title: The challenges of primary care and innovative responses in osteopathic education.
abstract: Numerous reports predict U.S. primary care physician shortages, with deficits of 20,000-46,000 doctors projected by 2020-25. Doctors of osteopathic medicine (DOs) could help fill some of the gap alongside their medical doctor (MD) colleagues. Many osteopathic schools have undertaken initiatives to reinvigorate primary care career choices among students. This paper describes these developments, and it highlights as examples early-stage innovations at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine and A.T. Still University School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona. It will be several years before the changes can be assessed. The final outcome awaits coordinated national design changes in primary care support and training and in health care coverage.
authors.affiliation: American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine, Chevy Chase, MD, USA. sshannon@aacom.org
authors.forename: Stephen C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Shannon
authors.forename: Silvia M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Ferretti
authors.forename: Douglas
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wood
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Levitan
mesh_terms: D002321:Career Choice; D007396:Internship and Residency; D010021:Osteopathic Medicine / Q000193:education* / Q000639:trends; D011320:Primary Health Care; D014481:United States; D000078329:Workforce