Portugal sees a twofold increase in the number of physicians
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Portugal's healthcare sector has experienced significant growth and transformation over the past three decades, as reflected in the increasing number of registered medical professionals, dentists, and nurses. This expansion, however, is not uniform across the country, with notable regional variations, evolving gender ratios, and the growing representation of foreign professionals.
Since 1991, Portugal has witnessed a steady increase in the number of registered medical doctors, dentists, and nurses, reflecting the expansion of the healthcare sector and increased healthcare demands. This growth is linked to expanded healthcare training and recruitment efforts.
One striking aspect of this growth is the regional disparity. Urban centres such as Lisbon and Porto tend to have higher densities of registered health professionals, whereas rural and less developed areas often report shortages or slower growth in registrations. This regional disparity affects access to healthcare and is a focus for policy intervention.
Another notable trend is the shift in gender representation among medical professionals. While males traditionally dominated physician roles, recent decades show increasing female participation, especially among younger cohorts and in fields like nursing and dentistry, which historically had higher proportions of women.
Portugal has also seen an increase in the number of foreign-trained and foreign-born medical and healthcare professionals registering to work in the country. This trend is part of broader European integration and migration patterns and contributes to alleviating local professional shortages, particularly in underserved areas.
In 2024, there were 63,965 registered medical professionals in Portugal, with six doctors per 1,000 inhabitants. The Coimbra region had the highest proportion of resident doctors per 1,000 inhabitants in both 1991 and 2024. The municipalities with the highest rates of active nurses per 1,000 inhabitants were primarily district capitals, with Coimbra leading the country with a rate of 25.5.
The proportion of women among registered pharmacists remained stable over the last 20 years at around 80%. The number of registered medical professionals in 1991 was 28,326, reflecting an average annual growth of 2.5%.
In the dental profession, the Porto Metropolitan Area and the Viseu Dão Lafões region had the highest rates of registered dentists in 2024. On the other hand, the Alentejo Litoral, Baixo Alentejo, and Lezíria do Tejo regions had the lowest rates.
In 2024, 54.3 men per 100 women were registered with the Portuguese Dental Association, and foreign professionals represented 0.9% of the total registered pharmacists, with 34.2% being Brazilian nationals.
As Portugal's population ages, the demographics of its healthcare workforce are changing. In 2024, 26.6% of physicians were over 65 years old, and 15.8% were under 31 years old. Approximately 83% of registered nurses were women, with 36% aged 31 to 45 representing a significant percentage. Of the total, 29.4% were specialists.
Almost two-thirds of the registered physicians held one or more specialties, subspecialties, or competencies. In 2024, 85,499 professionals were registered with the Portuguese Dental Association, double the number registered in 2002 (41,799). Last year, 17,101 professionals were registered with the Order of Pharmacists, more than double the number in 2002 (7,962).
These trends highlight the ongoing evolution of Portugal's healthcare workforce, with regional variations, changing gender dynamics, and increasing representation of foreign professionals shaping the landscape. As the country continues to navigate the challenges of an aging population and evolving healthcare needs, these trends will undoubtedly continue to evolve.
- The increasing representation of foreign professionals in Portugal's healthcare sector is not limited to medical doctors and nurses, as nutritionists and mental health specialists from various countries are also registering to work, contributing to the enhancement of overall health-and-wellness and mental-health services.
- In the realm of fitness-and-exercise, Portugal has witnessed a growing interest in preventive care, fueled by the rising number of registered medical professionals and the expansion of healthcare training programs, leading to an increase in the number of certified fitness coaches and personal trainers.
