TABLE 202

TABLE 202. NUMBER OF ACTIVE PHYSICIANS (MDs) AND PHYSICIAN-TO-POPULATION RATIOS BY SPECIALTY, SELECTED YEARS: 1970-2000 1,2/
TYPE OF PRACTICE	1970		1975		1980		1985		1991		1995		2000
TYPE OF PRACTICE	ACTIVE MDs	PER 100K POP	ACTIVE MDs	PER 100K POP	ACTIVE MDs	PER 100K POP	ACTIVE MDs	PER 100K POP	ACTIVE MDs	PER 100K POP	ACTIVE MDs	PER 100K POP	ACTIVE MDs	PER 100K POP
Estimated Active 3/	311,203	149.6	366,425	167.1	435,545	188.3	511,090	211.2	594,697	231.8	646,022	241.8	737,504	263.8
Primary Care	115,822	55.7	124,064	56.6	146,093	63.2	170,741	70.5	197,719	77.1	207,810	77.8	238,734	85.4
General and Family Practice	57,948	27.9	54,557	24.9	60,049	26.0	67,051	27.7	71,687	27.9	75,976	28.4	86,315	30.9
Internal Medicine	39,924	19.2	47,761	21.8	58,462	25.3	70,691	29.2	85,839	33.5	88,240	33.0	101,353	36.3
Pediatrics	17,950	8.6	21,746	9.9	27,582	11.9	32,999	13.6	40,193	15.7	43,594	16.3	51,066	18.3
Medical Specialties	19,340	9.3	25,580	11.7	39,711	17.2	55,877	23.1	71,021	27.7	83,866	31.4	100,616	36.0
Allergy & Immunology 4/	1,719	0.8	1,716	0.8	1,518	0.7	3,060	1.3	3,441	1.3	3,775	1.4	3,998	1.4
Cardiovascular Disease	6,476	3.1	6,933	3.2	9,823	4.2	13,224	5.5	16,478	6.4	18,998	7.1	21,025	7.5
Dermatology	4,003	1.9	4,661	2.1	5,660	2.4	6,582	2.7	7,912	3.1	8,563	3.2	9,675	3.5
Epidemiology	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	10	0.0
Family Practice Subspecialties	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	1	0.0	236	0.1	533	0.2
Gastroenterology	2,010	1.0	2,381	1.1	4,046	1.7	5,917	2.4	7,946	3.1	9,551	3.6	10,627	3.8
Internal Medicine Subspecialties	1,948	0.9	6,570	3.0	13,069	5.7	18,171	7.5	23,178	9.0	26,928	10.1	33,186	11.9
Pediatric Allergy	382	0.2	446	0.2	461	0.2	409	0.2	336	0.1	274	0.1	233	0.1
Pediatric Cardiology	487	0.2	538	0.2	659	0.3	813	0.3	1,040	0.4	1,336	0.5	1,536	0.5
Other Pediatric Subspecialties	--	--	--	--	760	0.3	2,618	1.1	4,352	1.7	6,752	2.5	11,087	4.0
Pulmonary Diseases	2,315	1.1	2,335	1.1	3,715	1.6	5,083	2.1	6,337	2.5	7,453	2.8	8,706	3.1
Surgical Specialties	86,042	41.4	96,015	43.8	110,778	47.9	128,156	53.0	141,560	55.2	147,375	55.2	154,300	55.2
Colon/Rectal Surgery	667	0.3	661	0.3	719	0.3	817	0.3	869	0.3	990	0.4	1,127	0.4
General Surgery	29,761	14.3	31,562	14.4	34,034	14.7	38,169	15.8	39,211	15.3	37,569	14.1	36,650	13.1
Neurological Surgery	2,578	1.2	2,926	1.3	3,341	1.4	4,019	1.7	4,501	1.8	4,888	1.8	4,997	1.8
Obstetrics and Gynecology	18,876	9.1	21,731	9.9	26,305	11.4	30,867	12.8	35,273	13.7	37,652	14.1	40,241	14.4
Ophthalmology	9,927	4.8	11,129	5.1	12,974	5.6	14,881	6.1	16,433	6.4	17,464	6.5	18,126	6.5
Orthopedic Surgery	9,620	4.6	11,379	5.2	13,996	6.1	17,166	7.1	20,640	8.0	22,037	8.2	22,287	8.0
Otolaryngology	5,409	2.6	5,745	2.6	6,553	2.8	7,267	3.0	8,373	3.3	9,086	3.4	9,417	3.4
Plastic Surgery	1,600	0.8	2,236	1.0	2,980	1.3	3,951	1.6	4,688	1.8	5,493	2.1	6,200	2.2
Thoracic Surgery	1,809	0.9	1,979	0.9	2,133	0.9	2,183	0.9	2,120	0.8	2,310	0.9	4,953	1.8
