Resident partnerships: a tool for enhancing ambulatory training.
OBJECTIVE
This study examined resident partnerships and their effect on graduates' practice patterns.


METHODS
The study authors surveyed graduates from a residency program that used resident partnerships. We also surveyed the graduates' current practice partners, and they served as a comparison group.


RESULTS
The graduates' response rate was 86%, and their current practice partners' response rate was 61%. Graduates from a partnership program rated themselves better trained for outpatient medicine and more comfortable communicating with other physicians and working within a patient care team; they were also slightly less likely to practice inpatient medicine. Reported benefits during residency included enhanced availability for continuity clinics, more emotional and intellectual support, and more flexible work schedules.


CONCLUSIONS
Graduates valued partnerships during their training and reported being better prepared to work with other physicians in ambulatory settings.
Adam
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Department of Family Practice and Community Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA. padam@famprac.umn.edu
Williamson
H A
HA
Zweig
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SC
D000328:Adult; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate; D005194:Family Practice / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards; D008875:Middle Aged; D008923:Missouri; D010317:Partnership Practice / Q000458:organization & administration; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires