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Family medicine faculty development fellowships and the medically underserved
F P Kohrs1, A G Mainous, E S Fernandez
1Department of Community and Preventive Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, USA. francis.kohrs@mssm.edu
Family Medicine
|March 29, 2001
Summary
Faculty development fellowship alumni show high service rates in medically underserved communities. Minority alumni are more likely to practice in these areas, improving access to care.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Health Services Research
- Community Health
Background:
- Federally Designated Medically Underserved Communities (FD-MUC) face significant healthcare access challenges.
- Title VII funding aims to improve physician distribution and recruit minority health professionals.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of service in FD-MUCs among alumni of Title VII-funded, full-time faculty development fellowships.
- To identify factors associated with practicing in FD-MUCs.
Main Methods:
- A two-stage survey was administered to alumni of full-time family medicine faculty development fellowships.
- Alumni were categorized based on their service in an FD-MUC.
Main Results:
- 81% of identified alumni responded to the survey.
- 42% of respondents served in an FD-MUC, with an average service time of 73% FTE.
- Minority alumni were significantly more likely to practice in FD-MUCs compared to non-minority alumni.
- Respondents in FD-MUCs reported higher satisfaction with professional relationships, salary, and decision-making roles.
Conclusions:
- Alumni of faculty development programs demonstrate a substantial commitment to serving in FD-MUCs.
- Minority alumni play a crucial role in addressing healthcare needs within these underserved areas.
- These findings support Title VII's objectives of enhancing physician distribution and minority health professional recruitment.