Family Physician Pathway and Medical Student Career Choice

Abstract

In 1968 the University of Washington School of Medicine initiated a new curriculum that included a family physician pathway. Six of these classes have now graduated. Two thirds of the planned strategies for the pathway were actually implemented. Approximately half of the students in each second-year class now choose this pathway. Ninety percent of those graduating have done so in the traditional four years. Seventy-three percent of those in the pathway actually pursued family practice training on graduation. Approximately one third of all University of Washington graduates now enter training for family practice, one third enter internal medicine, 10% enter surgical fields, and 8% enter pediatrics. These rates represent significant increases in the proportion of students entering directly into family practice, internal medicine, and pediatrics training.