in medical and nursing school programs and would support medical students from underrepresented communities.
Even before the COVID-19 pandemic set in, the United States faced a growing shortage of doctors and other medical care providers.
It's a straightforward issue: The number of American doctors is shrinking despite the increased demand for medical care. By 2034, the United States may see a shortage of between 37,800 and 124,000 physicians, according to one recent study from the Association of American Medical Colleges.
The pandemic has only exacerbated these trends. Facing near-constant virus surges, shortages of protective supplies, and the politicization of their lives and livelihoods, the burnout epidemic has pushed even more physicians out of the workforce. Indeed, roughly three in 10 health care workers have considered leaving the profession as a result of the pandemic, according to an April Washington Post-Kaiser Family Foundation poll.
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