NATIONAL PATHOLOGY MANPOWER SURVEY OF 1991 - PROJECTED NEEDS IN COMMUNITY HOSPITALS AND PRIVATE LABORATORY PRACTICE

The third survey of a representative group of pathologists in communit y practice confirms the prediction based on the 1987 and 1988 surveys that there would be a growing deficit in the number of pathologists in this practice setting. There is an increasing number of reported vaca ncies in pathology groups and a significant increment in the percentag e of older pathologists, with 32% being older than 54 years of age in 1991, compared with 25% in 1987. Projections based on the plan of indi vidual respondents to retire and the anticipated changes in practice g roups suggest that there will continue to be more pathologists leaving practice than new pathologists entering the specialty.