Twenty-two percent of physicians are considering leaving their profession for nonclinical careers, according to Medscape's Physician Nonclinical Careers Report 2021.
Medscape surveyed 2,533 physicians from various specialties from March 5 until May 14.
More insights from the report:
Reasons physicians are considering nonclinical careers
Burned out, but not from COVID-19 pandemic: 34 percent
Want to work fewer hours: 20 percent
Burned out from COVID-19 pandemic: 7 percent
Being a physician is not what they expected: 7 percent
Believe they will earn more money in a nonclinical career: 5 percent
Don't like being a physician: 4 percent
Other: 24 percent
How physicians have researched potential nonclinical careers
Looked online: 53 percent
Looked into careers that seem interesting: 53 percent
Spoke to someone who works in the area they are interested in pursuing: 26 percent
Spoke to a friend: 25 percent
Via social media: 18 percent
Consulted groups that help physicians with this: 12 percent
Nonclinical careers physicians are considering
Education/teaching: 42 percent
Healthcare business companies: 34 percent
Writing: 27 percent
Pharmaceutical company: 20 percent
Technology: 20 percent
Hospital leadership: 17 percent
Law: 8 percent
Unsure: 13 percent
How soon physicians think they will switch to nonclinical careers
Within the next six months: 15 percent
Within the next 7-12 months: 19 percent
With two to three years: 24 percent
Within four to five years: 14 percent
More than five year from now: 6 percent
Don't have a timeline: 18 percent
May never switch: 4 percent
To view the whole report, click here.