Predicting primary care Women are almost twice as likely to choose primary care as men, study finds Researchers review the influences on medical students’ choice of specialty with the goal of improving the primary care pipeline. June 2, 2020Tuesday Jessica Bardoulas Contact Jessica Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Topics medical schoolmedical specialtiesosteopathic medical education Analysis of osteopathic medical school survey data reveals women are 1.75 times more likely to choose primary care than men, according to a study in The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association. Researchers sought to understand the factors that are associated with an increased likelihood of specializing in primary care. “Considering the critical need for primary care physicians in the United States, there’s great value in understanding our primary care pipeline,” says Caleb Scheckel, DO, an oncology specialist at the Mayo Clinic Hospital Rochester and co-author of the study. “Based on our findings, it’s fair to say that osteopathic medical schools that invest in female candidates, invest in primary care.” Ensuring routine access to primary care is a critical way to improve health outcomes and reduce costs. According to the research, even one additional primary physician per 10,000 people in a population decreases emergency department visits, hospitalizations and elective operations. Mapping the path to primary care “The shortage of primary physicians and the shifting physician workforce make identifying influences on specialty choice mission-critical,” says Katherine Stefani, OMS III, of Midwestern University Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine, lead author of the study. “The data reveals that perceived lifestyle—more than debt, prestige or ability—has the strongest impact on specialty choice among osteopathic medical school students.” Researchers analyzed self-reported data from annual American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine graduate surveys spanning a ten-year period. They looked at the following factors influencing specialty choice: Intellectual and technical content; Debt level; Lifestyle; Prestige/income level; and Personal experience and abilities. Regardless of specialty choice, the students surveyed said lifestyle was the most important factor when it came to picking a specialty. Students entering primary care were more likely to report prestige and income level to be of “no or minor influence” compared with students entering non-primary care specialties. Debt level was more likely to be a “major influence” to students choosing to enter non-primary care specialties than to those entering primary care. A 2019 study demonstrated that the use of loan forgiveness programs mitigated the effect of debt on specialty selection. “There’s no simple solution to fixing the primary care shortage,” says Dr. Scheckel. “But what is clear is the growth in the number of osteopathic primary care physicians is being driven by female students.” Related reading: Six DO schools rank in top 10 for producing the most primary care residents 5 things to know about direct primary care Related articles ‘A deeper level’: Med students discover the value of lab research For two students at UNTHSC/TCOM, early exposure to clinical research has changed how they hope to practice medicine. ‘A heart for reaching out’: Meet DOs and students working to reduce minority health disparities Building trust, understanding barriers to care and cultivating cultural competency can help meet needs of underserved patients. More in Training 5 ways to succeed in leadership positions in medical school As an OMS II who’s had several leadership positions, here are my five biggest tips for success in leadership roles during medical school. DO schools make U.S. News & World Report’s 2023 best medical schools lists Learn which osteopathic medical schools are on the list of the best medical schools for primary care and U.S. News’ other best med schools lists. Previous articleI learned how to be a doctor by working at Disney World Next articlePhysician earnings in 2020: Before and after COVID-19 hit the US
‘A deeper level’: Med students discover the value of lab research For two students at UNTHSC/TCOM, early exposure to clinical research has changed how they hope to practice medicine.
‘A heart for reaching out’: Meet DOs and students working to reduce minority health disparities Building trust, understanding barriers to care and cultivating cultural competency can help meet needs of underserved patients.
5 ways to succeed in leadership positions in medical school As an OMS II who’s had several leadership positions, here are my five biggest tips for success in leadership roles during medical school.
DO schools make U.S. News & World Report’s 2023 best medical schools lists Learn which osteopathic medical schools are on the list of the best medical schools for primary care and U.S. News’ other best med schools lists.