An evaluation of undergraduate family care programs

Evaluation of the many new family care programs (FCP), and others of similar intent, however defined, is as essential as determining the value of any other curriculum change. Replies to a questionnaire from 101 U.S. and 15 Canadian medical schools indicated that 80% of the former and 93% of the latter had FCPs; 35% and 29%, respectively, were not evaluating their program by any method. No single evaluative technique was used by more than 42% of the American medical schools. A review of the literature on FCPs frequently indicated that the conclusions that could be drawn about the programs were ambiguous. Students in the University of Cincinnati Medical Center FCPs elected family practice or pediatric internships significantly more often than did the FCP nonparticipants, but they indicated that the program had little effect on this choice, despite almost uniformly favorable testimonials. We discuss the possibility that FCPs may be educating the wrong students, that FCPs, if not reinforced in other clinical areas, may have few lasting effects on student attitudes or career choice, and that we may be asking the wrong questions, and with inadequate methods.