VISTA Voice

The Association of American Medical Colleges found that, by 2032, the expected shortage of physicians will be around 122,000 professionals. Approximately 65,000 of those will be specialists, while the remaining amount will be primary care physicians. 

For years, some areas have suffered a shortage of physicians. This has been brought about by a combination of factors, including the aging population, general population growth, a lack of capacity at medical schools, and the amount of time it takes for someone to go all the way through the relevant training. 

As time goes on, the shortage of physicians is increasing. Demand is exceeding supply due to an aging population as well as the long training times involved in getting new medical students their degrees. The raw capacity of medical schools is also limited.

Physicians have many tasks and responsibilities vying for their time, including mountains of paperwork, increased patient volume, electronic medical record demands, outdated technologies, and countless interruptions. All of these issues add stress and affect the ability of physicians to focus on their primary purpose for getting into medicine in the first place: caring for their patients. If you are dealing with exceptional levels of stress as a physician, the tips below will help you to increase your productivity and boost your job satisfaction. Better productivity can also improve patient care.

In honor of National PA Week, VISTA wishes to extend a sincere and tremendous thank-you to physician assistants everywhere. From October 6-12, we’re celebrating National PA Week, which recognizes the PA profession and its contributions to the nation’s healthcare. During PA Week, we hope you’ll have the chance to talk to a PA about what it is they do, and why they're proud to do it.

By attending continuing medical education (CME) courses, you can stay up-to-date on all the amazing advances in the industry. From pharmaceuticals to legislative rules, these courses cover all the topics that keep the nation’s doctors, nurses, and clinicians ahead of all the changes.

With proper use of EMR/EHR systems, medical professionals can quickly and accurately record patients’ data. These systems are vital to ensuring patients have complete medical records that comply with HIPAA and other important regulations.

Unfortunately for those working locum tenens, each medical center tends to have its own proprietary system. Challenges abound as locum tenens clinicians encounter, and have to learn about, new EMR/EHR systems at every job. This guide aims to help by providing some tips for you to use when it comes time to pick up your next locum tenens assignment.

As a clinician, working in a permanent role can be both rewarding and challenging. You can enjoy more stability, employee benefits and job security. However, you may also have a demanding work schedule, have few opportunities for professional development or lack work-life balance. This can affect the passion or “spark” in your medical career, leaving you feeling unmotivated and drained.

Although large cities may seem fun and glamorous, it is the remote and rural locations that tend to offer the most value. These locations allow you to explore your career and the world in a whole new way. You can net higher pay, provide care to underserved communities, and much more while working in remote locations. Still unsure? Read on to learn why you should consider remote locations when working locum tenens.

There are many benefits to working locum tenens. You can travel, have flexibility in your schedule and receive varied experiences at different facilities. Despite these advantages, there may come a time when you’re ready to settle down and change the pace. Here are a few things you should do if you’re transitioning from locum tenens to a permanent role: