Psychologists, Physicians Scarcer in Rural Areas? - Takeaways - MDSpire
Coming Soon: Introducing MDSpire News. Learn more
Conexiant’s news site is now MDSpire News. Learn more

Psychologists, Physicians Scarcer in Rural Areas?

National survey data found lower per-capita representation across 23 occupations in nonmetropolitan communities, with the largest workforce differences observed among psychologists, physicians, and surgeons.

  • By

  • Andrea Surnit

  • June 11, 2026

  • 3 min

Share

  • 1

    Psychologists and physicians are less accessible in nonmetropolitan areas compared to metropolitan communities.

  • 2

    The analysis included data from 588,489 respondents in patient-facing health care occupations from the American Community Survey.

  • 3

    Nonmetropolitan areas had 231 health care workers per 10,000 residents, while metropolitan areas had 415 per 10,000 residents.

  • 4

    Psychologists and physicians showed the largest workforce differences, with nonmetropolitan areas having about one-quarter and one-third as many, respectively.

  • 5

    The study could not determine the causes of geographic differences in health care access or their effects on quality and outcomes.

Original Source(s)

Psychologists, Physicians Scarcer in Rural Areas?

  • by Andrea Surnit

  • June 11, 2026

Related Content

Top 10 Physician Recruitment Trends

From signing bonuses and loan repayment programs to workforce initiatives and physician support resources, these trends reflect some of the strategies organizations are using to recruit and retain physicians in a competitive health care labor market.

Can SGLT2 Inhibitors Affect Dementia?

A target trial emulation using Veterans Affairs electronic health records examined neuropsychiatric outcomes associated with SGLT2 inhibitor use.

Screen Time Tied to Faster Concussion Recovery

Two hours of daily screen use in the first 3 days following a concussion was associated with faster symptom resolution — but the observational design limits conclusions about cause and effect.