• Posted May 22, 2026

1 In 10 U.S. Surgeons Quit Practice, Study Warns Of Shortage

American health care is experiencing a surgeon shortage, a new study says.

Nearly 10% of surgeons left clinical practice between 2013 and 2020, researchers reported May 20 in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons.

Oral and maxillofacial surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, and plastic and reconstructive surgery had the highest five-year attrition rates, researchers found.

“Surgeons deliver a disproportionate amount of high severity, sensitive healthcare, which is especially critical right now in a country with an aging population,” said senior researcher Dr. Timothy Pawlik, a surgical oncologist at Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus.

“These findings show that surgical attrition is a real problem, and that we need to address it in a nuanced and tailored way, focusing on certain subspecialties that are highest risk, and focusing on mid-level providers who are most likely to leave surgery,” Pawlik said in a news release.

For the new study, researchers tracked nearly 225,000 surgeons in 19 specialties from 2013 and 2023.

On average, the United States had between 154,000 and 157,000 surgeons year-to-year, researchers found.

However, attrition rates started rising sharply in 2020, likely due to surgeons deciding to retire during the COVID-19 pandemic, they said.

Overall, those most likely to leave were mid-career surgeons with five to nine years of practice.

Researchers also found:

• Five-year attrition rates were about 25% for oral and maxillofacial surgery; 23% for obstetrics and gynecology; and 19% for plastic and reconstructive surgery.

• The lowest annual attrition rates were in orthopedic surgery (0.7%); otolaryngology (0.5%); podiatry/foot and ankle surgery (0.4%); and vascular surgery (0.8%).

• The percentage of female surgeons rose from about 21% in 2013 to about 29% in 2023.

• At the same time, the percentage of surgeons practicing in rural areas decreased from 10.5% to 8.5%.

Researchers couldn’t say why surgeons are leaving, but it does show who is leaving the profession.

“By identifying who is most likely to leave, we can create targeted retention strategies to support surgeons most likely to leave and close these gaps,” Pawlik said.

More information

Stanford Medicine has more on physician burnout.

SOURCE: Ohio State University, news release, May 20, 2026