Radiologists aren't even on the current list of the most highly recruited doctors, according to physician search firm Merritt Hawkins.
Radiology was the most requested specialty in 2001, 2002, and 2003, but it did not appear on the list of Merritt Hawkins' top 20 most requested specialties in 2013, the company said.
Instead, family physicians took top place, with general internal medicine doctors second, hospitalists third, and psychiatrists fourth.
"The recruitment of physicians into independent practice settings such as solo practice and partnerships has almost entirely abated," the company said. "Sixty-four percent of Merritt Hawkins' search assignments in 2012 and 2013 featured hospital employment of the physician, up from 11% in 2004."
Demand is also increasing for nonphysician practitioners such as physician assistants and nurse practitioners; in fact, these providers were among the top 20 recruiting assignments for the first time in the 20 years Merritt Hawkins has been conducting the review, according to the firm.
