Addressing the primary care physician shortage

two women doctors and one male looking at laptop in a office setting

Primary care physicians are more critical than ever to U.S. health, but the family medicine workforce pathway has never been more challenged.

The AAFP is working to restore growth to America's most important medical specialty by advocating to clear regulatory and legislative obstacles.

Workforce advocacy by topic

Graduate medical education (GME)

Track the AAFP's push to preserve Medicare funding for graduate medical education.

Medical student debt

We support expanded funding for federal loan and scholarship programs that target family medicine.

Scope of practice

The Academy advocates at every level of policymaking for clear delineation of the separate roles of allied health professionals.

Title VII

Join the AAFP in its call to support adequate funding for health professions grants for family medicine.

Understanding the primary care physician shortage crisis

Americans will need up to 48,000 more primary care physicians by 2034. To prevent a health care crisis in coming decades, it’s imperative that policymakers focus on growing primary care, the only health care component for which an increased supply is associated with better population health and more equitable outcomes.

Causes of the primary care physician shortage

Research shows that the primary care physician shortage crisis is rooted in:

  • The low percentage of national health care spending dedicated to primary care

  • Patient panels (including an aging population) growing faster than clinicians are able to manage—particularly those without care teams

Among the negative results are widespread physician burnout and poor patient access.

Another critical issue is the lack of transparency in how federal graduate medical education (GME) funds are spent. Medicare devotes about $16 billion annually on GME but does not assess whether that outlay addresses physician shortages. The AAFP advocates for policy to address this and related problems to improve health outcomes, reduce health inequities and help control costs.

Impact of primary care shortage on rural and underserved areas

U.S. Census data show that about 21% of Americans live in rural areas. But only about 10% of working U.S. physicians practice in rural communities. This maldistribution is acutely felt in federally designated Health Professional Shortage Areas.

Projected primary care workforce gap

According to a 2024 analysis, by 2040 there will be a shortage of 58,000 primary care clinicians (including nurse practitioners and physician assistants).

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