Switzerland faces doctor shortages as retirements loom
The Swiss Medical Association (FMH) points to an impending shortage of specialists. A quarter of doctors are over 60 years old and are therefore close to retirement age, as the FMH announced on Wednesday.
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Switzerland faces doctor shortages as retirements loom
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Some 5% more doctors were working in 2025 than in the previous year, according to the press release on the doctor statistics. However, the figure of 44,612 doctors is not sufficient to keep pace with demographic developments, in particular the rising average age of the population.
According to the press release, the average age of doctors is 50. A quarter are 60 years old or older. “This means that a large wave of retirements is approaching,” warns the FMH.
The proportion of doctors who have completed their medical studies abroad has risen once again. Their share is now 43%. Switzerland is therefore still a long way from being able to meet its own demand for young doctors.
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Lack of basic care
According to the press release, this has a negative impact on primary care provided by general practitioner practices. At 0.9 full-time equivalents per 1,000 inhabitants, this is low. A third of these practices are no longer able to accept new patients.
According to the FMH, this is not due to a lack of interest. Doctors with specialist training would not shy away from primary care disciplines, while doctors from abroad are disproportionately active in specialised areas where they are also needed.
The FMH says that the situation calls for more places in human medicine studies. It is also calling for more training and further training places with regard to outpatient treatment. And finally, it is campaigning for better working conditions in order to keep doctors in the profession.
Translated from German by AI/jdp
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