Letter to the Editor

Influence of Places of Birth, Medical Education, and Residency Training on the Eventual Practice Locations of Family Physicians: Recent Experience in Virginia

Authors: John A. Owen, ED D, Gregory F. Hayden, MD, Robert C. Bowman, MD

Abstract

Several earlier studies have demonstrated that the state where generalist physicians complete their residency training is an important predictor of eventual practice location.1,2 The purpose of this study was to analyze the relative contributions of the locations of birth, medical education, and residency training in determining a family physician’s eventual practice location. Data were obtained from the American Medical Association Physician Masterfile and the American Academy of Family Physicians files at the Robert Graham Center.3The study sample was limited to family physicians who completed their training from 1997 to 2003. Individuals were included if they were born, attended medical school, or completed family medicine residency training in Virginia. Individuals were excluded if any of these 3 locations were unknown or the practice location was a military address. The likelihood of practicing in Virginia was calculated for each of seven possible combinations of birth, medical education, and/or residency training in Virginia.

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References

1. Henderson T, Carrie F, Szwarc S. Practice location of physician graduates: do states function as markets? National Conference of State Legislatures: The Physician Workforce. Washington, DC: Institute for Primary Care and Workforce Analysis, 2003.
 
2. Seifer SD, Vranizan K, Grumbach K. Graduate medical education and physician practice location.JAMA 1995;274:685–691.
 
3. Bowman, RC. Bowman physician and FP graduate studies 2005. Available at:http://www.unmc.edu/Community/ruralmeded/bowman_fp_grad_2004.htm. Accessed February 25, 2005.
 
4. American Academy of Family Physicians Match Results and Information. Available at:http://www.aafp.org/match/table01/ Accessed February 25, 2005.