Most studies of physician attrition rely on Medicare claims data, which indicate when physicians stop billing for clinical services, but they don’t reveal why they stopped billing. Some physicians that are counted as “lost” to the workforce haven’t permanently left, they’ve simply stepped away from clinical practice temporarily. For younger female physicians, temporary exit is more common than expected, especially at younger ages.

This article utilizes physician licensure data from North Carolina to investigate the factors associated with physicians who transition out of clinical practice—whether due to retirement or a temporary exit from clinical medicine.