Healthcare Insights
Average provider age by medical specialty
With possible healthcare provider shortages and many professionals facing burnout, organizations are also confronting an aging workforce.
Full retirement age as defined by the Social Security Administration is 67 years old, however, the average retirement age is about 64 years old. In addition, psychologists, dentists and physicians and surgeons have some of the highest rates of workers over the age of 65.
What is the average age of healthcare providers?
We analyzed over 800,000 healthcare providers tracked in the Definitive Healthcare PhysicianView product with a reported birth year. The average age of these providers is 53.2 years old as of 2021.
The following tables lists the highest and lowest average ages of providers by their primary specialty.
Highest average provider age by medical specialty
| Rank | Primary specialty | Average age | Number of providers analyzed | Explore dataset |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cardiology - Cardiac Surgery | 58 | 1,288 | Explore |
| 2 | General Practice | 58 | 2,140 | Explore |
| 3 | Psychiatry - Forensic | 58 | 101 | Explore |
| 4 | Psychology - Clinical Neuropsychologist | 58 | 108 | Explore |
| 5 | Addiction Medicine | 57 | 599 | Explore |
| 6 | Radiology - Nuclear Medicine | 57 | 620 | Explore |
| 7 | Adolescent Medicine | 56 | 844 | Explore |
| 8 | Occupational Medicine | 56 | 537 | Explore |
| 9 | Preventive Medicine | 56 | 584 | Explore |
| 10 | Psychiatry - Geriatric Psychiatry | 56 | 280 | Explore |
| 11 | Surgery - Thoracic Surgery | 56 | 2,611 | Explore |
| 12 | Allergy/Immunology | 55 | 4,279 | Explore |
| 13 | Cardiology - Cardiologist | 55 | 23,087 | Explore |
| 14 | Obstetrics/Gynecology - Maternal & Fetal Medicine | 55 | 359 | Explore |
| 15 | Ophthalmology | 55 | 18,387 | Explore |
| 16 | Surgery - Neurosurgery | 55 | 4,695 | Explore |
| 17 | Surgery - Orthopedic Surgery | 55 | 20,742 | Explore |
| 18 | Surgery - Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery | 55 | 6,326 | Explore |
| 19 | Urology | 55 | 9,672 | Explore |
| 20 | Endocrinology - Reproductive | 54 | 804 | Explore |
| 21 | Otolaryngology | 54 | 9,362 | Explore |
| 22 | Psychiatry | 54 | 38,305 | Explore |
Fig. 1. Data is from the Definitive Healthcare PhysicianView product and sourced from proprietary research, the NPI Registry and Physician Compare. Only specialties with at least 100 providers reporting a birth year are included. Data accurate as of January 2022.
Which provider specialties have the highest average age?
Cardiac surgery, general practice, forensic psychiatry and clinical neuropsychologist specialties have the highest average provider age of 58 years old. Addiction medicine and nuclear medicine radiologists have the next highest average age, 57 years old. 65 specialties have an average provider age of 50 years or older.
Lowest average provider age by medical specialty
| Rank | Primary specialty | Average age | Number of providers analyzed | Explore dataset |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60 | Allergy/Immunology - Pediatric | 50 | 165 | Explore |
| 61 | Cardiology - Cardiac Electrophysiology | 50 | 2,466 | Explore |
| 62 | Otolaryngology - Pediatric | 50 | 150 | Explore |
| 63 | Pediatric Medicine | 50 | 55,183 | Explore |
| 64 | Sleep Medicine | 50 | 768 | Explore |
| 65 | Surgery - Surgical Oncology | 50 | 1,145 | Explore |
| 66 | Cardiology - Pediatric Cardiologist | 49 | 875 | Explore |
| 67 | Emergency Medicine | 49 | 46,767 | Explore |
| 68 | Endocrinology - Pediatric | 49 | 923 | Explore |
| 69 | Gastroenterology - Pediatric | 49 | 1,051 | Explore |
| 70 | Oncology - Pediatric Hematology/Oncology | 49 | 1,516 | Explore |
| 71 | Pain Management | 49 | 2,619 | Explore |
| 72 | Radiology - Interventional Radiology | 49 | 2,076 | Explore |
| 73 | Anesthesiology - Pediatric Anesthesiologist | 48 | 248 | Explore |
| 74 | Critical Care (Intensivists) | 48 | 5,029 | Explore |
| 75 | Critical Care (Intensivists) - Pediatric | 48 | 1,535 | Explore |
| 76 | Hospice and Palliative Care | 48 | 2,049 | Explore |
| 77 | Emergency Medicine - Pediatric | 47 | 1,533 | Explore |
| 78 | Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine | 47 | 245 | Explore |
| 79 | Rheumatology - Pediatric | 47 | 236 | Explore |
| 80 | Sports Medicine | 46 | 1,813 | Explore |
| 81 | Hospitalist | 43 | 25,797 | Explore |
Fig. 2 Data is from the Definitive Healthcare PhysicianView product and sourced from proprietary research, the NPI Registry and Physician Compare. Only specialties with at least 100 providers reporting a birth year are included. Data accurate as of January 2022.
Which provider specialties have the lowest average age?
The average age for hospitalists is 43 years old, the lowest on the list of specialties. Sports medicine providers have an average age of 46 years old.
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