(A 3-Minute Read)
Overview
Florida is on track to face a shortfall of around 7,000 doctors by the end of 2025—due largely to an aging workforce (nearly 30% are 60+ years old) and limited incoming talent (only 10% under 35). With 18.7% of residents over age 65, maintaining a strong healthcare system is crucial not only to patient well-being but also to Florida’s economic vitality.
Key Concerns
- Patient Access & Care
- Longer wait times, fewer specialists, and broader disparities in care as the state’s population both grows and ages.
- Economic Impact
- Florida’s 43,000+ physicians bolster the economy by supporting hundreds of thousands of jobs and generating billions in wages, benefits, and tax revenues. A declining physician base could undermine this growth engine.
Retaining Medical Residents
- Data-Backed Reality
- Roughly half of all doctors stay in the state where they complete their residency, and that figure jumps to 66% when physicians also attend medical school there.
- The Goal
- Fill Florida’s more than 400 residency slots (11% remain unfilled each year) with in-state graduates—especially in high-demand fields like General Surgery, Psychiatry, Radiology, and Endocrinology—to strengthen Florida’s physician pipeline.
Disruptors & Doctor-Led Innovation
Even amid concerns, a tipping point often sparks new waves of disruption. From expanded telehealth to novel payment models, physicians have an unprecedented chance to shape the future of healthcare. As patient demand and legislative interest rise, doctors can use this moment to push for better care models, sustainable practices, and broader professional opportunities.
A New Path: The Atlas Accord & Medical Alignment Project
In response, a coalition of Florida physicians has begun organizing under the Atlas Accord, driven by a mission called the Medical Alignment Project. This free-market initiative empowers doctors to:
- Share High-Impact Strategies
- Collaborate on efficient, patient-centered approaches.
- Engage Policymakers & Stakeholders
- Influence policy discussions on Graduate Medical Education (GME), healthcare access, and physician compensation.
- Lead Through Change
- Disrupt outdated frameworks and highlight physician-led innovations that can elevate care and outcomes.
Hope & Opportunity
Rather than seeing the doctor deficit as an existential threat, Florida can leverage it as a rallying call for ambitious change. Through collaboration, fresh thinking, and supportive policy, the state can replenish its medical workforce, strengthen patient care, and remain a prime destination for retirees and professionals. The Atlas Accord and Medical Alignment Project capture this spirit of disruptive progress—proof that every crisis carries the potential for transformation and renewed vitality.
Sources: Florida TaxWatch, American Medical Association, U.S. Census Bureau, Office of Program Policy Analysis & Government Accountability, Florida Trend