The shortage of doctors is a serious problem. Despite increasing numbers of doctors, medical care cannot be adequately ensured. Why is that?

The most important things at a glance

• Despite an increase in the number of doctors, Switzerland continues to experience a significant shortage of doctors, particularly in primary care. This could endanger the health care system in the long term.
• A significant proportion of the medical profession is over 50 years old, which will lead to an increasing wave of retirements in the coming years and will further exacerbate the shortage of doctors.
• To combat the shortage of doctors, Switzerland is focusing on increasing the number of trainees, making working conditions more attractive and recruiting foreign doctors, supported by programs such as a special program worth 100 million Swiss francs to expand training capacity. The goal is to increase the number of medical degrees from 800-900 to 1300 per year by 2025. The Federal Council estimates that Switzerland needs to train 1200-1300 doctors per year to maintain the current level of medical care.

What are the main causes of the shortage of doctors in Switzerland?

Last year, Switzerland recorded a 2.3 percent increase in the number of doctors. Despite this positive development, the shortage of skilled workers remains a pressing problem. The doctor density is currently 4.6 doctors per 1,000 inhabitants. A total of 41,100 doctors worked in Switzerland last year, which corresponds to 35,488 full-time equivalents. The doctor density is particularly alarmingly low in primary care, at 0.8 full-time equivalents per 1,000 inhabitants.

The medical statistics of the FMH medical association show that more than half of the doctors in Switzerland work in private practices, while 44.8 percent work in the hospital sector and 1.6 percent in other areas. 

The challenges are manifold: an ageing medical profession, a high dependence on foreign specialists and too few training places. These factors contribute to the fact that the shortage of doctors remains a pressing problem despite the increasing number of doctors.

Age structure of doctors

A look at the age structure of the medical profession in Switzerland paints a worrying picture. Last year, every second working doctor was 50 years old or older. According to FMH statistics, the average age of Swiss doctors is 49.9 years. Even more alarming is that a quarter of working doctors were 60 years old or older. This age distribution means that many of the doctors currently practicing will retire in the coming years, which further aggravates the situation.

These impending retirements pose a significant challenge. Switzerland will face major difficulties in maintaining healthcare. 

Number of foreign doctors

Almost half of the doctors working in Switzerland come from abroad. This shows Switzerland's strong dependence on foreign specialists. The majority of these foreign doctors come from:

• Germany (50.2 percent)
• Italy (9.5 percent)
• France (7.1 percent)
• Austria (6 percent). ()

This dependency entails risks. If immigration falls, this would further exacerbate the shortage of doctors. Since 2013, the proportion of foreign doctors has increased by 170 percentage points, which shows how much Switzerland depends on these international specialists. 

Training capacities

Switzerland trains less than half of the doctors it needs, which leads to significant supply shortages. In the 2023/24 academic year, there were only 2,531 places available for first-semester medical courses.

Working conditions

The working conditions for doctors in Switzerland are often unattractive. The stressful factors include:

• Long working hours
• Night and weekend shifts
• Many residents must work more than 56 hours per week, even though the prescribed working hours are 50 hours.

Many doctors find it difficult to combine family and career. There are no motivational incentives, especially in primary care such as general medicine or pediatrics. These factors contribute to the fact that many medical students want to abandon their practical training or that many young doctors soon look for an alternative.

Emigration abroad

Another reason for the shortage of doctors could be migration abroad. Improved conditions in neighboring countries could lead to doctors not coming to Switzerland at all or leaving. This migration further exacerbates the situation and makes it even more urgent to create attractive conditions for doctors in Switzerland.

The aging of society is also increasing the need for medical care. Strict numerus clausus conditions for studying medicine and a lack of training places also contribute to the problem. In addition, there are long and irregular working hours, which cause many doctors to leave the profession early.

The corona pandemic has further exacerbated the situation by leading to staff fluctuations that could not be compensated for. This combination of factors has meant that the shortage of doctors remains a pressing problem despite the increasing number of doctors.

The shortage of doctors and its far-reaching effects on the Swiss health system

The shortage of doctors in Switzerland has far-reaching effects on the healthcare system. Overburdened emergency rooms and longer waiting times are just some of the visible consequences. Patients often have to wait several hours before they can be treated, which significantly affects the quality of care.

