Assessment of physicians' interest in primary care training/retraining

To assess generalists and specialists interest in primary care training and the factors associated with this interest.

The study sample was drawn from the alumni of the Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University (classes of 1970-1990) who were practicing in Pennsylvania. Family practitioners and general internists were defined as generalists; obstetrician-gynecologists (ob-gyns) and internal medicine subspecialists were defined as specialists. In 1995 a questionnaire was mailed consisting of 46 items assessing the physicians' interest in participating in primary care educational programs, reasons for any such interest, and preferences for content. Two items on the specialists' questionnaire asked about changing careers from specialist to generalist, and two items on the generalists' questionnaire asked about broadening the scope of their practices.

The response rate was 54% (381/707). In all, 78% of the physicians expressed interest in primary care training. The generalists were more interested in primary care training than were the specialists (p < .001). The ob-gyns were more interested in primary care training than were the medical subspecialists (p = .01). Few of the medical subspecialists and no ob-gyns were influenced by plans to change careers to primary care. More of the ob-gyns than the medical subspecialists were motivated by plans to shift emphasis to provide more primary care.

The results suggest (1) that although many specialists have an interest in primary care training, it is rarely motivated by plans to change to primary care practice, and (2) that generalists are very interested in expanding their abilities. Both of these findings should be considered in workforce planning.