The best and worst states to practice medicine

Hannah Murphy | | Health Exec | Compensation
Telehealth can provide significant value when it comes to managing and monitoring patients with CVD or suspected CVD. A new scientific statement from the American Heart Association explores the latest details on this evolving treatment option. 

Medscape’s most recent report ranking the best and worst places to practice medicine offers new insights into which states offer providers the best balance between their professional and personal lives. 

The 2023 report rates the 24 best and 5 worst states for practicing medicine based on factors such as compensation, burnout rates, residents’ overall health, tax burden and cost of living. The report also takes into account the cost of malpractice insurance premiums—something that varies widely between regions and has been reported as having significant influence on where physicians decide to practice medicine. 

The 15 states voted as the best places to work are: 

  1. Idaho 

  1. North Dakota 

  1. Minnesota 

  1. Wisconsin 

  1. North Carolina 

  1. Utah 

  1. South Dakota 

  1. Virginia 

  1. Nebraska 

  1. New Hampshire 

  1. Washington 

  1. Florida 

  1. Oregon 

  1. Iowa 

  1. Maine 

  1. Tennessee 

  1. California 

  1. Texas 

  1. Indiana 

  1. Georgia 

  1. Colorado 

  1. South Carolina 

  1. Alabama 

  1. Delaware 

As far as the states listed as the worst places for physicians to practice, lower compensation, higher tax burdens, higher cost of living, higher malpractice premiums and a lack of job opportunities were all driving factors in their rank. 

The five worst states/districts to practice in are: 

  1. Washington, DC 

  1. Maryland 

  1. Connecticut 

  1. New Mexico 

  1. West Virginia 

Malpractice premiums appear to play a significant role in a state’s ranking. Even states with ample job opportunities and low-to-moderate cost of living were ranked poorly due to their high malpractice premiums. With new data revealing that one in three physicians will be sued during their medical career, and with premiums increasing (substantially in some areas) for several years in a row, malpractice insurance is likely to continue to physician workforce for the foreseeable future. 

The full report can be viewed here. 

Related:

Burnout is causing clinicians to say goodbye to healthcare
25% of clinicians want to switch careers, mostly due to burnout
Medical liability premiums surge again
Hannah murhphy headshot
Hannah Murphy

In addition to her background in journalism, Hannah also has patient-facing experience in clinical settings, having spent more than 12 years working as a registered rad tech. She began covering the medical imaging industry for Innovate Healthcare in 2021.

Related Content

UnitedHealth CEO defends company, plans to honor legacy of Brian Thompson
Cath lab techs and nurses see new normal with post-COVID pay
Challenges to the financial stability of the American healthcare system
Healthcare staffing shortages leading to financial instability
CMS proposes 2.8% pay cut for providers in 2025
AMA: Community practices unsustainable with low Medicare and Medicaid physician payments

Around the web

Cardiovascular Business
American Heart Association highlights importance of NIH as battle over Trump funding cuts continues

“Now more than ever, we must recognize that our country’s leadership in groundbreaking medical research spurs scientific innovation, improves public health and creates new innovations that save and improve lives nationwide,” Joseph C. Wu, MD, PhD, explained in a statement. 

Cardiovascular Business
Cardiologist questions FDA’s approval process for high-risk medical devices

The technology used to diagnose, treat and manage cardiovascular disease is always evolving, keeping FDA officials quite busy. But have the agency's standards been slipping in recent years? A cardiologist with Cedars-Sinai Medical Center explored that very question.

Cardiovascular Business
FDA announces new recall of Johnson & Johnson heart pumps over safety concerns

No devices need to be returned at this time. However, the FDA warned, using these heart pumps without reviewing the updated instructions could result in "serious injury or death.”