CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (WBOY) — Doctors are some of the most educated and well-paid workers around, but compared with the rest of the nation, West Virginia may not be the best place for a doctor to work their practice.
A study from WalletHub looked at the 50 states and the District of Columbia to find which had the best and worst conditions for a doctor.
According to their results, West Virginia ranked 28 in the nation in terms of how good it is for doctors in 2023.
Source: WalletHub
Best States to Practice Medicine
| Overall Rank | State | Total Score | Opportunity & Competition | Medical Environment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Montana | 73.45 | 11 | 4 |
| 2 | South Dakota | 67.47 | 29 | 8 |
| 3 | Idaho | 66.48 | 7 | 5 |
| 4 | Wisconsin | 64.22 | 2 | 15 |
| 28 | West Virginia | 54.89 | 4 | 47 |
| 49 | Alaska | 44.47 | 33 | 38 |
| 50 | Rhode Island | 41.86 | 44 | 45 |
| 51 | Hawaii | 41.70 | 51 | 43 |
To achieve their findings, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 19 weighted metrics divided into two dimensions, “Opportunity & Competition” and “Medical Environment.”
“Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the most favorable conditions for practicing doctors,” according to WalletHub.
Then the weighted average across all metrics was used to calculate each state’s overall score.
Opportunity & Competition – Total Points: 70
- Physicians’ Average Annual Wage: Double Weight (~11.67 Points)
Note: Data for this metric were adjusted for the cost of living. - Physicians’ Average Monthly Starting Salary: Full Weight (~5.83 Points)
Note: Data for this metric were adjusted for the cost of living. - Hospitals per Capita: Full Weight (~5.83 Points)
- Insured Population Rate: Full Weight (~5.83 Points)
Note: “Population” includes noninstitutionalized civilians aged 16 and older. - Employer-Based Insurance Rate: Full Weight (~5.83 Points)
- Projected Share of Elderly Population: Full Weight (~5.83 Points)
Note: This metric measures the projected percentage of the population aged 65 and older by 2030. - Current Competition: Full Weight (~5.83 Points)
Note: This metric measures both the number of physicians per 1,000 Residents and the percentage of the population living in a primary-care HPSA, or Health Professional Shortage Area. HPSAs, as defined by the Health Resources & Services Administration, “are designations that indicate health care provider shortages in: Primary care; Dental health; or Mental Health” and “may be geographic-, population-, or facility-based.” - Share of Medical Residents Retained: Full Weight (~5.83 Points)
Note: The metric measures the net number of medical residents being added to the physician workforce of each state. - Projected Competition: Full Weight (~5.83 Points)
Note: This metric measures the projected number of physicians per 1,000 Residents by 2030. - Number of CME Credits Required: Full Weight (~5.83 Points)
Note: “CME” stands for Continuing Medical Education, credits for which the state may require medical professionals to earn in order to maintain their licenses. - Presence of Interstate Medical Licensure Compact Law: Full Weight (~5.83 Points)
Note: This metric is based on data from the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact and considers whether compact legislation has been enacted, introduced or not been introduced.
Medical Environment – Total Points: 30
- Quality of Public Hospital System: Full Weight (~3.75 Points)
Note: This metric is based on data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. - Hospitals Safety – Percentage of “A” Hospitals: Full Weight (~3.75 Points)
Note: This metric is based on data from Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade which ranked hospitals across the states based on 27 measures of publicly available hospital safety data. - Presence of Nationally Accredited Health Departments: Full Weight (~3.75 Points)
Note: This binary metric measures the presence or absence of national accredited health departments in a state. - Physician Assistants per Capita: Full Weight (~3.75 Points)
- Punitiveness of State Medical Board: Full Weight (~3.75 Points)
Note: This metric measures the number of serious disciplinary actions (per 1,000 physicians) taken by the state medical board. - Malpractice Award Payout Amount per Capita: Full Weight (~3.75 Points)
- Annual Malpractice Liability Insurance Rate: Full Weight (~3.75 Points)
- Physician Burnout: Full Weight (~3.75 Points)
Note: Physician burnout is defined as “a feeling of physical, emotional, or mental exhaustion, as well as frustration and cynicism related to work; and doubts about your competence and the value of your work.”
