[Medical education in Tromsø--does it secure recruitment of physicians to the northern parts of Norway?].
BACKGROUND
Medical education was established in the University of Tromsø in order to recruit doctors to the northern parts of Norway. Earlier publications have shown that this goal has been reached. We wanted to see whether this has remained unchanged during the last few years (1996-2001).


METHODS
Our material is based on information about 318 doctors educated in Tromsø and 851 doctors educated in Oslo between 1996 and 2001. The medical faculties in Tromsø and Oslo provided us with doctors' names and dates of birth. The Norwegian Medical Association assisted with information about each doctor' practice and place of work.


RESULTS
Among doctors educated in Tromsø, the numbers going into general practice are decreasing; the majority of graduates prefer hospital work. A decreasing number take up academic work. Most of the students coming from the northern parts of Norway stay in that region upon graduation (75.4%), but the proportion is lower than earlier. Only 7.5% of doctors educated in Oslo choose to work in the northern parts of Norway.


CONCLUSIONS
The University of Tromsø is still important in recruiting doctors to the northern regions of Norway, primarily because this university educates students who come from these regions.
Alexandersen
Øyvind
Ø
Det medisinske fakultet, Universitete i Tromsø. oyvindalx@hotmail.com
Jørgensen
Erlend
E
Østerås
Johan
J
Hasvold
Toralf
T
D001110:Arctic Regions; D002321:Career Choice; D005194:Family Practice; D005260:Female; D020445:Hospitalists / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008507:Medically Underserved Area; D009664:Norway; D010560:Personnel Selection; D010561:Personnel Staffing and Scheduling; D010820:Physicians / Q000523:psychology / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D010822:Physicians, Women / Q000600:supply & distribution; D011365:Professional Practice Location; D012577:Schools, Medical / Q000458:organization & administration*; D000078329:Workforce