Severe shortage of infectious disease specialists in the US for ‘complex’ reasons

The United States is in dire need infection specialists, according to the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), a medical association based in Arlington, Virginia.

“Infectious disease doctors have repeatedly demonstrated their importance during critical global crises such as HIV/AIDS, COVID-19 pandemic and Mpox (formerly Monkeypox),” Dr. Cindy Whitener told Fox News Digital.

Whitener is Chief of Infectious Diseases at the Milton S. Hershey Pennsylvania Medical Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania.

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“In the course of their daily work, internship doctors prevent the death of patients with antibiotic-resistant microorganisms and prevent outbreaks in hospitals,” and these are “just a couple of examples of their value,” she said.

But the next generation of doctors is showing little interest in the field, which worries many.

According to the data, slightly more than half of the adult education programs in infectious diseases were completed during the last recruitment cycle.

According to the data, slightly more than half of the adult education programs in infectious diseases were completed during the last recruitment cycle.
(iStock)

While many other vacancies in other specialties were filled in the last recruitment cycle, slightly more than half of adult communicable disease education programs were filled, according to the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP).

“When ‘match’ results are released for programs and applicants on Match Day, the NRMP also provides a list of unmatched applicants for programs that did not complete, as well as a list of unmatched programs for applicants that did not match,” Jeanette L told Fox News Digital. Calley, Head of Matching at the National Resident Matching Program in Washington, DC.

In the next 10 years, a shortage of infectious disease doctors is predicted, mainly in rural areas.

“Applicants and programs should contact each other to fill the remaining vacancies,” she said.

Many programs work hard to fill their open vacancies by recruiting candidates who don’t fit; they also hope to attract other residents who often train at the same university hospitals.

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As Stat News points out, the drop in applicants for ID scholarships this year is remarkable because during the first two rounds in the era of the pandemic, interest in the field has increased – a trend seen in other areas related to public health has been dubbed “Fauci effect”.

Dr.  Anthony Fauci speaks at the White House in Washington, DC on Wednesday, December 12th.  September 1, 2021 Today, some experts are surprised that fewer doctors are moving into the infectious disease specialty.

Dr. Anthony Fauci speaks at the White House in Washington, DC on Wednesday, December 12th. September 1, 2021 Today, some experts are surprised that fewer doctors are moving into the infectious disease specialty.
(AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

As Stat News writes, “The critical nature of a career in public health has never been more evident than during the pandemic, and educators said they’ve seen a wave of people drawing inspiration from it.”

But now it’s not.

Shortage mainly in rural areas

According to a study published in October 2020 in the medical journal Annals of Internal Medicine, in 2017, about 208 million US citizens lived in counties that either did not have any medical care for infectious disease doctors or there was not enough of them. .

The study estimated that 80% of US counties did not have a single infectious disease specialist.

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“In addition, nearly two-thirds of all Americans live in 90% of counties with below-average or no access to a doctor, and these counties cover vast—mostly rural—parts of the country,” the study says.

Doctor with a patient.  Some critics say some doctor positions have recently gone unfilled, in part because infectious disease fellowship programs have expanded too rapidly over the past few years.

Doctor with a patient. Some critics say some doctor positions have recently gone unfilled, in part because infectious disease fellowship programs have expanded too rapidly over the past few years.
(iStock)

However, he noted that his “analysis did not take into account other professions capable of providing public health or ID care (e.g., epidemiologists, advanced practitioners, pharmacists, and infection prevention specialists).”

However, the latest models from the Federal Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) predict an alarming shortage of infectious disease doctors over the next 10 years, mostly in rural areas.

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The same agency expects there will be a need for 15,130 infectious disease specialists by 2035. However, he estimates that only 14,000 doctors will be working in this specialty by this year.

Experts are surprised by the results of the “match”

Some experts are surprised that fewer doctors are choosing to specialize in infectious diseases, given that medical schools are receiving record numbers of applications due in part to the pandemic and the Fauci effect.

Approximately 62,000 people applied to medical schools between 2021 and 2022, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), a new record, with actual enrollments exceeding 22,000 for the second year in a row.

Only 44% of infectious disease doctors believe that they received fair compensation in 2021.

