Purpose 

The quality and efficiency of any health care system depend on an appropriate level of manpower.

The manpower issues of tomorrow will be influenced by the number of physicians and specialists trained today.

The objectives of this manpower survey of pediatric urologists in the United States were to determine anticipated manpower requirements and provide caveats related to the practice of pediatric urology.

Materials and Methods 

A manpower questionnaire was distributed to pediatric urologists at the American Urological Association meeting in Las Vegas, Nevada in April 1995.

Of the 234 distributed questionnaires 204 (87%) were completed and entered into a computer program.

Results 

Of responding pediatric urologists 70% were younger than 50 years, 81% practiced full-time pediatric urology and 45% were university based.

The rates of respondents indicating that their present workload was too busy, appropriate or not busy enough were 10,70 and 20%, respectively.

A total of 71% of respondents indicated that they would discourage a newly trained individual from setting up a practice in their area.

Of practicing pediatric urologists 26% intended to retire within the next 10 years.

In April 1995,80 respondents (39%) representing 67 practices were considering adding an associate within the next 10 years.

By the end of 1995 only 56 practices will remain that will add an associate within the next 10 years. (...)