Entry of U.S. medical school graduates into family practice residencies: 1988-1989 and eight-year summary.
This study continues a series of reports from the American Academy of Family Physicians on the percentage of each medical school's graduates who enter family practice residency programs. Approximately 10.7% of the 15,947 graduates of United States medical schools between July 1987 and June 1988 were first-year residents in family practice in October 1988. This compares to 12.0% in the previous year. The Mountain region reported the highest percentage of medical school graduates who are first-year residents in family practice programs in October 1988; the Middle Atlantic and New England regions had the lowest percentages. Medical school graduates from publicly funded medical schools were twice as likely to be first-year residents in family practice in October 1988 as were graduates from privately funded medical schools. The percentages for each medical school have varied substantially from year to year in the eight years that the AAFP has reported this information. The average percentage for each medical school for the last eight years, as well as the cumulative percentage for each medical school, are reported. Although school-specific percentages may show wide year-to-year variations, the total percentage of U.S. medical school graduates entering family practice residencies has been generally stable near 12.0% in the previous seven years. The decline to 10.7% for 1987-88 is cause for careful review.
Schmittling
G
G
Division of Research and Information Services, American Academy of Family Physicians, Kansas City, MO 64114.
Graham
R
R
D002321:Career Choice; D005194:Family Practice / Q000193:education* / Q000639:trends; D007396:Internship and Residency / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013337:Students, Medical; D014481:United States