Some critics, however, argue that vacancies have gone unfilled in part because infectious disease fellowship programs have expanded too rapidly over the past few years.

Approximately 394 positions were available in the 2018 cycle in 151 adult infectious disease practice training programs.

"In the past, residents were much more likely to be exposed to identity cards. [infectious disease] doctors in their training.  In today's training environment, this happens less and less."

“In the past, residents were much more likely to be exposed to identity cards. [infectious disease] doctors in their training. In today’s training environment, this happens less and less.”
(iStock)

According to the NRMP, in contrast to the last match, where there were approximately 441 places in 175 programs.

Relatively low compensation is a serious problem

“I think the situation is quite complicated,” the doctor said. Carlos del Rio, president of IDSA, told Fox News Digital.

“There are several factors that influence the decision of both internal medicine and pediatrics residents not to choose [infectious disease] as a specialty,” added del Rio, who is also an infectious disease physician and professor of medicine at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia.

“[Infectious disease] “This is one of the few specialties, if not the only one, where after training you earn less than before,” del Rio said.

“A person who graduates from internal medicine can earn a higher salary than someone who graduates from an ID with an additional two to three years of study.”

“In other words, a person who graduates from internal medicine can earn a higher salary than someone who graduates from an ID with an additional two to three years of study.”

Only 44% of infectious disease doctors believe that they received fair compensation in 2021. According to Medscape, this is the lowest of the roughly 30 majors surveyed.

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“But other issues also play a role,” del Rio said. “In the past, residents were much more likely to meet with ID doctors during their training. In today’s learning environment, this happens less and less.”

Interns see infectious disease doctors typically work longer hours for less pay than other medical specialties — and often perform additional administrative tasks “without proper remuneration,” Pennsylvania-based Whitener said.

“Additional hurdles that have existed for years but have been exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic,” she added, “are burnout from long-standing understaffing and chronic long hours.”

"It must be recognized that typical financial figures do not reflect the contribution made." many infectious disease doctors, one expert said.

“It must be recognized that typical financial figures do not reflect the contribution of many infectious disease doctors,” said one expert.
(iStock)

Experts also blame the pandemic for specialty polarization, with many facing “potential personal risk of harassment or threats for publicly expressing opinions or advice on identifiable opinions or advice on topics that become politicized,” Whitener noted.

To reverse this trend, she proposes to close the pay gap for residential doctors and improve the medical staff to reduce burnout.

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“It must be recognized that typical financial figures do not reflect the contributions of many ID physicians, which include administrative and clinical support functions and indirect clinical income,” she added.

Will the Pandemic Prevention Act help?

President Biden signed the Prepare for and Response to Existing Viruses, Emerging Threats, and Pandemics Act, also known as the Pandemic Prevention Act, on December 1. According to the AAMC, dated September 29, 2022, is intended to increase the country’s preparedness for the next pandemic.

IDSA advocated for the passage of the bill.

He noted that the legislation includes a measure called the BIO Readiness Pilot Program that will reduce medical school debt.

“This is specifically [pilot] The program will help make the ID field more financially viable for new physicians and increase the availability of infectious disease experts in underserved communities through a loan repayment program,” the IDSA said in a recent statement.

“Together they need to agree on the right data to generate — probably a combination of genomic, environmental, mobility and consumer data from traditional and non-traditional sources.”

“PREVENT will also strengthen supply chains for medical supplies, improve disease data collection, and strengthen the overall national preparedness infrastructure.”

However, in co-written article titled “Here’s How We Prevent the Next Inevitable Pandemic” published last spring by Fox News Digital by two authors, Rick A. Bright, CEO of the Rockefeller Foundation’s Pandemic Prevention Institute, and Esther Krofa, executive director of FasterCures and the Center. in Public Health at the Milken Institute – argued that “global leaders from the public and private sectors should engage in active dialogue” regarding advance planning and preparedness for future pandemics.

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“International organizations, regional institutions and community groups are also important.”

They also wrote: “Together they should agree on the right data to generate—probably a combination of genomic, environmental, mobility, and consumer data from traditional and non-traditional sources.”

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They added: “Together they must identify gaps in data collection and prioritize investment.”