Family practice residents' decision making regarding future practice of obstetrics

This study assesses the attitudes of family practice residents toward their future practice of obstetrics. The decline of family practice obstetrics has resulted in problems of access to care for many areas.

Questionnaires were sent to 30 family practice residency programs and were distributed to 353 2nd- and 3rd-year residents; the overall response rate was 85 percent. Respondents were asked to describe factors contributing to their decision whether to practice obstetrics.

Seventy-two percent of the respondents indicated plans for future obstetrics practice. Reasons for choosing to practice obstetrics included personal interest, believing that obstetrics is an important part of family health care, and desire for diversity in practice. Primary concerns included interference with personal life, fear of lawsuits, and insurance premiums. Those deciding not to practice obstetrics cited interference with personal or professional life and desire for limited practice as deterrents. Important demographic variables predicting future practice included female sex, geographic location, and type of practice desired.

This study portrays a resurgence in the percentage of family practice residents planning to practice obstetrics and discusses aspects of the training system that merit support to increase the number of family physicians providing obstetric care.