For the second straight year, we’ve examined geographic practice trends using our proprietary data across our four in-demand specialties: Neurology, Neurosurgery, Gastroenterology, and Urology.
This report summarizes the findings to help you as you formulate your post-training plans:
- Which regions are popular for each specialty
- What’s driving location choices
- Where the greatest needs are
Highlights include:
- Urologists are California dreamin’, despite aging trends.
Even though there are more older Americans in less densely populated states, urologists are still moving to the states with the largest populations and healthcare infrastructure post-residency, with California leading the pack. - Visa changes are starting to impact rural neurologist recruitment.
42% of neurology trainees are currently J-1 visa holders, meaning they must go somewhere “underserved” after their residency/fellowship. But uncertainty in visa policy is already starting to affect how rural hospitals are able to recruit. - Gastroenterologists are distributing more evenly.
They still largely gravitate toward high population states like California, New York, and Florida, but more GI specialists are heading to comparatively lower cost-of-living states like Ohio, North Carolina, and New Jersey. - Neurosurgeons are still doing the research despite threats to funding.
Despite cuts to research funding that enables these centers to recruit top talent, neurosurgeons continue to go where the research is being done. This is largely in cities with major academic centers: Boston, New York City, Chicago, and Houston continue to attract the most new neurosurgery talent.
For a more in-depth review of what’s impacting lifestyle and career geography for critical care specialists in 2025 and beyond, click below to download.
- 2025 Trainees: Where are they now?The latest data on where specialty trainees are putting down roots and practicing
- 2024 Trainees - Where are they now?
