Academic achievement and primary care specialty selection of volunteers at a student-run free clinic.
BACKGROUND
Previous studies have reached conflicting conclusions about the associations between service and academic achievement and service and primary care specialty choice.


OBJECTIVE
This study examines the associations between service at a student-run clinic and academic achievement and primary care specialty choice.


METHODS
Retrospective review of medical student service and statistical analysis of grade point average (GPA), Step 1 and Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (CK) scores, and specialty choice were conducted, as approved by our Institutional Review Board.


RESULTS
Volunteers, compared to nonvolunteers, had higher GPA (3.59 ± 0.33 vs. 3.40 ± 0.39, p < .001), Step 1 (229 ± 19 vs. 220 ± 21, p < .001), and Step 2 CK (240 ± 18 vs. 230 ± 21, p < .001) scores, but did not pursue primary care specialties at a significantly higher percentage (52% vs. 51%, χ² = .051, p = .82).


CONCLUSIONS
Further exploration of the associations between service and academic achievement and primary care specialty choice is warranted.
a Department of Internal Medicine/Pediatrics , University of Southern California , Los Angeles , California , USA.
Sumeet S
SS
Vaikunth
Whitney A
WA
Cesari
Kimberlee V
KV
Norwood
Suzanne
S
Satterfield
Robert G
RG
Shreve
J Patrick
JP
Ryan
James B
JB
Lewis
D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities / Q000191:economics; D002321:Career Choice; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000191:economics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011320:Primary Health Care; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013038:Specialization; D013337:Students, Medical; D013714:Tennessee; D014838:Volunteers