Predictors of careers in academic medicine for graduates of a community-based, primary-care-oriented medical school.

Abstract

To examine predictors identified from a review of the literature for their relationships to choice of academic medicine careers among graduates of a community-based, primary-care-oriented medical school. All graduates from the first 14 classes of the Wright State University School of Medicine (1980-1993) were investigated in a two-part survey between fall 1996 and spring 1997. Graduates were considered academic if they were full-time, part-time, or voluntary faculty at a medical school. From the survey and medical school records, data were gathered for 29 predictive factors (demographic, academic, experiential, and attitudinal). Of 470 eligible graduates, 340 (72%) returned the questionnaire involving predictive factors. The medical school's database was virtually complete for these 340 graduates except for postgraduate information, which required consent from the graduate. Those in academic medicine (n = 176) did not differ significantly from those not in academic medicine (n = 164) on any of the 29 variables. No predictor of a career in academic medicine was identified for graduates of a community-based, primary-care-oriented medical school. This inconsistency with earlier research is discussed. However, community-based, primary-care-oriented medical schools are advised to proceed cautiously and not ignore those factors previously found to be predictive of an academic career at other types of medical schools.