Growing pediatrician shortage likely to get worse, Bay Area hospitals say

BayCare launches pediatrics residency program

Catherine Hawley reports

TAMPA, Fla. - The country is facing a shortage of up to 124,000 physicians by 2034. In Florida, there is already a growing need for pediatricians that will likely get worse.

BayCare will soon be training the next generation of pediatricians. Based at St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital, applications are being accepted now for a brand new Pediatrics Residency Program.

"We knew with the aging of the physician population and with those expected to leave in the future; we were going to need a strong pediatric base in order to continue to serve the needs of the community," explained Dr. Andrew Fink, Designated Institutional Official for BayCare.

Florida hospitals could be short about 59,000 nurses by 2035

In a report commissioned by the Florida Hospital Association and the Safety Net Hospital Alliance of Florida, experts project the state will face a shortfall of 59,100 nurses by 2035.

In the next few years, thousands of physicians will be eligible for retirement and in the Sunshine State, that will lead to a growing need for pediatricians.

According to the American Board of Pediatrics, Florida is below the national average for pediatricians, with just 83 for every 100,000 children.

To specialize in treating kids, doctors need to complete a residency.

"There's more people graduating from medical school than there are residency slots currently," Fink said.

USF streamlining nursing program

USF Health is making some changes to try to get more nurses into the workforce. FOX 13's Catherine Hawley reports.

Fink says BayCare’s pediatrics residency will help with that bottleneck, and ideally keep those pediatricians here. Research shows residents often stay in the community where they are trained.

"Our primary focus is to continue to meet the needs of the Tampa Bay community in the future by training the pediatricians that will be taking care of your children's children in the future," he said.

Officials have eight slots to fill for the first-ever class of residents. St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital has a medical team of more than 200-physicians and close to 100 pediatric specialists who will train the group over three years.

"It's a wonderful thing about medicine. And one of the highlights for many physicians is being able to pass on that knowledge and education to others," said Fink.

The residency program starts next July.

Tampa Health Care News