Perspectives on Mississippi's 21st century Physician Workforce Supply: findings from the 2007 MSMD survey

The capacity to recruit and retain physicians to practice in Mississippi has been a perennial concern of the profession. In the first Mississippi Physician Workforce Study (2003) conducted at the height of the state 'malpractice crisis,' Professor Cossman identified several looming threats to effective Mississippi physician recruitment and retention, including a high percentage of physicians who reported they were considering relocation or retirement in the near future. In this article, Street and Cossman report survey findings from actively practicing physicians (N=848) who responded to the second Mississippi Physician Workforce Study (2007 MSMD). This analysis updates perspectives on the physician workforce supply in the aftermath of malpractice legislative reform and Hurricane Katrina.