Internal scans and microscopic testing can now show the hidden miracles of the body’s functions, helping pinpoint disease. New therapies can cure, heal, and lengthen life. There’s no doubt technology has transformed medicine.

But it’s also transformed a doctor’s life — and many don’t like it. In fact, they are leaving the profession.

“My generation of doctors has been reduced to a job as a technician. We’re constantly pressed to produce more,” said a young physician.

As a result, the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) predicts a shortage of physicians by 2025, especially general practitioners, emergency care, and surgery.

The reasons for bolting appear simple and clear, according to research by InCrowd, a provider of market intelligence to life sciences and health care firms. Their recent survey found 57 percent of primary care and emergency physicians have personally experienced burnout — defined as decreased enthusiasm for work, depersonalization, emotional exhaustion, and a low sense of personal accomplishment.

The survey also revealed 74 percent of respondents said their employing health care facility was not taking steps to acknowledge, address, and prevent burnout. One survey participant, a doctor from Maine, commented, “They are clueless. They do nothing. Physicians are bought, sold, and traded like commodities.”

Said a respondent from Kansas, “I work for a large health care system and all they care about is numbers, meaningful use, patient access, and number of patient visits. They really show no interest in trying to help providers with burnout.”

The InCrowd survey mirrors the 54.4 percent burnout rate reported by a Mayo Clinic study in December 2015 and a range of 40-55 percent burnout across 25 clinical specialties in a MedScape Lifestyles study in January 2016. One of the testaments to the importance of the topic is that 58 percent of respondents said they either were not sure they would recommend a career in medicine to a child or family member — or knew they would not.

[lz_bulleted_list title=”Signs of Physician Burnout” source=”http://www.ama-assn.org”]Constant stress is leading factor|At odds with leadership|Work often interferes with family|Lack of control over schedule|Lack of self-care[/lz_bulleted_list]

Dr. Michael Smith (not his real name) is a 34-year-old physician from Raleigh, North Carolina. He began his career in emergency care, and when he experienced burnout after three years, he made a mid-career change, going into primary care with a smaller hospital system in South Carolina.

Smith is making plans to leave the profession entirely, once he is out of the debt he incurred while getting his medical degree.

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“My father was a doctor,” he told LifeZette. “He loved his work. I assumed I would too — but there’s a big difference between my father’s career and mine. He was a respected professional who built relationships with his patients and cared for them. The sad truth is that my generation of doctors have been reduced to a job as a technician, constantly pressed between administration to produce more — and patients who think they can pick and choose their treatments based on what they read that morning on the internet.”

Smith doesn’t believe he can craft a viable business from life as a solo practitioner, due to administrative and malpractice insurance costs.

Another physician, Dr. Adam Jones (also not his real name), feels similarly pressed.

A 17 percent greater demand will mean a shortage of 46,000 to 90,000 physicians by 2025.

“I work longer and longer hours, with more patient demand every year. And I have experienced diminishing pay over the last four years,” he said. “The remuneration in contrast to my school debt doesn’t make it a smart choice. I sometimes think I look like an idiot for choosing this career.”

Doctors in the InCrowd survey cite administrative pressure, paperwork and electronic medical records, regulations, insurance requirements, and a lack of respect from administration and patients as key issues that are not addressed at their facility.

A doctor from California noted “being pushed to see more and more patients and not having enough time to address all of their needs” as a reason for her dissatisfaction.

“Let’s face it, medicine has become less about people,” Dr. Sherry Williams (not her real name) said. Williams entered the profession as a primary care physician in Madison, Wisconsin, because she considered herself a “people person.”

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“It’s not patient-centered anymore. It’s focused on technology, electronic records, and following directives from management based on metrics and measurements. It’s practically impossible to focus on the person who is sitting in front of you with real symptoms.”

The AAMC says that demand for physicians continues to grow beyond supply. AAMC expects a slight growth in doctors between 2013 and 2025, but a 17 percent greater demand will mean a shortage of 46,000 doctors (best-case scenario) to 90,000 by 2025.

Their research indicates a shortfall of 12,500 to 31,100 primary care physicians; 28,200 to 63,700 non-primary care physicians, including 5,100 to 12,300 medical specialists; 23,100 to 31,600 surgeons; and 2,400 to 20,200 other specialists.

Related: And We’re Surprised Docs Are Burning Out?

The shortage is predicted, even with the growth of physician assistants and advanced practice nurses in the field. The predictions do not take into account a measurable reduction in the number of doctors leaving the profession due to early retirement, growing dissatisfaction, and burnout — so the numbers could be even higher.

“Our study corroborates a stubborn undercurrent of physician burnout as documented elsewhere that isn’t going away,” Dr. Diane Hayes, co-founder and president of InCrowd, said.

Williams believes the best doctors are those who are empathetic and truly care for their patients.

“Of all my colleagues,” she said, “the doctors who care the most are the ones most susceptible to burnout.”

Pat Barone, MCC, is a professional credentialed coach and author of the Own Every Bite! bodycentric re-education program for mindful and intuitive eating.