Background: The workforce in general surgery has been the subject of studies in 1975 and 1994, as has the input of residency program graduates, their subsequent subspecialization, and the retirement pattern of practicing general surgeons. This study analyzes the distribution of general surgeons in the United States.
Data sources: Certified general surgeons were identified from files of the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS). Included were general surgeons with no additional certificates except for Surgical Critical Care. Excluded were surgeons certified only by an osteopathic board, noncertified surgeons, retirees, missionaries, federal employees, and military surgeons. The Area Resource File of the Bureau of Health Professions was used to classify metropolitan and rural areas, and primary care health professions shortage areas (PC-HPSA).
Conclusions: General surgeons are well distributed in the various states. More general surgeons are located in metropolitan than in rural areas, and few general surgeons practice in counties in which the whole county is designated as a PC-HPSA. The ratio of general surgeons to the population is similar to that found in 1975.