Top 10 Medical Specialties in Shortage Worldwide (2025 Edition)

In 2025, healthcare systems around the world are confronting an unprecedented staffing crisis. Technological innovations like AI, telemedicine, and digital health are advancing rapidly, yet there remains one constant: the irreplaceable need for trained medical professionals — particularly those with specialized expertise.
From Europe to Asia, and the Middle East to North America, a severe shortage of physicians in key specialties is emerging. This isn’t just a headache for hospital administrators — it’s a systemic challenge that impacts patient outcomes, physician burnout, health expenditures, and national public health objectives.

In this article, we examine the top 10 medical specialties experiencing the most critical shortages in 2025, explore the driving factors behind these gaps, identify the regions most affected, and assess the implications for medical students, doctors, and health policy leaders.

If you're contemplating your specialty or are a stakeholder in healthcare workforce planning, this is a must-read.

1. Psychiatry

Why it’s in shortage:

The global mental health crisis has deepened in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Conditions like depression, anxiety, PTSD, addiction, and suicide are on the rise, particularly among younger populations. However, the number of trained psychiatrists has failed to grow at the same pace.

Where shortages are worst:

• United States
  
  
• United Kingdom (especially in NHS mental health trusts)
  
  
• India
  
  
• Australia
  
  
• Sub-Saharan Africa

Impact:

Patients face months-long waiting lists. Existing psychiatrists are overburdened. General practitioners and digital mental health platforms are increasingly used as stopgaps — which, while helpful, are not substitutes for specialized psychiatric care.

2. Geriatrics (Geriatric Medicine)

Why it’s in shortage:

As life expectancy increases, geriatric care becomes more essential. Still, very few medical graduates choose geriatrics due to its perceived lower prestige and financial rewards. The result: too few doctors to care for the growing elderly population.

Where shortages are worst:

• Japan
  
  
• Germany
  
  
• Italy
  
  
• United States
  
  
• Canada

Impact:

Older adults with multiple chronic conditions are often managed by non-specialists unfamiliar with geriatric care, leading to issues like polypharmacy, preventable hospital readmissions, and diminished quality of life.

3. Emergency Medicine

Why it’s in shortage:

Emergency medicine is a high-stress specialty. The intense workload, emotional toll, and night shifts lead to burnout and poor retention. This is compounded by chronic underfunding and rising patient volumes.

Where shortages are worst:

• United States
  
  
• United Kingdom (particularly rural and under-resourced areas)
  
  
• Gulf countries
  
  
• South Africa
  
  
• Urban India

Impact:

Emergency departments face overcrowding, longer wait times, and a decline in acute care quality. Some facilities increasingly depend on non-specialists or under-trained physicians to manage emergencies, risking patient safety.

4. Anesthesiology

Why it’s in shortage:

Anesthesiology is experiencing a bottleneck in training and a wave of retirements. Simultaneously, the global rise in surgeries and procedures has dramatically increased demand.

Where shortages are worst:

• Middle East
  
  
• Africa
  
  
• Latin America
  
  
• Rural parts of Europe

Impact:

Operating rooms are facing delays and even cancellations. Existing anesthesiologists face burnout from long hours. In some settings, underqualified personnel are performing anesthetic roles — posing a serious risk to patients.

5. Family Medicine / General Practice

Why it’s in shortage:

Primary care is fundamental to healthcare delivery, yet the specialty has lost its appeal. Factors like administrative overload, lower compensation, and longer working hours are pushing trainees away.

Where shortages are worst:

• United States (particularly rural areas)
  
  
• United Kingdom (NHS)
  
  
• Canada
  
  
• Australia
  
  
• Sub-Saharan Africa

Impact:

Lack of access to primary care leads to overburdened emergency departments and poor chronic disease management. Continuity of care — a hallmark of family medicine — is increasingly disrupted.

6. Obstetrics and Gynecology (OB/GYN)

Why it’s in shortage:

The specialty has a high malpractice risk and emotionally taxing workload. Fewer residents are entering OB/GYN globally, especially in regions with weak healthcare infrastructure.

