Episode 21: The Ob/Gyn Doctor Shortage with Neel Shah, MD

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Welcome to another episode of The Gynarchy Podcast! Today, I am speaking with Dr. Neel Shah, an ob/gyn, Chief Medical Officer of Maven Clinic, visiting scientist at Harvard Medical School, and advisory board member of the National Institutes of Health, Office of Women’s Health Research, about the ob/gyn doctor shortage in the US.

In “Episode 21: The Ob/Gyn Doctor Shortage”, we discuss a growing crisis in women’s healthcare - the severe shortage of ob/gyns. With rising burnout, increasing restrictions on reproductive care, and medical students steering away from the specialty, we discuss what the future holds for obstetric and gynecologic care and possible solutions.

Here are some topics we discuss:

• The scope of the ob/gyn shortage and its serious impacts on women’s health, particularly maternal health and access to care
• The especially dire situation in rural America
• Factors contributing to the shortage: physician burnout, aging workforce, restrictive laws affecting reproductive healthcare, litigation fears, limited number of residency slots, less medical students entering the field
• Healthcare system issues that contribute to the problem, including undervaluing women’s healthcare, leading to low reimbursement for women’s healthcare services, often resulting in closures of maternity units at small hospitals
• Possible solutions, including healthcare policy changes, expanding healthcare coverage, improving reimbursements, increasing telehealth and virtual care, increasing the ob/gyn physician pipeline, creative solutions to find balance and prevent burnout for physicians in the field

Tune in on Monday, May 5, 2025 and make sure to subscribe to stay updated on all our episodes.

Where to connect with Neel Shah, MD:

Substack: Neel Shah, MD | Substack

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neeltshah/

Website: Maven Clinic - The next generation of care for women and families

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Medical disclaimer: The content provided on this podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.