Urology	5,795	2.8	6,667	3.0	7,743	3.3	8,836	3.7	9,452	3.7	9,886	3.7	10,302	3.7
Other Specialties	89,999	43.3	94,621	43.2	118,334	51.2	142,366	58.8	167,808	65.4	186,392	69.8	198,718	71.1
Aerospace Medicine	1,188	0.6	684	0.3	587	0.3	674	0.3	691	0.3	575	0.2	473	0.2
Anesthesiology	10,860	5.2	12,861	5.9	15,958	6.9	22,021	9.1	28,148	11.0	32,853	12.3	35,715	12.8
Child Psychiatry	2,090	1.0	2,581	1.2	3,271	1.4	3,783	1.6	4,618	1.8	5,542	2.1	6,158	2.2
Diagnostic Radiology	1,968	0.9	3,544	1.6	7,048	3.0	12,887	5.3	17,253	6.7	19,808	7.4	21,104	7.5
Emergency Medicine	0	0.0	0	0.0	5,699	2.5	11,283	4.7	15,470	6.0	19,112	7.2	23,064	8.2
General Preventive Medicine	804	0.4	789	0.4	810	0.4	933	0.4	1,176	0.5	1,269	0.5	1,718	0.6
Medical Genetics	0	0.0	0	0.0	0	0.0	0	0.0	0	0.0	179	0.1	361	0.1
Neurology	3,074	1.5	4,131	1.9	5,685	2.5	7,776	3.2	9,742	3.8	11,397	4.3	12,333	4.4
Nuclear Medicine	0	0.0	0	0.0	0	0.0	1,352	0.6	1,372	0.5	1,435	0.5	1,448	0.5
Occupational Medicine	2,713	1.3	2,355	1.1	2,358	1.0	2,640	1.1	2,787	1.1	3,031	1.1	2,990	1.1
Pathology and Forensic Pathology	10,483	5.0	11,910	5.4	13,642	5.9	15,767	6.5	17,428	6.8	18,320	6.9	18,797	6.7
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation	1,479	0.7	1,664	0.8	2,146	0.9	3,258	1.3	4,469	1.7	5,565	2.1	6,512	2.3
Psychiatry	21,146	10.2	23,922	10.9	27,481	11.9	32,255	13.3	36,405	14.2	38,098	14.3	39,457	14.1
Public Health	3,029	1.5	2,665	1.2	2,316	1.0	2,060	0.9	1,984	0.8	1,760	0.7	1,830	0.7
Radiology	10,524	5.1	11,527	5.3	11,653	5.0	8,757	3.6	7,848	3.1	8,038	3.0	8,661	3.1
Radiation Oncology	868	0.4	1,169	0.5	1,581	0.7	2,272	0.9	3,013	1.2	3,630	1.4	3,904	1.4
Other and Unspecified	19,773	9.5	14,819	6.8	18,099	7.8	14,648	6.1	15,404	6.0	15,780	5.9	14,193	5.1
Not Classified	0	0.0	26,145	11.9	20,629	8.9	13,950	5.8	16,589	6.5	20,579	7.7	45,136	16.1

1/ Includes physicians in Federal Service; also includes physicians in U.S. possessions. Ratios are based on total population plus civilian population in the U.S. possessions.
2/ MD counts for 1991 are reported as of January 1, 1992 by the American Medical Association. All other data are as of December 31. In order to maintain consistency, all MD counts in this table are reported as of December 31.
3/ Excludes inactive physicians and physicians with unknown addresses.
4/ Beginning in 1985, allergy and immunology includes allergy and immunology, diagnostic laboratory immunology, and immunology which were previously included in the internal medicine specialty count. Also includes allergy listed separately for 1980 and prior years.

SOURCE: American Medical Association. Physician Characteristics and Distribution in the US 2002-2003 Edition, Chicago, 2002. Also prior annual issues (formerly titled Physician Distribution and Medical Licensure in the U.S.)U.S. Bureau of the Census. Current Population Reports. Series P-25 Nos. 941, 943, 1023, 1036, 1049, 1075, and 1093, Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2001. Washington, DC, 2001.