Where shortages are worst:

• Rural United States
  
  
• South Asia
  
  
• Parts of the Middle East
  
  
• Eastern Europe
  
  
• Sub-Saharan Africa

Impact:

Access to maternal care is declining. In many areas, women face long travel distances or dangerous conditions due to lack of prenatal, perinatal, and reproductive health services. Even in developed countries, reproductive care is becoming harder to access.

7. Infectious Disease (ID)

Why it’s in shortage:

COVID-19 underlined the importance of infectious disease specialists. Yet, this specialty remains underpaid and underappreciated. It often lacks the financial rewards of other internal medicine subspecialties.

Where shortages are worst:

• United States
  
  
• Latin America
  
  
• Sub-Saharan Africa
  
  
• Southeast Asia

Impact:

Without enough ID specialists, antimicrobial resistance and emerging infections are poorly managed. Public health departments are stretched thin, and hospitals are less equipped to deal with outbreaks.

8. Radiology

Why it’s in shortage:

Demand for imaging has skyrocketed due to increasing reliance on CTs, MRIs, and ultrasounds for diagnosis. However, radiologist training is slow, and many are retiring or relocating to more lucrative regions.

Where shortages are worst:

• United Kingdom
  
  
• Australia
  
  
• UAE and Gulf states
  
  
• South Asia

Impact:

Delayed diagnoses, overworked radiologists, and growing risks of missed findings. While AI tools are emerging, human oversight remains indispensable for clinical decisions.

9. Pathology

Why it’s in shortage:

Despite being central to cancer care, infectious disease, and diagnostics, pathology is often viewed as less attractive due to limited patient interaction and visibility in medical education.

Where shortages are worst:

• Africa
  
  
• Middle East
  
  
• Latin America
  
  
• Southeast Asia

Impact:

Diagnostic delays are common, especially in oncology. Labs are understaffed, and turnaround times are increasing. Although digital pathology is expanding, adoption is uneven across regions.

10. Pediatric Subspecialties

Why it’s in shortage:

While general pediatricians may be present in many regions, there is a severe lack of subspecialists like pediatric cardiologists, endocrinologists, and neurologists.

Where shortages are worst:

• Developing nations
  
  
• Rural United States
  
  
• Middle East
  
  
• India and Pakistan

Impact:

Children with rare or chronic conditions often remain undiagnosed or receive incomplete care. Preventable mortality and complications from treatable diseases continue to afflict underserved pediatric populations.

Why These Shortages Exist Globally

• Aging global populations
  
  
• Disparity between training locations and areas of highest need
  
  
• Low compensation or high litigation risk in some specialties
  
  
• Brain drain from low-income to high-income countries
  
  
• Preference among physicians for urban, well-resourced settings
  
  
• Insufficient government workforce planning
  
  
• Economic and political instability in developing regions

What This Means for Doctors Choosing a Specialty in 2025

For medical students and early-career doctors, these shortages offer unique career opportunities:

• Impact: Filling critical gaps means making a difference in underserved populations.
  
  
• Stability: High-demand fields offer long-term career security.
  
  
• Global mobility: Physicians in these specialties are highly sought after worldwide.
  
  
• Negotiation leverage: You may access better compensation, job offers, and visa opportunities.

What Policymakers Should Do

• Increase training slots for in-demand specialties
  
  
• Offer scholarships, incentives, and debt forgiveness
  
  
• Support collaboration with physician assistants and nurse practitioners
  
  
• Invest in AI and telehealth tools to bridge access gaps
  
  
• Improve physician work environments and pay
  
  
• Prioritize rural and high-need area placements

Final Thoughts: The Crisis Is Real, But So Is the Opportunity

The physician shortage of 2025 is not a temporary glitch — it's a structural failure that has been building for years. However, within this crisis lies opportunity.

By focusing on the most-needed specialties, the next generation of physicians has the chance to make a substantial global impact. These fields may not always be the most glamorous or well-compensated, but they’re indispensable to the health of nations.

If you're planning your future in medicine, consider where you can do the most good — and where you’ll be needed most.