Too many doctors

The training of more health professionals particularly doctors than national health systems can absorb is the root cause of the present surplus. In the 1960s and 1970s overproduction of health manpower in many countries was compensated by emigration but now the labor markets for doctors and perhaps also for dentists and nurses have become saturated in the major recipient countries. Economic crises are also aggravating the problem and in all sectors unemployment has risen and pressures for cost containment have been intensified. An increase in the number of admissions to existing medical schools plus the proliferation of new medical schools contributed to the present situation of oversupply. The absence of an effective system for integrated development of health services and appropriate manpower is responsible for the overproduction of highly trained manpower. Imbalances are preceded by political social and economic predisposing factors that are related to society as a whole and the health system in particular. The admission policies of all health training institutions must be revised to take account of the employment capacity of the health sector.