# America's health care workforce is in crisis

> The U.S. faces a shortage of over 700,000 health care professionals, with burnout and federal cuts threatening to worsen the emergency.
- Title: America's health care workforce is in crisis · TIME | Shortify
- Summary: The U.S. faces a shortage of over 700,000 health care professionals, with burnout and federal cuts threatening to worsen the emergency. The U.S. is projected…
- Keywords: health care workforce, physician shortage, medical education, student debt, federal spending, burnout, rural health, nursing shortage, news, world, America's, health
- Source: TIME — https://time.com/article/2026/10/04/us-health-care-workforce-in-crisis
- Author: Michellene Davis
- Published: 2026-10-04T10:00:06.027+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: health care workforce, physician shortage, medical education, student debt, federal spending, burnout, rural health, nursing shortage, news, world
## From grief to medicine
Dr. Jonathan Tyes overcame homelessness and his grandmother's death to become an anesthesiology resident at the University of Buffalo while pursuing a master of public health at Harvard.
## The shortage is here
Over the next decade, the U.S. is projected to face a shortage of more than 700,000 health care professionals, including physicians, registered nurses, and licensed practical nurses.
## Waiting months for care
The average wait time to see a physician is 38 days, nearly three times what many experts consider medically appropriate, affecting patients across rural and urban communities.
## Workers are leaving
According to a recent Harris Poll, more than half of health care workers are considering leaving their jobs, with many planning to exit the profession altogether.

> more than half of health care workers are considering leaving their jobs
## The workforce is aging
Fewer than 17% of physicians are under the age of 40, while roughly one in five is over 60, meaning experienced professionals are leaving faster than the next generation is prepared.
## Federal cuts worsen crisis
Federal health spending is being slashed and programs supporting research, access for low-income families, and public health infrastructure are being dismantled, forcing hospitals and community health centers to close.
## Loan caps block future doctors
Changes to federal student lending beginning July 2026 will cap medical student loans at $50,000 annually, despite medical education costing over $286,000 at public institutions and approaching $390,000 at private schools.
## Support needed to rebuild
The next generation of health care professionals must receive financial, professional, and community support to complete training and serve communities that need them most.
## Key takeaway

The U.S. is projected to face a shortage of more than 700,000 health care professionals over the next decade, driven by burnout, debt, and federal spending cuts that restrict access to medical education.