Lifetime Earning Potential and Workforce Distribution in Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics

Area of Science:

• Medical Economics
• Pediatric Subspecialties
• Workforce Analysis

Background:

• Lifetime earning potential (LEP) is a critical factor influencing career choices in medicine.
• Developmental and behavioral pediatrics (DBP) faces challenges in attracting and retaining specialists.
• Understanding the economic factors affecting DBP is essential for addressing workforce distribution.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the LEP of developmental and behavioral pediatrics (DBP) with general pediatrics and other pediatric subspecialties.
• To evaluate the association between DBP's LEP and workforce distribution metrics.
• To identify potential interventions for improving DBP's LEP and workforce.

Main Methods:

• Utilized compensation and debt data from 2018-2019 for net present value analysis.
• Estimated LEP for DBP against general pediatrics and other subspecialties.
• Assessed the impact of eliminating debt, shortening fellowship, and loan repayment programs.
• Analyzed the correlation between LEP and workforce distribution indicators.

Main Results:

• DBP exhibited lower LEP compared to general pediatrics and all other pediatric subspecialties.
• LEP could be enhanced by shortening fellowship training or implementing loan forgiveness programs.
• LEP for subspecialists, including DBP, showed associations with geographic access, specialist availability, and fellowship fill rates.

Conclusions:

• Developmental and behavioral pediatrics (DBP) has the lowest LEP across all pediatric fields.
• The low LEP is linked to DBP workforce shortages.
• Interventions aimed at increasing LEP may positively impact workforce growth in DBP.