Table 1.

Baseline Characteristics of Responders Compared with Residents Lost to Follow-up or Not Responding

CharacteristicResponders (N = 280)Lost to Follow-up and Nonresponders (N = 252)
Demography
    Mean age30.3 years30.7 years
    Sex (% male)40.741.3
    Total outstanding educational loan amount (%)
        <$25,00022.828.4
        $25,000–$100,00035.336.0
        ≥$100,00041.935.6
Residency characteristics
    Setting49.848.6
        Urban (%)
        Suburban (%)39.640.6
        Rural (%)10.510.8
    Type
        Community based–NOT affiliated with a medical school (%)22.321.5
        Community-based, affiliated with a medical school (%)45.040.2
        Community based, administered by a medical school (%)9.07.2
        University based (%)17.617.1
        Military program (%) (P < .001)6.113.9
Future plans - Planned post-residency training (%)23.221.8
Optimal family practice residency length is 3 years69.679.2
Would have chosen family medicine if residency length was:
    2 years48.756.1
    3 years100.0100.0
    4 years68.765.0
    ≥5 years (P = .014)7.82.9
Favor a change to a 4 year residency (P = .031)36.527.5