Many Western countries complain that they have more doctors than they need, but in Italy the problem has proceeded well beyond the mere complaint. The latest (and first) census of the profession, presented to the media just before Christmas, showed that 1 out of every 218 Italians is a doctor, and that 90,000 of these doctors are out of work. This means that if all the medical schools in Italy were closed, more than fifteen years would have to pass before the need to reopen them would be felt. Unfortunately, the Italian medical schools are not closed at all, and this year's intake of students has declined only slightly. All that can be said with certainty is that the profession has never been at such a low point.