The physician workforce in South Carolina: the time to start planning is now

In their analysis of the physician workforce and educational needs in South Carolina in 2004, Drs. Larry Faulkner and Jerry Reves presented six conclusions: (1) A shortage of physicians exists and this will likely increase in coming years; (2) Continuing shortage of primary care physicians will occur in many areas of the state; (3) Inadequate number of specialists are present in selected areas of the state; (4) There is a continued maldistribution of physicians; (5) Major shortages and a maldistribution exists in the numbers of African-American physicians; and (6) The state's medical education system may not be training enough or the right types of physicians for the future. Since that time, many other states in similar positions have begun to study this problem and seek solutions. South Carolina is not among these. But unless the state starts to investigate where future medical care will be needed, what kinds of physicians it will take to deliver this care, and how to train these additional physicians, the problems noted four years ago will not be solved and will likely worsen.