Academic Research

Note about how MDs & MD/PhDs are defined in this workforce box:

Physicians working in "Academic Research or Teaching" are defined as working in "Medical Teaching" or "(Medical) Research" as categorized by the AMA Physician Characteristics and Distribution in the US, 2012 Edition:

• Medical Teaching includes physicians with teaching appointments in medical schools, hospitals, nursing schools, or other institutions of higher learning.
• Medical Research includes physicians in activities (funded or non-funded) performed to develop new medical knowledge, potentially leading to publication. This category also includes physicians in research fellowship programs distinct from an accredited residency program and those primarily engaged in nonpatient care.

Data:

Faculty Counts by Department and by Degree:

• AAMC Full-Time Faculty Counts by Degree and Department 2011

From AAMC - August 17, 2011 - New Full-time Faculty by Degree Type at All U.S. Medical Schools from 1967 through 2010:

• MD Degrees: All Faculty - 90, 306; New Hires: 5, 941
• MD/PhD Degrees: All Faculty - 10, 380; New Hires: 306
• Total: All faculty: 140, 994; New Hires 8, 175
• Worksheet_in_BMW_MD_MDPHD_Dec_22_2011.xlsx

Summary:

• Estimate of total physicians in the workforce from AMA: Total MDs, Ages <35-65 = 727,525
• Estimate of total physicians from combined sources identified by the Advisory Committee to the NIH Director BMW: 827,658
• MDs and MD/PhDs in Academic Research Occupations 12% of the MD and MD/PhD workforce.

Additional Information:

• Trends in MD Academics
• NIH Support - MD Academics Page
• Demand for Physician Scientists