As a healthcare staffing startup, we often feel like we’re in the middle of a tug-of-war—between growing provider demands and the shrinking pool of clinical talent. Every Monday, as I sip my morning coffee and check on submittals and open requisitions, I can’t help but think of the larger picture: the nationwide shortage of physicians and advanced practice providers (APPs) that’s pushing our industry to pivot, innovate, and hustle harder than ever before.

The numbers are sobering. The U.S. could see a shortfall of between 37,800 and 124,000 physicians by 2034 [1]. That includes 17,800 to 48,000 fewer primary care doctors, and 21,000 to 77,100 specialists [1]. For staffing agencies and health systems alike, this looming crisis is more than just a statistic—it’s a daily reality.

Why Is This Happening?

  • The Aging Population By 2034, the number of Americans over age 65 will increase by 42.4%. That’s a surge in patients with chronic and complex health conditions needing care [1].
  • Retiring Physicians More than two out of every five active physicians will be 65 or older within the next decade, leading to mass retirements [1].
  • Location Matters Rural areas bear the brunt of this shortage, where attracting and retaining talent is even harder [2].

How Are We Responding?

As a staffing company, these realities push us to get creative and remain agile. Here are a few trends and strategies reshaping healthcare recruiting:

  1. Telehealth Is a Game Changer
    Virtual care has stepped up, especially post-COVID. It allows providers to extend their services without physical boundaries, improving access in rural and underserved regions [2].
  2. International Recruitment
    Foreign-trained clinicians, particularly from countries like the Philippines, have historically filled staffing gaps. During COVID-19, Filipino nurses were crucial in supporting overwhelmed health systems [3].
  3. Expand Residency Training
    New legislative efforts—like the Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act—aim to add thousands of new residency slots annually [4].
  4. Team-Based Care Models
    We see more healthcare systems embracing collaborative care teams, leaning on NPs and PAs to distribute patient loads and streamline workflows [4].

The Role of Staffing Firms

At Protean, we’re exploring every sourcing channel: digital outreach, passive candidate pipelines, flexible contract models, and data-driven engagement. But beyond that, we’re here to partner with healthcare organizations to build staffing strategies that are both human and scalable.

Because in this talent tug-of-war, winning isn’t about pulling harder—it’s about pulling smarter.

References
Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). “The Complexities of Physician Supply and Demand: Projections From 2019 to 2034.” https://www.aamc.org/news/press-releases/aamc-report-reinforces-mounting-physician-shortage
AAMC. “The U.S. Physician Shortage is Growing.” https://www.aamc.org/news/us-physician-shortage-growing
TIME. “How Filipino Nurses Became the Backbone of the U.S. Health System.” https://time.com/6051754/history-filipino-nurses-us/
AAMC. “New Findings Confirm Predictions of Physician Shortage.” https://www.aamc.org/news/press-releases/new-findings-confirm-predictions-physician-shortage