A new report from the Bureau of Labor and Statistics says healthcare occupations and industries are projected to add the most new jobs between 2012 and 2022, adding 5 million jobs. 
The aging population is the main factor contributing to the increase in demand for healthcare services. Every day, 10,000 Americans turn 65 years old, and older patients tend to require more medical services to manage several chronic conditions. Nearly one in five patients over the age of 65 has five or more chronic diseases and sees 14 physicians each year. The increase in demand for healthcare services will further exacerbate the physician shortage that is facing the United States. According to the Association of American Medical Colleges the country will be short 91,500 doctors by 2020 and 130,600 by 2025. Unfortunately, physicians are not among the occupations listed on the BLS’s fastest growing occupations list. A major reason an increase in physicians is not expected is because there are not enough federally-sponsored residency slots. The number of federally-sponsored residency slots has been capped since 1997, limiting the number of new physicians that can be trained. Healthcare organizations, including the American Medical Association and the AAMC, support legislation that will increase the number of residency slots. In the meantime, many healthcare organizations are turning to non-physician practitioners, including nurse practitioners and physician assistants, to make up for the physician shortage and play a bigger role in delivering patient care. As a result the BLS included nurse practitioners and physician assistants on its list of fastest growing occupations.
The aging population is the main factor contributing to the increase in demand for healthcare services. Every day, 10,000 Americans turn 65 years old, and older patients tend to require more medical services to manage several chronic conditions. Nearly one in five patients over the age of 65 has five or more chronic diseases and sees 14 physicians each year. The increase in demand for healthcare services will further exacerbate the physician shortage that is facing the United States. According to the Association of American Medical Colleges the country will be short 91,500 doctors by 2020 and 130,600 by 2025. Unfortunately, physicians are not among the occupations listed on the BLS’s fastest growing occupations list. A major reason an increase in physicians is not expected is because there are not enough federally-sponsored residency slots. The number of federally-sponsored residency slots has been capped since 1997, limiting the number of new physicians that can be trained. Healthcare organizations, including the American Medical Association and the AAMC, support legislation that will increase the number of residency slots. In the meantime, many healthcare organizations are turning to non-physician practitioners, including nurse practitioners and physician assistants, to make up for the physician shortage and play a bigger role in delivering patient care. As a result the BLS included nurse practitioners and physician assistants on its list of fastest growing occupations.
