Number of US Surgeons has sharply declined

AORN Journal, July, 2008

The number of general surgeons per 100,000 people in the United States has declined by more than 25% since 1981, according to an article in the April 2008 Archives of Surgery. According to the retrospective Longitudinal analysis, the decline has been most prevalent in urban areas, although rural areas also are being affected. Using data from the American Medical Association's Physician Masterfiles, researchers noted a steady decline in the number of clinically active surgeons in the United States between 1981 and 2005. In addition to declining numbers, the average age of rural surgeons increased compared to urban surgeons, and urban areas had significantly more female surgeons than rural areas.

Lynge DC, Larson EH, Thompson kid, Rosenblatt RA, Hart L6. A longitudinal analysis of the general surgery workforce in the United States, 1981-2005. Arch Surg. 2008; 143(4):345-350.