A practice profile of native American physicians.

Abstract

Native American physicians constitute less than 0.5% of the overall U.S. physician supply. Little is known about their professional practices in terms of location, specialty, practice setting, and amount of time allocated to professional activities. The Association of American Indian Physicians, AAIP, is a professional organization of physicians, each of whom is at least one-eighth American Indian. A survey of its 109 members in 1987 elicited 84 responses. The findings indicate that most respondents were American Indians to less than one-quarter degree, and although they were practicing in locations where large numbers of Indian people reside, 65% reported that less than 25% of their direct patient care activity involved Indian patients. In regard to Native American physicians, the survey findings and other published information contradict the view that minority medical practitioners are more likely than their white counterparts to practice in areas where large numbers of their respective minority populations reside and will, therefore, provide medical care to significant numbers of their respective minority populations.