The Geographic Distribution of Vascular Surgeons and Trainees by State in 2023

Area of Science:

• Vascular Surgery Workforce Analysis
• Medical Education
• Public Health Policy

Background:

• The United States faces a shortage of vascular surgeons, with an estimated 1.4 surgeons per 100,000 individuals.
• Existing workforce data indicates a significant maldistribution of these specialists nationwide.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct an updated, state-by-state analysis of the vascular surgery workforce in the US.
• To compare the geographic distribution of practicing vascular surgeons and available training opportunities.

Main Methods:

• Identified 3,399 board-certified, actively licensed vascular surgeons using the National Provider Identifier registry (2023).
• Determined trainee numbers by analyzing integrated residency and fellowship positions from the National Resident Matching Program.
• Calculated surgeon and trainee densities per 100,000 population using 2020 US Census data.
• Examined correlations using simple linear regression and geographic mapping.

Main Results:

• The US has an average density of 1 vascular surgeon per 100,000 people and 0.06 trainees per 100,000.
• States with the lowest surgeon densities (AR, ND, NV, OK, WY) averaged 0.4 surgeons per 100,000.
• Eight states with zero training programs in 2023 ranked in the lowest quartile for practicing vascular surgeons.
• A significant positive correlation (P < 0.001) exists between state rates of vascular surgeons and trainees.

Conclusions:

• States lacking vascular surgery training positions exhibit the lowest per capita numbers of practicing surgeons.
• Targeted expansion of vascular surgery training programs in underserved states is recommended to mitigate shortages and improve distribution.