Medical Professionals Leave and Join the Industry in Droves. How Should This Shape Healthcare Education?

 

The height of the pandemic was an era of unparalleled stress on medical professionals, and this existential moment for US healthcare has had two parallel effects. On one hand, nearly 1/5th, or 18%, of healthcare workers quit their jobs since February 2020 due to the workload of the pandemic, general burnout, and insufficient pay. On the other hand, the essential work of healthcare professionals attracted bright-eyed students to the field, with U.S. medical school applications hitting an all-time high in 2021, up 18% from the previous year.

How should healthcare’s higher education curriculum respond to this loss and influx of medical professionals? Can the industry take learning lessons away from both of these trends to improve healthcare education, training, and worker support…and are the factors driving trained professionals away from the field something that can even be addressed in healthcare education?

We turned to Dr. Ferrahs Abdelbaset, an Assistant Professor and Program Coordinator for the Master of Medical Science at Ponce Health Sciences University, for his perspective on the evolving landscape.

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

Engineering
Scaling Experiential Learning in the Curriculum: How Iron Range Engineering Transformed Engineering Education
June 1, 2026

Engineering has transformed nearly every part of modern life, from the phones in our pockets to the systems powering global industry. But the way engineers are educated has often moved far more slowly than the profession itself. Employers are asking for graduates who can navigate ambiguity, communicate across teams, and contribute meaningfully from the…

Read More
vascular surgeon
When Geography Meets Purpose: How One Move Reshaped a Vascular Surgeon’s Career
May 28, 2026

Medicine isn’t what it used to be—not for the people practicing it. Independent physicians are becoming the exception, not the norm, as more doctors move into hospital systems, corporate groups, and academic networks. At the same time, the pipeline of specialists isn’t keeping pace with growing patient needs, particularly in complex fields like vascular…

Read More
safer HVAC chemicals
From Second Chances to Stronger Teams: Bradley Henderson on Structure, Culture, and Trades-Based Redemption
May 26, 2026

The trades have always demanded grit, but grit alone doesn’t build a strong workforce. People need structure, clear expectations, and a sense that their work is taking them somewhere. That’s especially true in HVAC and mechanical services, where employers are trying to hire, retain, and develop talent in a labor market that feels tighter and…

Read More
courage
Creative Confidence and Moral Courage: The Leadership Traits Business Schools Should Be Betting On
May 25, 2026

What students need from higher education is becoming harder to pin down than it once was. As higher education faces mounting pressure—from student disengagement to the rapid rise of artificial intelligence—institutions are being forced to rethink not just what students learn, but who they become. New research and industry signals suggest that technical knowledge…

Read More