Too few doctors to go around?

Chattanooga long has been blessed by the availability of outstanding medical care. We have many fine doctors in general practice, plus many specialists. They have earned wonderful reputations for their ability to provide excellent treatment for patients suffering from all kinds of diseases, accidents and maladies - and to offer preventive care, too.

We hope our local folks stay healthy by practicing sensible personal habits, eating the "right things" and engaging in exercise. But when doctors or hospitals are needed, we can rely on their skill.

Chattanooga also is home to the state headquarters of BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, and other high-quality insurance options are available as well.

But as blessed as we are here, we could not help but notice the news that, despite an expansion of medical schools, our country as a whole could soon face a doctor shortage.

One report says the United States may be short nearly 92,000 physicians by 2020 - which isn't far away.

We are reminded that it takes four years of college, four years of medical school, three or more years of residency, and maybe still more years of training for doctors engaged in various specialties. Few people are willing to make that sacrifice, and growing ObamaCare bureaucracy is burdening doctors even further. Some are retiring early.

Yet our population is aging, meaning greater need for medical care. And we are demanding more medical attention than we used to. We like medical advances that heal our bodies, but those advances cost money and require great skill by physicians.

Now it remains to be seen whether there will even be enough doctors to dispense those services in the not-too-distant future.

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