Until the early part of the twentieth century, practically all physicians in the United States and elsewhere were primary care physicians, not specialists. This changed dramatically in all developed countries over the remainder of that century, so that at present, over 75% of all American doctors specialize in fields like surgery, cardiology, dermatology, urology, and oncology. Specialization in Europe also grew over time, but at a much slower rate than in the United States, the result being that European medicine is practiced with relatively fewer specialists compared to generalists.
The growth in medical specialists over time is largely explained by the general economic theory of specialization and the division of labor. Medical specialization becomes more attractive when spending on medical care increases since a bigger market for medical care provides even highly specialized physicians a large enough market for their services. This conclusion is an application of Adam Smith’s famous dictum in the Wealth of Nations that the division of labor is influenced by the extent of the market. Since medical spending per person and in the aggregate is much higher in the United States than other countries, it is no surprise that American specialization is much greater than elsewhere.
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(photo credit: banjo d)
