More physicians working part time

The number of physicians working part time has grown rapidly in recent years, according to a joint survey by the physician employment search firm Cejka Search and the American Medical Group Association (AMGA). In 2011, 22% of male physicians and 44% of female physicians worked less than full time. That's up from 7% of men and 29% of women in 2005.

Among men working part time, the largest proportion (13%) were between the ages of 55 and 64, followed by those age 45 to 54 (11%). Among women, the largest group of part-timers (22%) was age 35 to 44, followed by those age 45 to 54 (17%). Overall, 55% of those working part time were women.

The Cejka/AMGA survey found that physician-owned practices with at least 500 physicians are the most likely to employ part-time physicians, with 20% of male and 23% of female physicians working part time. That contrasts with practices of three to 50 physicians, where the survey found that 6% of male and 4% of female physicians worked part time.

The survey covered 14,366 physicians in 80 practices that ranged in size from three to more than 500 doctors each.