Building a workforce of physicians to care for underserved patients

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Public Health
• Primary Care Training

Background:

• Physician shortages exist in underserved populations.
• The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University received grant funding to address this gap.
• Training medical students for primary care in underserved communities is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To increase the number of medical graduates practicing primary care in underserved communities.
• To equip all medical graduates with skills to care for underserved patients, irrespective of specialty.
• To address the critical need for healthcare professionals in underserved areas.

Main Methods:

• Secured five years of Health Resources and Services Administration funding.
• Implemented a "Professional Development" track, including a scholarly concentration and an eight-year primary care pipeline.
• Developed a "Curriculum Development" component with new clinical training sites and disease-specific curricula for vulnerable populations.

Main Results:

• Achieved "Professional Development" goals through partnerships with PLME, Admissions Committee, and AHEC.
• Successfully recruited clinical training sites and developed specialized curricula for "Curriculum Development."
• A comprehensive, longitudinal evaluation of the program's impact is currently underway.

Conclusions:

• The program is actively training physicians to address the shortage in underserved areas.
• Educational strategies are being implemented to enhance primary care delivery to vulnerable populations.
• Ongoing evaluation will determine the long-term effectiveness of these medical education initiatives.