Perceived characteristics of successful family practice residency maternity care training programs.
OBJECTIVE
This study determined the perceived characteristics of family practice residency training programs that produce a high percentage of graduates who provide maternity care.


METHODS
We surveyed a Delphi panel of 28 family practice maternity care experts.


RESULTS
Consensus was reached after the third survey. The characteristics of the family medicine faculty and teaching service were rated as most important. Other essential characteristics were an adequate obstetrical training volume; mutual respect between obstetric and family medicine faculty and residents; support for family practice maternity care from obstetricians, administration, and nursing staff; and family physicians being accepted in the community as maternity care providers.


CONCLUSIONS
Family practice residency programs that produce a high percentage of graduates who provide maternity care have a unique, family practice maternity care-friendly environment. Residency programs wishing to increase the percentage of their graduates who provide maternity care should ensure that their faculty support family practice maternity care, are competent in maternity care, and model maternity care in their own practices. They should strive to ensure an adequate volume of obstetrical cases for resident education and work toward educating patients and local obstetricians, nursing staff, and hospital administration regarding family practice maternity care.
Taylor
H A
HA
Family Practice Department, Naval Hospital, Jacksonville, Fla., USA. chiptaylor@aol.com
Hansen
G H
GH
D002140:California; D004493:Education / Q000592:standards*; D005194:Family Practice / Q000193:education*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards; D016239:MEDLINE; D008297:Male; D008427:Maternal Health Services / Q000592:standards; D011247:Pregnancy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires