By Kimberly Carleson
Out of 174,561 physicians, between age 31–40, more than 80% now work in corporate-owned practices.
Young doctors aren’t choosing this. They’re entering a system where independence no longer feels like an option. And when physicians lose autonomy, patients lose something too, real relationships, time, trust, and transparency. They become a number and not a name.
We can’t keep pretending consolidation is harmless. It has to change because it’s changing the heart of healthcare. Independent physicians built American medicine.
We owe it to the next generation to make that possible again.
Chart from Journal of General Internal Medicine (JGIM): Wang et al., “Commercial Prices for PCP Office Visits” 2025
