Career duration in general practice: Evidence from Two Decades of Norwegian Registry Data

Background: Resignations among general practitioners (GPs) have been cited as a contributing factor to challenges in Norway's GP scheme. Aim: To analyse trends in GP exit rates and examine whether there is evidence of systematic changes in these rates over time. Design and setting: Registry-based observational study of all GPs in Norway since the scheme's implementation in 2001. Method: Exit rates were calculated for the entire study period and by year. Significant deviations were identified using 95% confidence intervals with Bonferroni corrections for multiple hypothesis testing. Results: GP exit rates declined until age 50 years and remained low until retirement at 67. This pattern was stable throughout the study period (2002-2022). Only two significant deviations occurred: higher-than-expected rates for 67-year-olds in 2007 and 41-year-olds in 2010. Conclusions: GP exit rates remained stable over the study period, with no evidence suggesting increased exits as a major factor in the current challenges facing Norway's GP scheme.