NPR.

For medical school graduates, March is a very emotional month.

And that is because March is match season.

It's a time when newly minted MDs find out where they're going to do their residency training

and work for the next few years on their way to becoming a full-fledged, independent practicing

physician.

If you search Match Day 2023 on TikTok, you'll see just how big a deal this is for young

doctors.

They're all dressed up, cheering and crying and hugging.

And I matched it to Seed or Sinai for orthopedic surgery.

So yes, match season is very important for the doctors.

But you know what?

It's also very important for the rest of us, because we need more doctors in this country.

There is a growing shortage of them.

And it's getting worse as our population grows bigger and gets older.

This is the indicator from planet money, I'm Terri Edwards.

And I'm Adrian Ma.

If current trends in the doctor workforce continue for another decade, the Association of American

Medical Colleges estimates this country will be short as many as 120,000 physicians.

So today in the show, we'll break down the reasons why this market for medical talent

is feeling pretty ill right now.

And we'll also talk about a potential cure.

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