Number of inhabitants per physician in Czechia 2000-2021

The number of inhabitants per one physician in Czechia has decreased in the observed period. While in 2000, there were 287 residents per physician. This number dropped to 235 in 2021.

Medical personnel

Czechia is facing a medical staff shortage. The decreased number of inhabitants per one doctor is a good sign as it shows that the number of physicians is rising while the population is increasing rather slightly. However, the average age of doctors keeps increasing every year as the demographic crisis endangers the medical field. Many specialists with long waiting times, such as ophthalmologists (eye doctors), are prime examples of this problem. The dentists’ situation is worse than that of physicians. For every dentist in Czechia, there were almost 1400 inhabitants in 2021. There are fewer dentists than physicians, and their numbers are not growing.

Physicians’ reputation

The career as a physician remains to be a highly prestigious one. It is traditionally considered one of the best professions, which is reflected in its pay rate. Physicians’ and dentists’ salaries amounted to an average of 100,000 Czech koruna per month in 2021, almost double the average for all healthcare professions. But the difficulty of the medical entrance exams, subsequent studies, along with the stressful and demanding work life might discourage people from choosing this career path.