Workforce issues in rural surgery.

Almost one quarter of America's population and one third of its landmass are defined as rural and served by approximately 20% of the nation's general surgeons. General surgeons are the backbone of the rural health workforce. There is significant maldistribution of general surgeons across regions and different types of rural areas.

A longitudinal analysis of the general surgery workforce in the United States, 1981-2005.

Hypothesis: The overall supply of general surgeons per 100 000 population has declined in the past 2 decades, and small and isolated rural areas of the United States continue to have relatively fewer general surgeons per 100 000 population than urban areas.

Design: Retrospective longitudinal analysis.

Setting: Clinically active general surgeons in the United States.

Characterizing the general surgery workforce in rural America.

Background: General surgeons form a crucial component of the medical workforce in rural areas of the United States. Any decline in their numbers could have profound effects on access to adequate health care in such areas.

Hypothesis: We hypothesize that the rural areas of the United States are relatively undersupplied with general surgeons.