Best States For Doctors

Choosing where to establish a medical practice is a key decision for a doctor. Factors such as employment opportunities, level of medical competition, and the overall medical environment significantly influence this choice. In order to offer a comprehensive understanding of the geographical differences in practicing medicine in America, we have compiled extensive public data based on two key criteria: “Opportunity & Competition” and “Medical Environment.” This detailed, state-by-state examination comprises 19 relevant metrics, giving a comprehensive insight into the best states for doctors to practice.

Our index uses a scale of 0 to 100, where a score of 100 represents the most ideal conditions for practicing doctors based on our evaluation criteria.

• The state with the highest Practice Medicine Index Score is Montana, scoring an exceptional 73.45 out of 100. This suggests that Montana offers an excellent medical environment and opportunities for doctors, making it the most attractive state for medical professionals.
• The bottom of the list is dominated by Hawaii, with a score of 41.7, indicating a comparatively less favorable environment for practicing medicine.
• There appears to be a slight regional trend, with many of the northern and Midwestern states like South Dakota, Idaho, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Iowa ranking in the top 10. 
• Meanwhile, Northeastern states such as New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts feature much lower on the list, indicating a more challenging environment for medical practitioners.

The top 10 states for doctors, are Montana, South Dakota, Idaho, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Louisiana, Utah, Nebraska, Iowa, and Indiana. Montana stands out with the highest index score of 73.45, making it the ideal state for practicing doctors. These key factors include future growth of health-related industries, malpractice insurance rates, quality of primary education system, and projected competition in the year 2026.

Following Montana, South Dakota, with its index score of 67.47, stands second in providing supportive conditions for healthcare professionals. Idaho's score of 66.48 places it third on the list. Wisconsin and Minnesota, known for their strong healthcare systems, claim the fourth and fifth places with index scores of 64.22 and 63.13 respectively.

The next five states - Louisiana, Utah, Nebraska, Iowa, and Indiana offer rather similar environments for doctors according to the index scores that range from 63.11 in Louisiana to 62.11 in Indiana.

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10 Best States for Doctors:

1. Montana - 73.45
2. South Dakota - 67.47
3. Idaho - 66.48
4. Wisconsin - 64.22
5. Minnesota - 63.13
6. Louisiana - 63.11
7. Utah - 63.05
8. Nebraska - 62.47
9. Iowa - 62.42
10. Indiana - 62.11