MedCentralHow Physicians Are Navigating Rising Complexity Amid Stagnant Pay: A MedCentral Report

A national survey of 812 US physicians found 44% have considered leaving medical practice in 2026, up from 35% the prior year. The findings highlight rising workforce strain driven by retirement trends, chronic disease complexity, and persistent income stagnation across practice settings.

What’s at Stake

• Retirement and burnout remain leading exit drivers, with 29.5% citing on-time retirement and 25% citing burnout.
• Practice income has remained largely unchanged, with 64% reporting no income growth despite rising workload complexity.
• Chronic disease burden continues to rise, with 55% reporting increased caseloads and diabetes and obesity ranked most challenging.
• Stress affects nearly half of physicians (49%), yet only 10% report regularly seeking mental health support.

What to Watch

• Track workforce attrition trends as retirement and burnout pressures accelerate
• Monitor evolving reimbursement models as fee-for-service remains dominant despite dissatisfaction
• Observe increasing clinical complexity, including emerging conditions like cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic syndrome
• Follow adoption of AI tools as workflow support, now used by 67% of physicians in clinical settings