U.S. Neurologist Shortage: Causes and Remedies

The U.S. physician shortage is on everyone’s mind right now, and neurology is feeling the impacts doubly. Patients are seeing extremely long wait times. Staffing professionals are facing uphill battles to fill specialist roles as experienced physicians retire. And fewer medical students are choosing to become Neurologists.

But it’s not all stormy weather out there. The field of neurology is changing with the times. We’ve got the breakdown for you on exactly what’s happening with the U.S. neurologist shortage and how to fix it in the long term.

Neurologist Shortage

• Is There a Shortage of Neurologists in the U.S.?
• Factors Contributing to the Neurologist Shortage
• What is the Burnout Rate for Neurologists?
• Strategies for Addressing the Neurologist Shortage
• Fill Your Hard-to-Staff Roles

Is There a Shortage of Neurologists in the U.S.?

The simple answer is yes, and this shortage is projected to more drastically impact patient care as time goes on. Studies from the past decade provide the data to back up what we’re already seeing in healthcare: a mismatch between provider availability and the size of the patient population seeking care. 

In 2013, neurology researchers estimated demand would increase from 18,180 in 2012 to 21,440 in 2025. The 2024 Association of American Medical Colleges report on physician supply and demand projects a shortfall of 37,100 full time neurologists, physiatrists, hospitalists, vascular surgeons and neurologists at the start of 2036. 

The supply of neurologists in the U.S. is also unevenly distributed. This means that rural areas have less access to specialized care while metropolitan areas have the most access. 

Factors Contributing to the Neurologist Shortage

Aging Population 

Neurology has a dual aging problem: an older patient community and neurologists who are retiring from the field. Heading into 2036, the U.S. population is projected to grow by 8.4% but the aging population will grow by about 34%. Currently, excessive wait times for basic appointments are already a major pain point for patients – and for hospitals seeking to provide top notch care. Many patients also live in areas where care gaps already exist. With a higher percentage of neurologists who are close to retirement, there are lingering concerns about how gaps in patient care will widen in the coming years.

Higher Risk Factors for Neurological Conditions

Aging populations have higher risk factors for developing neurological conditions requiring specialized treatment. In the U.S., more people are being treated and seeking treatment from neurologists: meaning physicians are seeing more patients and diagnosing more conditions.

Advances in Neuromedicine

New treatments, greater knowledge of the neurological system and the brain are propelling new developments in the study of neurological conditions. This has led to faster diagnoses, an increase in treatment options available, and increased public awareness of available therapies. Overall this is positive: more people are getting the care they need. But the problem is still the mismatch between the number of providers and the patient population. 

Lower Compensation

Just five years ago, neurology was considered one of the lowest paying fields of medicine, ranking in the bottom third of clinical salary surveys. However, things are already looking up for professionals in the field. 

Today, neurologists are still paid less than some of their peers — but their pay has begun to change to meet urgent needs. The 2022 Medscape Report shows neurology salaries now rank in the middle third of the specialty salary bracket. 

What is the Burnout Rate for Neurologists?

60.1% of neurologists had at least one symptom of burnout. 

So what’s happening? A 2017 national survey of neurologists found that the field had low work life balance, likely due to a shortage of practitioners and an increasingly high demand for specialized care. There are also differences in burnout rates within neurology, with academic practitioners showing lower rates and clinical neurologists with higher rates of burnout.

Strategies for Addressing the Neurologist Shortage

Resourcing the Field 

The best remedy for the shortage of neurologists in the U.S. is tangible support: higher pay, fully-funded research and additional support for neurology programs. This means not only increasing public funding for neuro-research, but putting more resources behind neurology residency and training. Breaking down outdated views of the field takes time, and the patience to discuss issues like the benefits of training towards general neurology or specialization.

But resourcing is also about having critical conversations about how medicine is changing as a result of new technologies to make informed decisions. While some fields are likely to see automation take over routine tasks in the next five years, many of the forms of assessment neurologists perform cannot be done by artificial intelligence. That may change with time, but for now, that may be a factor in which fields young professionals choose to enter.

Public Health Education

The second big piece of the puzzle is public health education. As populations grow older, they encounter more neurological conditions that they may not know about. Providing more accessible information about both health and how the field of neurology addresses those conditions will be essential. Schools and hospitals will be key to this broader effort to increase understanding and identify public pain points when it comes to healthcare. 

Providing more accessible information to the public and further training for medical professionals will also help to build a more proactive approach to neurological care. That means more patients would be able to find the exact type of physician and treatment needed for their care, without routing too many people through Neurology and adding to clinicians’ already hefty workload.

We Specialize in Filling Hard-to-Staff Roles

Now more than ever, it can be a challenge to fill mission-critical roles in high demand fields like neurology. You have a million-and-one things on your schedule and your time is precious. Let us help you find the qualified physicians you need to fill that role faster.

Reach out to us today to get started.