With physician shortages projected to rise through 2026, the Medicus Q4 2025 Healthcare Market Report provides data-driven insight into the shifting clinical workforce.
Locum tenens continues to lead staffing growth for the third consecutive year as shortages intensify across nearly all specialties and recruitment timelines extend. This quarter’s analysis also examines new CMS funding priorities to strengthen rural healthcare, the expanding role of AI in clinical operations, and emerging data on physician stress and well-being.
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Locum Tenens Segment Continues to Lead Healthcare Staffing Growth
With projected growth of 5% in 2025 and 4% in 2026, locum tenens remains the fastest-growing segment of healthcare staffing, outpacing all others.
Growth in locum tenens is driven by nationwide physician shortages, an aging workforce, and rising demand in underserved and rural areas. As health systems work to maintain patient access, locum tenens coverage continues to play a critical role in stabilizing service lines and sustaining care delivery.
Physician Workforce Pressures Increase with 89% of Physicians Affected by Shortages
As clinical staffing challenges persist across healthcare, a majority of physicians report being affected by workforce shortages, leading to increased workloads, reduced job satisfaction, and burnout. As a result, many are considering career changes, new employers, or early retirement to reduce burnout.
"The combination of rising demand and a shrinking workforce calls for a new staffing mindset. Flexibility isn't a perk but instead a strategy. The organizations that integrate it into their workforce models will be the ones that keep their programs stable and physicians engaged." - Shannon Peterson, Senior Vice President of Delivery at Medicus
The Average Time to Fill a Physician Job Reaches 224 Days
Physician hiring trends continue to slow, with the average time to fill a physician job reaching 224 days and the total time from contract signing to start date averaging 318 days.
As the pool of available clinicians narrows, securing qualified candidates has become increasingly complex across nearly all specialties.
Subspecialization on the Rise in Radiology
A recent study published in the Journal of the American College of Radiology analyzed data from nearly 240,000 radiologist-years between 2014 and 2021 and found notable shifts toward subspecialization within the field.
Gain deeper insights into these stories and other key developments shaping the healthcare workforce by downloading the complete Q4 Healthcare Market Report here.
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