Health care in transition. Consequences for young physicians. Council on Long-Range Planning and Development

Individuals planning for a career in medicine must weigh a number of factors into their decisions. Increasingly, they must understand the nature of the socioeconomic environment of health care, including the extent of competition with other physicians and other health professionals; the degree of autonomy from health care institutions, government, and third-party payers; the impact of demographic or technological changes; and the economics of medical practice. This report analyzes the environment of medicine, emphasizing those elements that will be most important to medical students and resident physicians. It focuses on three stages of a physician's career: obtaining a medical education, beginning to practice medicine, and maintaining a viable practice.