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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Recorded presentation

James J. Brokaw, PhD¹, Christina A. Mandzuk, BSE², Michael E. Wade, MPH³, Dennis W. Deal, MA¹, and Terrell W. Zollinger, DrPH⁴. (1) Office of Medical Student Affairs, Indiana University, Medical Science Building, Room 164, 635 Barnhill Drive, Indianapolis, IN 46202, (2) Department of Public Health, Indiana University, 1050 Wishard Blvd, RG 4100, Indianapolis, IN 46202, (317) 278-0345, cmandzuk@iupui.edu, (3) Syndromic Surveillance, Indiana State Department of Health, 2 N. Meridian Street, Indianapolis, IN 46204, (4) Department of Family Medicine, Indiana University, 1110 W. Michigan Street, Indianapolis, IN 46202

Indiana University School of Medicine (IUSM) has a unique training program, where during the first two years, half the students study at the main medical campus in Indianapolis, and the other half are distributed among 8 regional training centers throughout the state. All students attend the main medical campus the last two years. The purpose of this study was to determine whether students who attend regional training centers are more likely to return to those same regions and to practice primary care medicine. The study cohort included 1,730 IUSM medical graduates from 1991 to 1997. The study variables included age, sex, race, socioeconomic status, academic achievement, hometown, training region, current practice location, and specialty. Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine the effect of training at a regional center on graduates' specialty choice and practice location while controlling for the effects of several covariates thought to influence these career choices. Students who attended two of the regional training centers were significantly (p<.05) more likely to practice primary care medicine (O.R. = 1.6 and 1.8 respectively). For 5 of the 8 regional centers, students who trained in a specific center were significantly (p<.05) more likely to return to that same region to set up practice (O.R. = 2.2, 2.5, 2.9, 3.9, 13.3) when controlling for the covariates, including hometown location. These findings may provide guidance for medical schools as they attempt to design training programs to address the growing shortage of primary care providers in rural and other underserved regions.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand the unique training program at Indiana University School of Medicine.
• Recognize the role of training at regional centers on students' specialty choice.
• Describe the role of training at regional centers on graduates' choice of practice location.

Keywords: Underserved Populations, Training

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No

Recorded presentation