RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 The Geographic and Temporal Patterns of Residency-Trained Family Physicians: University of Washington Family Practice Residency Network
JF The Journal of the American Board of Family
                Practice
JO J Am Board Fam Med
FD American Board of Family Medicine
SP 100
OP 108
DO 10.3122/jabfm.9.2.100
VO 9
IS 2
A1 West, Peter A.
A1 Norris, Thomas E.
A1 Gore, Edmond J.
A1 Baldwin, Laura-Mae
A1 Hart, L. Gary
YR 1996
UL http://www.jabfm.org/content/9/2/100.abstract
AB Background: There is a clear national mandate to increase the proportion of generalist physicians within the medical community and to increase their numbers within rural and underserved urban locations. Little is known, however, about the geographic and temporal career patterns of family physicians or about how these patterns differ by sex and graduation cohort. Methods: Using information from a follow-up survey of the University of Washington Family Practice Residency Network, we analyzed the characteristics of 358 graduate physicians and their 493 practices, including data on geographic practice locations. Results: Two thirds of graduates began their practices in urban locations, and one third initially settled in rural communities. Female graduates were much less likely than their male peers to choose rural practice locations. Few physicians left practices after they had practiced in them for 5 or 6 years. The majority of graduates were still in the practice where they started as long as 18 years earlier. Conclusions: The most important career decision made by the graduate of a family medicine residency involves practice location. Because women are less likely to practice in rural areas, the increasing proportion of women graduating from family practice residencies might presage shortages of rural physicians in the future.