Puerto Rico is experiencing a worsening shortage of pediatricians as the existing workforce ages and few new doctors open private practices, according to an El Vocero report cited by The Weekly Journal. The Secretary of the Puerto Rico Department of Health said there are between 650 and 700 licensed pediatricians on the island, calling this a significant reduction compared to previous decades and citing a structural retention challenge despite active training capacity.
Pediatrician Gerardo Tosca Claudio, a board member of the Puerto Rican Pediatric Society, said pediatricians are concentrated mainly in the metropolitan area, with shortages in Naranjito, Utuado, the central region, the east, and even parts of the metro area to a lesser extent, as many pediatricians retire without being replaced. He said of the 28 pediatricians who graduate annually from the island's four residency programs, about 70% leave Puerto Rico to pursue sub-specialties.
Of those who remain, many choose to work in emergency rooms rather than open private practices, largely due to reluctance to deal with low reimbursement rates from commercial health insurance plans, preferring steady paychecks over insurance-related administrative burdens.