The Teacher Interest Profile Registry of AAFP: implementation and effectiveness

In order to assist in the recruitment of physicians from practice into teaching during a period of rapid expansion in family practice education in the United States, the Division of Education of the American Academy of Family Physicians developed a computerized listing of members of the Academy who were interested in being contacted about available faculty positions. This computerized list, containing pertinent information about the professional qualifications of the registrants, became known as the Teacher Interest Profile Registry and was made available upon request to recruiting program administrators in 1974-1975. An evaluation of the utilization and effectiveness of the registry was conducted by staff of the Division of Education in the spring of 1975 by means of mailed questionnaries to the two groups utilizing the service: program administrators and physician-registrants. Results of these surveys revealed that one out of every eight programs using the registry was successful in recruiting one or more new faculty members, with a total of 27 new faculty reported as having been recruited through the use of this service. In view of the relative success of this program in identifying potential faculty members and the continued interest and utilization of the service, academy leaders have decided to continue this service until it is no longer effective and/or needed.