title: Prescription drug use and self-prescription among resident physicians.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Self-prescription is common among practicing physicians, but little is known about the practice among resident physicians.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine prescription drug use and self-prescription among US resident physicians.
  
  
  METHODS
  Anonymous mail survey of all resident physicians in 4 US categorical internal medicine training programs in February 1997.
  
  
  METHODS
  Self-reported use of health care services and prescription medications and how they were obtained.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 316 (83%) of 381 residents responded; 244 residents (78%) reported using at least 1 prescription medicine and 162 residents (52%) reported self-prescribing medications. Twenty-five percent of all medications and 42% of self-prescribed medications were obtained from a sample cabinet; 7% of all medications and 11% of self-prescribed medications were obtained directly from a pharmaceutical company representative.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Self-prescription is common among resident physicians. Although self-prescription is difficult to evaluate, the source of these medications and the lack of oversight of medication use raise questions about the practice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, and the Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Philadelphia, USA.
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Christie
authors.forename: I M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Rosen
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Bellini
authors.forename: T V
authors.initials: TV
authors.lastname: Inglesby
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lindsay
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alper
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Asch
mesh_terms: D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007388:Internal Medicine / Q000193:education; D007396:Internship and Residency / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012651:Self Medication / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States; D000078329:Workforce