Physician Recruitment

Tips & Strategies

The Top Reasons Why Your Physicians Are LeavingPaul Olzak, MBA, CPRP

The Top Reasons Why Your Physicians Are Leaving

Losing physicians is expensive — turnover costs can range from $250,000 to $1 million per physician, depending on specialty. With 36% of doctors considering a career move in the next two years, understanding why they leave is vital for any retention strategy.


1. Burnout and Work Stress

Nearly half of U.S. physicians report burnout, driven by long hours, administrative overload, and lack of support. Burnout remains the top predictor of turnover. Physicians spend a disproportionate amount of their time on documentation and non-clinical tasks — often without adequate support.

Recruiter Insight: Reduce burnout by investing in support staff, AI-driven documentation tools, and realistic on-call schedules. Promote wellness initiatives and mental health resources in your recruitment messaging.


2. Financial Considerations

About 29–35% of physicians cite compensation as a top reason for job changes. While physician pay increased by nearly 6% in 2023, rising living costs and administrative workloads often outpace earnings.

Recruiter Insight: Benchmark your offers against national and regional compensation trends. Consider offering flexible bonus structures, inflation-adjusted salaries, and retention bonuses.


3. Desire for Flexibility and Autonomy

Even among physicians who report high job satisfaction, 41% say they’re considering leaving due to rigid scheduling, lack of autonomy, or poor work-life balance.

Recruiter Insight: Highlight flexible work arrangements in job posts — like 4-day workweeks, telehealth options, part-time roles, or reduced call duty.


4. Interest in Non-Clinical Roles

More physicians are pursuing non-clinical careers in healthcare leadership, pharma, consulting, or teaching. Many are drawn to roles that offer better balance and intellectual stimulation without the clinical intensity.

Recruiter Insight: Offer hybrid positions that allow physicians to teach, consult, or contribute to research and innovation projects alongside clinical care.


5. Retirement and Workforce Demographics

Over 40% of currently practicing physicians will reach retirement eligibility within the next 10 years. While some will exit, many are open to staying on with reduced responsibilities.

Recruiter Insight: Create phased retirement options, mentorship roles, and part-time coverage opportunities to retain experienced providers longer.

 

Where are Physicians going?

The southeast United States is the most popular region for Physicians seeking new job opportunities. Almost one-third of early-career Physicians report a preference for practice opportunities located in the southeast(1). This area also outranked all other regions with seasoned Physicians, who reported the region as their top pick.

 

Originally published 5/26/2020. Updated 1/22/2025.

Paul Olzak, MBA, CPRP

With a career focused on healthcare Business Development and Service Line performance, Paul had recently been at the forefront redefining the traditional In-house Provider Recruiting role. In his position as Medical Staff Development Officer at University Hospitals, Lake Health Region in Cleveland, Ohio, Paul integrated collegial interaction, analytics, and provider experience expertise to drive a differentiated recruitment strategy.

 

Paul has brought that knowledge and experience to Client Sourcing at PracticeMatch. Joining PracticeMatch in 2021, Paul supports Client Sourcing’s pro-active recruiting model that generates a robust prospect pool, creates an effective and efficient recruiting experience, and identifies key metrics to ensure optimal performance for the client. Paul has a commitment to learning, development and passion for building a team of recruiting professionals to leverage their national footprint which benefits its client organizations and their candidates.

References:

American Medical Association. Creating the Organizational Foundation for Joy in Medicine: Organizational Changes Lead to Physician Satisfaction. AMA, 2018, https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/public-health/creating-organizational-foundation-joy-medicine.

Doximity. The Enormous Cost of Physician Turnover. Doximity Op-Med, 2024, https://opmed.doximity.com/articles/the-enormous-cost-of-physician-turnover.

Kane, Leslie. “Physician Burnout Drops, but 48% Still Affected.” Medscape, 18 Jan. 2024, https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/999818.

The Medicus Firm. 2025 Physician Practice Preference & Relocation Survey. The Medicus Firm, 2025, https://www.themedicusfirm.com/physician-surveys.

Medical Group Management Association (MGMA). Physician Compensation and Productivity Survey: 2024 Report Based on 2023 Data. MGMA, 2024, https://www.mgma.com.

Muoio, Dave. “Report: Nearly Half of U.S. Physicians Suffering from Burnout, Though Rates Declining.” Fierce Healthcare, 18 Jan. 2024, https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/providers/report-nearly-half-us-physicians-suffering-burnout-though-rates-declining.

 

Association of American Medical Colleges. The Complexities of Physician Supply and Demand: Projections from 2021 to 2036. AAMC, 2023, https://www.aamc.org/media/59701/download.

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