The medical workforce in South Carolina: its current status and a look to the future

Available data suggest that South Carolina does not have the same degree of problems with its medical workforce as is present in many other areas of the country. While there may be too many specialists and not enough primary care physicians and while maldistribution is also a problem in some areas of the state; it appears that the total number of physicians and the size and focus of the medical education system in South Carolina are about what they should be. Furthermore, the graduate medical education system in South Carolina is currently changing on its own to emphasize more primary care and less specialist training. With careful monitoring, coordination of effort, and specific initiatives to address specialty, maldistribution and curricular issues, the state's medical education programs can take action to build on their current strengths and assure a medical workforce of sufficient size, type, and skill to meet the future needs of the citizens of South Carolina.