The Northeast is home to some of the worst states for physicians to practice while the South contains some of the worst states for nurses.
In May, Medscape released a ranking of the best and worst places for physicians to practice. The list, which evaluated the states and Washington, D.C., is based on 12 metrics, including malpractice payouts, compensation and cost of living. Read more about the methodology here.
Also in May, personal finance website WalletHub ranked the best and worst states for nurses to practice; its list also included Washington, D.C. The website used 21 metrics to examine each state's level of opportunity and competition as well as their work environment. Read more about the methodology here.
Here are the five worst places for physicians to practice, according to Medscape:
1. Maine
2. Maryland
3. West Virginia
4. Rhode Island
5. Washington, D.C.
Here are the five worst states for nurses to practice, according to WalletHub:
1. Oklahoma
2. Alabama
3. Hawaii
4. Arkansas
5. Mississippi