Keeping the doctor away isn’t always a great thing – just ask people in rural Colorado and some inner-city neighborhoods, where the shortage of medical professionals is growing. While some recruitment is happening due to loan repayment, training and other programs intended to address the problem, some in the field say public policy still may stand in the way.

Lou Ann Wilroy, CEO of the Colorado Rural Health Center, says a shortage of more than 2,200 primary care providers is expected by 2025 in Colorado, and not just of doctors.”We have an 11 percent shortage of nurses statewide, and we expect this will triple in the next 10 years.”

Looking at these projections, she suggests many Coloradans may want to start thinking seriously about making a career in healthcare.”The number of health care job openings in Colorado is expected to grow by 20 percent over the next 10 years, but the pool of health professionals is expected to shrink by 17 percent.”

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