Almost half of doctors, 48%, between the ages of 50 and 65 plan to retire, seek non-clinical jobs, work part time, close their practices to new patients, or cut back on the number of patients they see, according to a survey by physician staffing firm Merritt Hawkins & Associates. The survey also found that 44% would not choose medicine as a career if they were starting out today and 57% wouldn't recommend it as a career to their children or young people.

The survey questioned 1,170 doctors.