Trends in Number of Graduates of Allopathic Anesthesiology-General GME Programs in the United States, 1993-2001

The Center for Health Workforce Studies (CHWS), SUNY Albany recently released its report summarizing responses to its annual survey of all physicians completing a residency or fellowship training program in New York. This "exit survey" has been developed by CHWS in consultation with teaching hospitals throughout the State. In 2002, approximately 70% of the graduates of training programs in New York completed the survey. The purpose of the survey is to track demand for physicians graduating from New York programs in general and across specialties.

Among the key findings from the survey report are:

• Despite the rich physician supply in the State, the opportunities for New York graduates in 2002 continue to be strong, and, in fact, the job market has improved each year that the survey has been conducted.
• Not surprisingly, international medical graduates (IMGs) with temporary visas have much more difficulty in the job market than either U.S. medical school graduates or IMGs with permanent citizenship status.
• Demand for non-primary care physicians continues to be stronger than for primary care physicians, who are nearly twice as likely to report "difficulty finding a satisfactory practice position" (44% vs. 23%).
• Physicians graduating from programs in anesthesiology (see table at left), pain management, gastroenterology, child and adolescent psychiatry, cardiology, radiology, dermatology, and urology experienced the strongest demand.
• Physicians graduating from programs in plastic surgery, pathology, thoracic surgery, general pediatrics, pediatric subspecialties, and ophthalmology experienced the weakest demand.