Provided by OSMA’s exclusively endorsed medical liability insurance partner, The Doctors Company (TDC).

Misinformation and Eroding Trust Among Top Concerns

The Doctors Company’s new national survey of physicians paints a sobering picture of physician sentiment in 2025: Just 12 percent of physicians would recommend a career in medicine. The profession received a Net Promoter Score (NPS) of -52, signaling deep dissatisfaction across the medical community.

While medicine remains one of the most respected professions, the survey highlights how mounting pressures including misinformation on social media, rising costs, and declining patient trust are prompting physicians to reevaluate their roles and long-term career satisfaction.

Misinformation Tops the List of Daily Challenges

The survey, conducted in late 2024 and early 2025, aimed to explore the real-world stressors impacting physicians beyond the typical headlines about burnout, compensation, or technology.

“We conducted this survey following a turbulent year in healthcare to better understand physician perspectives on their practice environment,” said Deepika Srivastava, Chief Operating Officer of The Doctors Company. “To fulfill our mission of advancing, protecting, and rewarding the practice of good medicine, we must listen to those on the front lines of patient care. While many physician surveys focus on compensation, EHRs, or AI, our goal was to uncover the everyday challenges clinicians face.”

When asked to name the most difficult part of practicing medicine today, 64 percent of physicians pointed to misinformation that is spread on social media. Other leading concerns included:

• 62 percent: High costs of medical care
• 55 percent: High cost of drugs
• 52 percent: Declining trust in physicians and the healthcare system
• 42 percent: Political interference in medical decision making

“Medicine will always be about the physician and patient together, working to solve problems,” said an infectious disease specialist in New York. “Outside influences that sabotage this relationship, such as high costs, poor access to care, administrative burdens, and AI masquerading as knowledge, continue to need resistance.”

Still, a Deep Passion for Healing

Despite these headwinds, the survey found that many physicians remain deeply committed to patient care. The top reasons cited for job satisfaction included:

• 70 percent: Helping people recover from illness or injury
• 55 percent: The ability to solve complex problems
• 52 percent: Using clinical knowledge and skills
• 43 percent: Working with passionate colleagues
• 40 percent: Building relationships with patients and families

“The most rewarding part of practicing medicine is making a difference in the health of underserved populations and my community,” said a general practitioner in California.

As the practice of medicine becomes increasingly complex, physicians are calling for renewed support from the systems around them.

“The practice of medicine has changed dramatically with the growth of EHRs, the pandemic, and the introduction of AI,” Ms. Srivastava said. “Physicians are navigating greater complexity, higher patient demands, and increasing regulatory pressures. Now more than ever, they need support, advocacy, and protection to continue delivering safe, high-quality care. We remain committed to standing with them through every challenge.”

About the Survey

The survey was conducted by The Doctors Company, the nation’s largest physician-owned medical malpractice insurer. A total of 368 physicians from 47 U.S. states responded to 11 questions on career satisfaction, daily challenges, and professional motivation. Respondents represented a broad mix of specialties and age groups, primarily baby boomers, millennials, and Gen X.

To read the complete survey findings and physician commentary, visit Facing Diminished Trust, Doctors Question Their Calling.

Reprinted with permission. ©2025 The Doctors Company (thedoctors.com)