March 24, 2003
A: FROM MENTOR MINI VARUGHESE IN MD
I do not know if the number of medical doctors is rising or not. I do know that medical schools limit the number of medical school students they take in to limit the number of practicing doctors. The US is the only place where physicians make lots of money. This is due to supply and demand. We don't have as many doctors as the rest of the world so the doctors that are available are in demand. I seriously doubt the medical profession is going to upset their earnings in the US by increasing the supply of doctors.
If you are asking about doctors as Ph.D.s. There are far too many Ph.D.s. We have the same number of years of schooling as MDs but make much less money. Again, supply and demand. The problem with picking a field that is lacking in workers is that by the time you graduate, the worker shorter in that field may no longer exist. This link has information on the present salary situation in science. Unfortunately, in order to get more detailed information, you have to pay for the study. http://www.abbott-langer.com/biosumm.html?pn02