The Permanente Journal Read this article at the journal site Why Have All the Doctors Gone? Insights Into Early Clinical Departure Among Physicians in the United States: A National Survey Sea Chen , MD, PhD https://orcid.org/0009-0009-2817-0494 sea.chen@ama-assn.org , Lindsey Carlasare , MBA , Roger Brown , PhD , and Michael Tutty , PhD AUTHORS INFO & AFFILIATIONS Published Online : May 7, 2026 https://doi.org/10.7812/TPP/25.219 Abstract Introduction This national survey of clinically inactive physicians was conducted to identify the factors driving early exit from the clinical physician workforce in the United States, aiming to evaluate characteristics and motivations for leaving early. Methods A sample of clinically inactive physicians drawn from American Medical Association Physician Professional Data™ completed a survey between May and June 2024, with questions assessing demographics,...