Projections vary, but the consensus of any number of studies forecasts a significant physician shortage for the United States over the next decade.  A 2020 study predicted a total physician deficit of nearly 140,000 by 2030.  The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) 2021 report on physician supply and demand calculates that the U.S. population rate will grow by 10.8% with a potential shortage of 48,000 primary care doctors by 2034.  “Population growth and aging continue to have the greatest impact on demand growth,” concludes the AAMC.

Public health officials offer various solutions to this problem such as increasing the number of medical schools, recruiting foreign-trained doctors, and advancing telehealth technology.  Some medical schools and training programs pride themselves on primary care physician development, emphasizing programs in rural health and regional healthcare.

One such program is East Carolina University (ECU) and the Brody School of Medicine (BSoM) in North Carolina.  In 2018, 59% of the medical school graduating class at Brody matched in primary care residencies; in 2022, 61% of students matched into primary care.  BSoM graduates the 2nd highest number of physicians entering family practice in the country.  ECU has an Office of Generalist Programs, dedicated to “increasing the number of medical students entering primary care careers.”

The North Carolina General Assembly rewarded ECU’s commitment to primary care by specifying $215 million in funding for ECU’s School of Medicine in the 2021 state budget.  The ECU Chancellor noted the funds were, “a landmark moment for the future of rural health care and medical education [emphasis added] in our state and region.”  This would indicate that ECU’s medical community and the NC taxpayers are doing their part to narrow the projected gap of primary care supply and demand.  So why — only a few months after the $215 million government award — has ECU Medicine started a primary care program to provide sex-change drugs to children?

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