Curricula and organization of primary care residencies in internal medicine

This report describes the differences in organization and curricula of primary care and traditional residencies in internal medicine. Representatives from 59 of 337 internal medicine residencies responding to a survey in 1977-78 (17.5 percent) described a residency program which emphasized primary care. The mean number of first-year residents in each program was 4.9; second-year, 4.6; and third-year, 4.3. A National Resident Matching Program number different from the number used by the traditional residency program at that institution was used for the primary care track by 47 percent of the respondents. Residents in primary care programs spent 38 percent of their training in ambulatory care, significantly more than the 21 percent spent by traditional residents. Primary care residents spent 48 percent of ambulatory care training time in continuity of care experiences, compared with 39 percent for traditional residents. Primary care programs also offered more electives in specialties outside of internal medicine. Out-of-hospital ambulatory practices and neighborhood health centers were also utilized more frequently by primary care programs.