Entry of US medical school graduates into family practice residencies: 1995-1996 and 3-year summary.

Abstract

This is the 15th report prepared by the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) on the percentage of each US medical school's graduates entering family practice residency programs. Approximately 14.6% of the 16,124 graduates of US medical schools between July 1994 and June 1995 were first-year family practice residents in October 1995, compared with 13.4% in 1994 and 12.3% in 1993. This is the highest percentage since 1980-1981 (12.8%), when this series of studies began. Medical school graduates from publicly funded medical schools were almost twice as likely to be first-year family practice residents in October 1995 than were residents from privately funded schools, 18% compared with 9.7%. The West North Central region reported the highest percentage of medical school graduates who were first-year residents in family practice programs in October 1995 at 24.8%; the Middle Atlantic and New England regions continued with the lowest percentages at 7.6% and 9.3%, respectively. Approximately one in two medical school graduates (46.7%) entering a family practice residency program as first-year residents in October 1995 entered a program in the same state where they graduated from medical school. The percentages for each medical school have varied substantially from year to year since the AAFP began reporting this information. The average percentage for each medical school for the last 3 years is reported. In addition, the number and percentage of graduates from colleges of osteopathic medicine who entered Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-accredited family practice residency programs are reported.