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Establishment of a Clinic-based Biorepository
Published on: May 29, 2017
US graduate medical education, 2002-2003
Sarah E Brotherton1, Paul H Rockey, Sylvia I Etzel
1Division of Graduate Medical Education, American Medical Association, Chicago, Ill 60610, USA. sarah_brotherton@ama-assn.org
JAMA
|September 4, 2003
Summary
The number of International Medical Graduates (IMGs) and Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine (DOs) in US residency programs increased significantly between 1996 and 2003. This trend highlights a growing diversity in the physician workforce, with implications for patient care.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Physician Workforce Trends
- Graduate Medical Education
Background:
- Physician specialty selection during graduate medical education (GME) training shapes the future healthcare workforce.
- Understanding these choices is crucial for workforce planning and addressing healthcare needs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze trends in residency specialty choices among medical school graduates entering GME programs in the US.
- To identify shifts in the composition of the resident physician population, including International Medical Graduates (IMGs) and Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine (DOs).
Main Methods:
- A joint survey by the American Medical Association and Association of American Medical Colleges collected data on residents in academic year 2002-2003.
- Data included active, transferred, and graduated residents, with a focus on specialty choices, DOs, IMGs, and US-born citizens' medical school origins.
- Response rates for program directors were high, ensuring robust data collection.
Main Results:
- The total number of resident physicians in 2002-2003 was 98,258, stabilizing after a recent decline.
- The proportion of first-year graduate residents (GY1) without prior GME increased slightly.
- Significant increases were observed in the numbers of DOs and IMGs in GY1 positions without prior GME, particularly in specialties like general surgery and emergency medicine.
- Hispanic native US citizens were more likely to be IMGs and pursued medical education in Spanish-speaking countries more frequently than non-Hispanic counterparts.
Conclusions:
- In 2002-2003, IMGs constituted nearly 25% of physicians in US allopathic training programs, with a continued rise in DOs.
- The increasing number of Spanish-speaking residents presents an opportunity to address the healthcare needs of a large US minority population.