Part-time models and reduced working hours could further exacerbate the problem, as more doctors are needed for the same number of positions.

Overburdening of family doctors

General practitioners in Switzerland, especially in rural areas, are particularly overworked. The number of practices in rural areas is decreasing, meaning that the rural population has to go to the nearest hospital. This means that routine examinations are being shifted to emergency rooms, which puts additional strain on emergency departments.

Many GPs are no longer accepting new patients due to excessive workloads. The administrative burden and the lack of flexible working models are contributing to the overload. Basic care is suffering as a result, and a third of Swiss GP practices can no longer accept new patients.

Waiting times and supply bottlenecks

These bottlenecks in care are a direct consequence of the shortage of doctors and require urgent action to improve the situation.

Measures to Combat the Doctor Shortage

To combat the shortage of doctors, Switzerland is relying on a mix of educational initiatives, attractive working conditions and the integration of foreign doctors. These measures aim to train more doctors, improve working conditions and reduce dependence on foreign specialists.

The training of general practitioners is particularly important, as they play a central role in primary care. Attractive working conditions would be another decisive factor in making the profession interesting for doctors and alleviating the shortage of doctors. 

Increase in training numbers

The Swiss government has launched a CHF 100 million incentive program to help cantons increase their training capacity in human medicine. These measures are intended to help reduce dependence on foreign-trained doctors by increasing domestic training capacity. However, simply increasing the number of medical graduates is not enough; it is also necessary to ensure that there are enough specialists available.

More attractive working conditions

A better work-life balance and flexible working models could help make the medical profession more attractive. Political measures to promote a better work-life balance could lead to more doctors staying in the profession and not retiring early.

The working conditions for doctors in Switzerland are already characterized by well-regulated working hours and clear overtime guidelines. Nevertheless, additional training and support are urgently needed to make the profession more attractive.

Support from abroad

Over a third of doctors in Switzerland come from abroad. However, restrictions on licensing in the outpatient sector often prevent foreign doctors – including those from the EU – from working in Switzerland.

Switzerland has therefore launched initiatives to facilitate the recognition of foreign medical qualifications and promote the integration of international doctors.

Future prospects

A study by PWC predicts that there will be a shortage of around 5,500 doctors in Switzerland by 2040. The need for medical personnel will increase sharply due to demographic and epidemiological changes. These future challenges require innovative solutions and long-term strategies.

Technological innovations and political measures are crucial to sustainably combat the shortage of doctors. Switzerland must increase its training capacity, improve working conditions and facilitate the integration of foreign doctors to meet the demand for medical care.

Technological solutions

Digitalization can help reduce administrative burdens in the healthcare sector. Digital patient records and telemedicine applications can increase efficiency in the healthcare sector and improve patient care.

Technological innovations such as artificial intelligence and robotics could offer new therapeutic approaches and diagnostic methods in the future. These technologies could relieve the burden on healthcare staff by automating routine tasks and thus freeing up time for more complex tasks.

Long-term strategies

Long-term strategies and political measures are crucial to sustainably combating the shortage of doctors in Switzerland. To counteract this shortage, a comprehensive strategy is needed that takes the following aspects into account:

• Increasing the number of medical degrees
• Improving working conditions for doctors
• integration of foreign doctors
• Use of medical resources as needed

The Federal Council plans to implement these measures to meet future demand for doctors.

Conclusion: Joint efforts to secure medical care in Switzerland

The shortage of doctors in Switzerland is a complex and urgent problem that has many causes. An ageing medical profession, insufficient training places, challenging working conditions and a high level of dependence on foreign doctors all contribute to this situation. The impact on the health system is serious: overloaded emergency departments, longer waiting times and inadequate basic care are just some of the consequences.

Comprehensive measures are needed to meet these challenges. This includes increasing the number of students, improving working conditions and integrating foreign doctors. Technological solutions and long-term strategies can also make an important contribution to easing the burden on the healthcare system. It is up to all of us to work together to find solutions and secure the future of our healthcare system.