Medicine is often considered to be a lucrative and rewarding career. However, in recent years, the number of doctors and nurses has declined sharply. The shortage of medical professionals is one of many problems facing American medicine. Such a deficit is troubling because it can seriously affect the quality of health care. Because the remaining doctors and nurses are overworked, they are more likely to commit medical errors and will not have the time to give each patient individual attention.

Managed care is frequently cited as a reason for the physician shortage. The California Medical Association (CMA) reported in July 2001 that 43 percent of the doctors it surveyed said that they would retire within three years because they no longer wished to cope with increased regulations and low reimbursements from health maintenance organizations (HMOs). In an article for Physician’s News Digest...