Now Formally: The decline of Psychiartry, Part 1
It looks like many people who could become psychiatrists are avoiding the job. This is puzzling to medical professionals, some of whom are starting to panic. Of course, we could speculate about the public reputation of psychiatrists as a contributing factor. (Just take a look at the stories published on this site) We will not speculate further in this regard, but can only note that if this trend keeps up, this decline can only lead to the eventual death of the profession as we know it. Snippets from this report out of Iowa
Russell Knight, president and chief executive officer of Mercy Medical Center-Dubuque, recently served on a task force studying Iowa's physician needs.
The group found 77 openings for psychiatrists in Iowa, yet an average of only 16 psychiatrists entering the state each year.
Knight said it will take five years to fill Iowa's psychiatrist vacancies if that rate continues. By comparison, obstetrician, cardiologist and general-surgeon vacancies take an average of two years to fill.
[...]
"But there is a shortage of psychiatrists all over the country," Curtis said.
The shortage in Iowa seems more pronounced than elsewhere, however. Knight's task-force research suggests Iowa has half as many psychiatrists per 100,000 residents compared to the national average -- 7.7 versus 15.8.
The statewide psychiatrist shortage has forced some Iowa hospitals to close their inpatient psychiatric units, Knight said, and it is no longer unusual for Mercy's unit to care for patients who have come from 100 miles away.
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