Military medical corps faces recruitment crisis as physicians leave for higher civilian pay

Retired rear admiral and former congressional physician Robert Krasner argues that the U.S. military’s medical workforce is in jeopardy. He says the war in Iran has highlighted a long‑standing shortfall in recruiting and retaining doctors across the Army, Navy and Air Force.

Krasner cites a 2024 RAND study showing that many physicians exit the service after their obligations end, pointing to lower pay, heavy administrative duties and loss of clinical skills as primary reasons. A 2020 GAO report found that military doctors in most specialties earn well below the 20th percentile of civilian salaries.

The author urges Congress to create incentives for physicians and their employers to join the military medical corps, arguing that without structural reforms the armed forces will struggle to sustain medical readiness in future conflicts.