Global Health in Family Medicine Residency Programs: A Nationwide Survey of US Residency Directors: A CERA Study

Interest in global health (GH) has increased significantly among medical trainees in the past 3 decades. Despite the potential for family medicine to be a major contributor to GH, there are no recent, large-scale studies of GH education and experiences in family medicine training. This study was designed to assess current opportunities, educational activities, resident interest, perceived program benefits, and barriers to international and domestic GH training in US family medicine residencies.

Data for this study were elicited as part of a 2015 survey conducted by the Council of Academic Family Medicine (CAFM) Educational Research Alliance (CERA). The nationwide, web-based survey was sent to 452 family medicine residency program directors.

A total of 257 program directors completed the GH portion of the survey. A total of 74.3% of programs offered international or domestic GH experiences. Program directors identified preparing physicians to practice underserved medicine and teaching community medicine or public health as primary goals for GH training. Program directors also reported that GH opportunities were important for attracting future residents. Programs offered a variety of preparatory activities to their residents. Funding and time constraints were identified as the primary barriers to GH training in residency.

Global health continues to be a focus of interest in the training of family medicine residents while attracting the passion of student applicants and residents.