title: The opinion of current and recent internal medicine residents regarding a fourth year of training and the future of general internal medicine. American College of Physicians National Council of Associates.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the opinion of current residents and recent graduates of internal medicine training programs regarding an additional mandatory year of residency training.
  
  
  METHODS
  A survey was made of 2,000 associate members of the American College of Physicians from five geographic regions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 917 respondents, 70.3% thought a fourth year of training would impact negatively on their choice of a career in internal medicine, and 82.9% believed a mandatory fourth year should not be required of residents choosing a subspecialty career. Furthermore, 58.1% of physicians surveyed thought a mandatory fourth year would discourage individuals from pursuing subspecialty careers. If a mandatory fourth year of training were required, 50.7% respondents indicated that it should consist of ambulatory training in a number of general fields, while 49.6% physicians believed the training should focus on one or two subspecialty fields.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A mandatory fourth year of training is not supported by residents and recent graduates of the programs surveyed.
authors.affiliation: American College of Physicians National Council of Associates, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Salerno
authors.forename: C T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Cowl
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003625:Data Collection; D006801:Humans; D007388:Internal Medicine / Q000193:education* / Q000639:trends; D007396:Internship and Residency; D013997:Time Factors