Dr. Jonathan Tyes never imagined a future in medicine for himself. As the oldest child of 10 siblings, raised in Cleveland by his grandparents, he was just a few credits away from graduating with a degree in biology when his grandmother passed away. The grief and financial struggles threatened to end his education and his dream of becoming his family's first doctor.
Tyes, instead of giving up, worked for years to rebuild his path. He worked while studying, served as a community health worker to those in need, took medical trips to Ghana, and registered as a pharmacy technician, never giving up on his goal of working in medicine. Eventually, as a non-traditional student in his mid-thirties, he entered medical school.
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Healthcare Workforce Crisis
The healthcare workforce crisis that experts have warned about for years is no longer approaching; it is already here. It is predicted that in the next decade, the United States will face a shortage of over 700,000 healthcare professionals, including doctors, nurses, and licensed practical nurses. At the same time, countries like Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, and the United Arab Emirates are actively recruiting trained doctors from the United States, putting additional pressure on the existing workforce.
The consequences of this crisis are felt in every community. Whether you are in a rural town in Alabama or a high-rise in Manhattan, you have likely been directly affected by the healthcare workforce shortage. You may have waited months for an appointment with a pediatrician or avoided seeking treatment for a chronic illness due to the long wait times. Currently, the average wait time to see a doctor is 38 days, nearly three times the appropriate medical wait time.
Future Challenges
The healthcare workforce is built on people, but the largest employment sector in the country is under pressure from burnout, distrust, lack of investment, and the lasting effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to a recent Harris poll, more than half of healthcare workers are considering leaving their jobs, with many planning to leave the profession entirely. Less than 17% of doctors are under 40 years old, and nearly one in five is over 60.
This situation requires collective action: we must rethink the pathways into healthcare jobs, directly address physician burnout, and close the health and wealth gaps that are undermining our system.
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