Insights Into the Pediatric Hospital Medicine Workforce: 2024 Data and Recent Trends for Programs

The objective of this study was to describe the current work models in Pediatric Hospital Medicine (PHM) programs in the United States and compare them with 2021 models.

In 2024, the American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Hospital Medicine (AAP SOHM) conducted a cross-sectional survey of individuals identifying as physician leaders of programs. The survey was adapted from the 2021 SOHM study by the chair and co-chair of the AAP SOHM Workforce Task Force, then it was refined by the University of Chicago Survey Lab and the remaining members of the Task Force. Respondents were recruited through societal membership and listservs. This article reports the responses by PHM division/program leaders. Results, when possible, were compared with those of the 2021 data.

A total of 219 leaders completed the survey. They represented diverse program types, including various combinations of program models (university, community, and hybrid). The median number of hours for a 1.0 clinical full-time equivalent (FTE) was 1800, down from 1849 in 2021. Community programs had higher annual hours/FTE (1867 vs 1756 for university-based; P < .001) and more in-house night coverage. Approximately 40% of programs provided an incentive for less-desirable shifts. Only 4.9% of programs require PHM certification/eligibility for employment. Most (67.6%) report a staffing shortage. Respondents' concerns about the future of the field included salary, night coverage, and the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education residency curriculum changes.

Total annual hours are stable to decreasing, and most programs do not require board certification/board eligibility for employment. Notable differences remain for hours/year by site type, and undesirable shifts are not consistently incentivized.