The results of 20 years of family practice residency training at the University of Louisville.
In response to shortages of generalist physicians, especially in rural areas, family practice residency programs were established at both of Kentucky's medical schools. In 1972 a family practice residency program became operational at the University of Louisville. A study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of this program. We were especially interested in those factors that were associated with a physician's choice to practice in rural or urban medically underserved areas. The records of the 100 program graduates were reviewed to determine the physician's gender, ethnic background, hometown, and current practice location. A questionnaire was mailed to program graduates to obtain additional information about factors that influence physician practice location. For the purpose of this study, "rural" was defined as a community of less than 25,000. Sixty-eight of the program's 100 graduates currently practice in Kentucky. Forty-nine graduates serve patients in rural or medically underserved urban areas, and of those, 31 are located in Kentucky. Whites and those from rural hometowns were more likely to practice in rural communities than minorities or those from urban hometowns. However, minorities were more likely than whites to practice in medically underserved urban areas. No association was found between gender and practice location. Initial interest in rural practice and participation in financial aid programs requiring service in a rural area were associated with rural practice location, but participation in rural rotations at the predoctoral or residency training level were not. We conclude that the family practice training program at the University of Louisville has been successful in training generalist physicians to serve rural and medically underserved urban populations.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Blondell
R D
RD
Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Louisville, KY 40292.
Mason
J S
JS
Looney
S W
SW
James
T C
TC
D005194:Family Practice / Q000193:education / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D007629:Kentucky; D008297:Male; D008507:Medically Underserved Area; D012424:Rural Population; D013997:Time Factors; D014495:Universities; D014505:Urban Population; D000078329:Workforce