Faculty retirements will likely exacerbate the anatomy educator shortage

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Anatomy
• Workforce Studies

Background:

• The shortage of anatomy educators has been a persistent issue in medical education since the 1960s.
• Faculty turnover is a key concern, with retirement intentions being a significant, yet understudied, driver.
• The aging demographic of anatomy faculty necessitates an understanding of their retirement plans to address workforce gaps.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the retirement intentions of current anatomy educators.
• To assess the potential impact of these intentions on the anatomy educator workforce.
• To identify factors influencing anatomy faculty retirement decisions.

Main Methods:

• Surveys were distributed to department heads regarding job postings (2018-2020).
• Surveys were sent to American Association for Anatomy (AAA) members to gauge retirement intentions.
• Data on faculty retirements, new positions, and PhD graduate projections were analyzed.

Main Results:

• Faculty retirements accounted for 36% of open positions sought by department heads.
• 61% of anatomy faculty aged 55 and older intend to retire within five years.
• An estimated 40 anatomy faculty may retire annually over the next five years, compared to 22 projected PhD graduates.

Conclusions:

• Retirement intentions, primarily driven by age and finances, pose a significant threat to the anatomy educator workforce.
• The number of projected retirements is nearly double the number of anticipated new PhD graduates.
• Increased demand for anatomy educators, due to rising student enrollment and new programs, will further strain the workforce.