What healthcare jobs have a shortage?

The healthcare system is facing a significant and persistent strain on its workforce, a situation characterized not just by a lack of personnel but by critical shortages in highly specific roles across various specialties and geographies. ^[7][8] This staffing crisis impacts patient care quality, facility operational capacity, and the overall sustainability of healthcare delivery for communities everywhere. ^[9] Understanding where the gaps are most acute is the first step toward addressing what has become a defining challenge for the industry in the coming decade. ^[7]

# Most Needed Roles

The demand surge isn't uniform; certain professions consistently appear at the top of "help wanted" lists nationwide. ^[3][4] Registered Nurses (RNs) are perhaps the most frequently cited group experiencing high demand across the board, given their central role in direct patient care across nearly every healthcare setting. ^[3][4] However, the need extends far beyond the bedside nurse.

Many essential support and specialized roles are also alarmingly understaffed. Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) and Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) are crucial for long-term care and basic patient support, and shortfalls here create immediate bottlenecks. ^[1][4] Diagnostic and therapeutic roles are also under severe pressure. For example, medical and clinical laboratory technologists and technicians, who are vital for diagnostics, are consistently listed among in-demand positions. ^[4] Similarly, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech-language pathologists face high demand as the population ages and requires more rehabilitative and preventative services. ^[3][4]

Physician shortages, while often framed in terms of primary care access, also show critical needs in specialties. For instance, psychiatrists remain a high-need area, reflecting the growing national focus on mental and behavioral health services. ^[3] When considering career outlook data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), many healthcare occupations are projected to grow much faster than the average for all occupations, underscoring the systemic nature of the current shortage versus a temporary hiring blip. ^[2] For roles like medical assistants, the expected growth rate is exceptionally high, suggesting current supply cannot keep pace with service expansion. ^[2]

It is worth noting that the specific hierarchy of need can shift based on the local economy. In some regions, the scarcity of specialists like surgeons or anesthesiologists creates the most immediate high-cost problem, whereas in others, the inability to staff entry-level or mid-level support roles completely prevents the efficient operation of existing facilities. ^[1][7]

# Geographic Strain

While shortages are a national issue, they manifest differently depending on location, often hitting rural and underserved areas the hardest. ^[5] The state of Michigan offers a clear case study in how regional needs can aggregate. ^[1][6] Reports specific to Michigan indicate a widespread need spanning various sectors, including critical care nurses, surgical technologists, and specialized therapists. ^[1] In one analysis of the Michigan situation, the need was so pronounced that it impacted areas ranging from primary care physicians to mental health providers. ^[6]

The challenge isn't just about the number of open positions; it's about the type of need. In Michigan, for example, while physicians and nurses are needed, there is also significant reported demand for home health aides and personal care aides, roles central to keeping seniors and chronically ill individuals in community settings rather than expensive hospital beds. ^[1]

When comparing data across states or even between urban centers and rural counties within a single state, the gap between workforce supply and projected demand becomes a quantifiable problem. ^[5] Projections from bodies like the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) attempt to map this out, showing where the pipeline of new graduates will fall short of the number of anticipated patient visits or required services, particularly as the Baby Boomer generation continues to age and require more complex care. ^[5] An analytical takeaway from observing these localized data sets is that recruitment strategies must be hyper-localized; a national campaign that attracts nurses to a city might do nothing to persuade a family medicine graduate to relocate to a remote county where the need is perhaps less visible but the compensation difference might be smaller. ^[6]

What healthcare job has the least burnout?

# Underlying Causes of Scarcity

The current workforce crunch is not a simple matter of insufficient training slots; it stems from a combination of long-term demographic shifts and acute, recent stressors. ^[7][8] One undeniable factor is the impending wave of retirements among experienced healthcare professionals. Many established nurses and physicians are reaching retirement age, taking decades of institutional knowledge and patient rapport out of the active workforce. ^[8]

Burnout, exacerbated significantly by the intense demands placed on staff during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, has accelerated this exit. ^[9] This phenomenon has led to increased attrition—people leaving the profession entirely—or shifting into less demanding roles, such as moving from acute care nursing to administrative or educational positions. ^[7] This movement effectively shrinks the pool of actively practicing clinicians available for direct patient care. ^[9] Furthermore, many states, including Michigan, are actively looking at recommendations focused not just on recruitment but critically on retention, suggesting that stabilizing the current workforce is as vital as filling vacant slots. ^[6] Workplace sustainability issues, such as high workloads and moral injury, directly contribute to this turnover, creating a vicious cycle where existing staff must cover for departing colleagues, which in turn increases their stress and likelihood of departure. ^[9]

Another contributing element is the pace of demand growth. As medical technology advances and chronic disease management becomes more sophisticated, the need for specialized providers and support staff increases at a rate that educational pipelines struggle to match. ^[5] The rising complexity of care means that one open specialized role today might require a provider with a higher level of training than was necessary a decade ago. ^[2]

# Projections and Future Gaps

Forecasting the future of healthcare staffing paints a stark picture, underscoring the necessity of immediate intervention. ^[5][7] Projections indicate that deficits will likely worsen before they improve, particularly in primary care and mental health, potentially leading to millions of unmet patient care needs annually within the next few years. ^[5][7]

For instance, some models project significant shortfalls in primary care providers specifically, which will invariably place greater pressure on emergency departments and specialty services, often leading to patients seeking care in the most expensive settings for treatable conditions. ^[7] The challenge is compounded by the time it takes to train new professionals; a physician requires many years post-undergraduate education, meaning today's shortage cannot be solved by tomorrow's class of medical students. ^[2] This long lead time necessitates creative short-term solutions focused on maximizing the capacity of the existing workforce while simultaneously building a sustainable pipeline. ^[6]

One insight gained from examining these projections is the hidden strain on ancillary staff. While attention often focuses on physicians and nurses, a shortage in areas like health information technicians or medical records specialists can severely impede billing, data analysis, and coordination of care, effectively slowing down the entire system regardless of how many clinicians are on the floor. ^[4] Addressing the supply deficit requires a stratified approach, recognizing that a 10% shortage in CNAs might present a more immediate logistical crisis than a 5% shortage in highly specialized surgeons, even if the latter poses a greater long-term clinical risk. ^[1]

What is the easiest job in healthcare to get?

# Operational Adjustments

Given the difficulty in immediately increasing supply, organizations must look internally at maximizing efficiency and improving the work environment to retain staff. ^[9] Many top strategies revolve around creating an environment where staff can function at the top of their licenses and feel supported. ^[6]

For example, instead of only focusing on recruiting new RNs, facilities can task mid-level providers or advanced practice nurses with handling duties that offload administrative or routine tasks from RNs, allowing them to focus on complex patient management. This involves adjusting workflows and ensuring all team members are performing duties best suited to their expertise. ^[9] Furthermore, improving workplace culture isn't just about morale; it has a direct financial implication. The cost associated with vacancy—covering shifts with expensive agency or travel staff, decreased patient throughput, and lower patient satisfaction scores—is substantial. ^[9]

Here is a comparative look at some roles and the potential impact of their scarcity:

Another actionable item often recommended involves looking beyond traditional recruitment pipelines. Actively supporting existing staff to pursue higher education—for example, offering tuition assistance for LPNs to become RNs or for CNAs to enter technical programs—can be a more cost-effective and reliable way to build the future workforce than solely competing for externally trained candidates. ^[6] This internal development builds loyalty and ensures new staff members are already acclimated to the specific organizational culture and patient population. ^[6] Successfully navigating this period of high demand requires acknowledging that staff satisfaction and clinical capacity are two sides of the same operational coin.