Sought-after physician specialty roles are taking longer to fill

Sought-after physician specialty roles are taking longer to fill 
Modern Healthcare; by Tim Broderick; 9/24/25 
The time it took to fill open positions for the most sought-after physician specialties increased to almost five months in 2024, according to new research. The nonprofit Association for Advancing Physician and Provider Recruitment, with research firm Industry Insights, examined 2024 data from more than 15,000 searches of the association’s site, 61% of which were related to physician searches. ... The analysis found the estimated median days to fill the selected jobs increased by 11.5%, to 145 days in 2024 from 130 days in 2023. Oncology positions were the hardest to fill, at an estimated median of 332 days. Cardiology positions followed with an estimated median of 248 days to fill. [Access to the full article might be limited per a paywall.] 
Editor's Note: Oncology and cardiology are now the two hardest physician specialties to recruit—roles that take many months to fill. This matters deeply for hospice care. According to NHPCO’s Facts and Figures 2024, cancer and circulatory diseases--together with Alzheimer’s and other neurological conditions--account for nearly 75% of all hospice admissions. Delays in recruiting these specialists risk slowing timely palliative and hospice referrals. Ensuring that newly hired oncologists and cardiologists receive both clinical orientation and intentional connection with hospice teams is critical to sustaining seamless, compassionate care.