According to a recent study published in the Journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges, a primary care physician who graduates with education debt of $160,000 should be able to raise a family, live in an expensive urban area, and repay their debt in 10 years without incurring additional debt, as long as their household income and spending are consistent with median statistics. However, the ability to meet education debt repayment obligations as a primary care physician becomes significantly more difficult when the education debt is $200,000 or more. According to the study, of 2011 medical school graduates, 59% had education debt of $150,000 or more at graduation, 33% had more than $200,000, 15% had more than $250,000, and 5% had more than $300,000.

By national standards, physicians – even primary care physicians — have a pretty good earning capability. However, the financial, emotional and physician investment required to earn a medical degree and complete training is daunting – particularly when coupled with the fact that most physicians cannot begin saving for retirement in a meaningful way until their early to mid-thirties. With the emphasis placed on primary care under the federal Affordable Care Act, what will the federal government need to do to entice the best and the brightest to go into primary care?