Latest projections from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) show clinician demand continuing to grow faster than supply, leading to a total projected workforce shortage of between 13,500 and 86,000 physicians alone by 2036. Unfortunately, addressing this crisis isn't a simple one-size-fits-all solution, but rather requires a series of targeted approaches focused on factors like workplace culture, mentoring and leadership development, gender disparities, and more.

In a recent original research article published in JACC: Advances, data from an ACC survey of U.S. cardiologists found 54%, regardless of clinical setting, reported experiencing unfair treatment in the workplace related to issues like professional advancement (31%), clinical work expectations (27%) and compensation (23%). Consequently, 20% said they avoided training, employment, or promotion opportunities; 20% felt silenced; and 16% reported social avoidance. Of those surveyed, 11% said they had considered leaving medicine.

"Mistreatment manifested as incivility, discrimination, and harassment is highly prevalent in the field of cardiology, with no gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation or career stage group being immune from mistreatment," say Laxmi S. Mehta, MD, FACC; Kevin L. Thomas, MD, FACC; et al. "These data are highly concerning and support a call for action to change the climate and culture within cardiology to one of support, trust, teamwork and collaboration."

Mehta, Thomas and colleagues highlight leadership development and mentoring programs as potential solutions for creating a positive culture, noting that organizations can help by "providing effective tools and resources and tracking improvement." For example, they call out several guidance and policy documents developed by the ACC focused on issues like clinician wellbeing, civility in the workplace and career flexibility. The ACC's Clinical Trial Research (ACC-CTR) program is another example, with its focus on encouraging interest among women and other underrepresented groups in research careers.

In a viewpoint published in JACC: Advances, Pamela S. Douglas, MD, MACC; Wayne B. Batchelor, MD, FACC; et al., outline how the ACC-CTR's "interactive, competency-based curriculum provides a scalable model that could be adapted to both fellowship training programs and postgraduate research education" to grow and diversify the next generation of clinical trialists.

They write: "By diversifying the cardiovascular clinical research workforce, the ACC-CTR program lays the foundation for broader participant diversity, improved clinical trial outcomes, and enhanced health equity.

Closing the gender gap is another area of focus. A separate state-of-the-art review published in JACC: Advances, dives deeper into the gender-specific obstacles impacting the cardiovascular workforce, including work-life integration; mentorship and opportunity gaps; discrimination, sexism and culture; inequitable compensation; and health concerns surrounding radiation.

Olubadewa A. Fatunde, MD; Jelani K. Grant, MD; et al., stress the urgent need for action to overcome these "barriers to career success and satisfaction among women" and offer a comprehensive list of systemic solutions for each obstacle. Additionally, they offer "actionable individual solutions for men in cardiology," starting with "acknowledgement that gender disparities exist."

"In order to achieve sustainable progress, systemic change must occur, and leadership must embrace the challenge of eliminating gender inequities," write Fatunde, Grant and colleagues. "Additionally, men in cardiology must commit to taking (at least) one action. Together, we can work to eliminate gender disparities and continue to strive to provide the best care for our patients."