Commentary: primary care--medical students' unpopular choice.

Abstract

Title VII funding to medical schools has not succeeded in correcting the shortage of primary care physicians. Although it is generally true that there is an inverse relationship between the amount of research funds awarded to a school and its success in producing primary care physicians, there are many exceptions. Neither Title VII, the amount of research funding, or Medicare's Direct Medical Education payments has had a substantial effect on the production of primary care physicians. These factors are comparatively insignificant when considered in the light of strong external incentives to specialize. Medical education cannot remedy the specialty imbalance unless the external environment becomes more friendly to generalists.