Solving The Primary Care Physician Shortage

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- We have a shortage of primary care physicians in this country.

Certainly physician assistants and the nurse practitioners can help with care in areas where support is needed, but the bottom line is, despite the skills of these individuals –and they are doing an excellent job filling crucial gaps, there is a need for physicians who have extensive training.

But this type of education costs a great deal of money and medical training is largely paid for by the students and their families.

When it comes time for doctors to choose specialties the facts are clear: primary care does not pay as much as other specialties and medical students average $200,000-$400,000 in debt by the time they finished school.

According to a new report, public service loan forgiveness programs could be the key to solving this primary care physician shortage by eliminating the crushing debt for those who choose primary care.

At this point, this has not been the path that the government or others have chosen, but studies are showing it may be the best opportunity to help with the shortage.