Yasmina Kattou
Last year, hundreds of GPs closed their practices. For what ? Due to a “break” in their profession. 5,400 doctors, all specialties combined, were recorded without activities in 2023 by the atlas of the Order of Physicians. A phenomenon which raises questions in the face of numerous medical deserts and waiting times.
Between those who take a break, who leave general medicine for another specialty or who retrain… In 2023, according to the atlas of the Order of Physicians, 5,400 doctors, all specialties combined, were recorded without activities. Still registered with the National Council of the Order of Physicians, these professionals no longer practice medicine for various reasons. Some have decided to take a sabbatical year, others are on sick leave, for example. Breaks that raise questions, while many territories suffer from medical deserts.
2.3% of the workforce
Caregivers on maternity or paternity leave are also included among these doctors who are not working. Finally, others simply decided to change their lives. There are no precise statistics, since they do not have to justify themselves to the Order. However, these are not people who have stopped the profession definitively. These doctors can return to full or partial activity from one year to the next.
In total in France last year, there were 234,000 doctors listed. Unemployed professionals currently represent 2.3% of the workforce. This may not seem like much, but given the lack of doctors in the region, this accentuates the phenomenon of medical deserts.