Up until recently, one of the greatest challenges for physician recruiters has been the current physician shortage in the U.S., which according to data published in 2019 by the Association of American Medical Colleges was expected to reach 122,000 by 2032. However, the gap between the current and projected shortage has only narrowed over the past couple months, with an unforeseeable and jarring 1.4 million health care workers furloughed or laid off in April alone.  

Regardless of whether your organization has had to make cuts, these 1.4 million recently unemployed health professionals will be actively seeking opportunities for the foreseeable future. An increased volume of job seekers could mean an increased volume of applicants responding to your postings, giving you the benefit (and challenge) of more prospects to parse through.

No two facilities are alike. In speaking with recruiters and medical professionals at various health care organizations, we also understand the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted each in different ways.

Through all this, we have found one constant: Whether recruitment is stalled, staff is furloughed, there has been a surge in staffing or responsibilities have remained consistent, there are still ways to support your community and the physicians and nurses on the front lines.

Finding the best candidates to fill certain specialty needs can already be a challenge, and those challenges might be magnified during a medical crisis. Some specialties are harder to recruit than others; it helps to identify those – along with specialties that are most in demand – so you can build your recruitment strategy and prioritize your search and resources if you have immediate needs, if recruitment is stalled or if you need to be ready to increase recruitment efforts as day-to-day responsibilities return to some form of normal.

PracticeLink develops a Physician Recruitment Index with information gathered quarterly by the PracticeLink system based on supply and demand of specialty jobs and specialists. The more jobs per candidate in the system, the more difficult recruiters may find the search for those specialties.

Download the Spring 2020 15 Hardest-to-Recruit Specialties

Download the Spring 2020 15 Most In-Demand Specialties

It might sound difficult to both expand your candidate funnel and reach passive candidates, but it’s certainly possible. Every year, there are dozens of specialty conferences throughout the country where you can meet quality candidates or receive their information.