National Study of Internal Medicine Manpower: XI. Internal Medicine Residency and Fellowship Training in the 1980s

Abstract

The number of residents beginning training in internal medicine continued to increase slightly in 1985-86. However, the total number of residents in internal residency training decreased slightly from the previous year due to a decrease in the number of second- and third-year residents. The proportion of first-year residents who were foreign-trained physicians decreased from 21% to 20%, and the proportion of residents who finished training and went on to subspecialty training in 1985 decreased substantially to 56%. The number of physicians entering residency and fellowship training in internal medicine considerably exceeds the number projected by the Graduate Medical Education National Advisory Committee. In this article, we discuss implications of these trends for medical education and practice.

Performance of osteopathic medical school graduates on the American Osteopathic Board of Internal Medicine certifying examinations 1985 to 1994

“…2 In addition, there was a declining number of graduating medical students who expressed a primary interest in internal medicine careers from 1981 and 1987. 3 AB the pool of applicants for a particular discipline declines , the overall quality of the smaller pool correspondingly declines. This situation may suggest that a less qualified candidate is 1985 1986 1987 1988 Year 1989 1990 selecting medicine as a career choice.…”

“…The ABIM study cited some methodologic problems, but the decline was too systematic to ignore or dismiss. The ABIM report and other recent reports speculated about the decline in medical school applications 2 and medical school graduates' decreased interest in entering the field of internal medicine 3 as possible factors affecting the pool of candidates and, thus, their performance on the certifYing examination. Although the decline was neither dramatic nor alarming, it encouraged misguided interpretations and conclusions regarding the ability of recent resident graduates to render high-quality care.…”

Training and Practice Activities of Hematology and Medical Oncology Diplomates

“…The most notable aspects of their practices are as follows: (1) approximately one third of their patients' problems are in the traditional areas of hematology; (2) approximately 20% of the patients seen by hematologists have neoplasms classified as nonhematopoietic (ie, solid tumors); and (3) approximately 17% of patients seen by hematologists have general internal medicine disorders. For oncologists the central findings are as follows: (1) approximately 60% of the problems they see are in the traditional areas of oncology; (2) approximately 10% of the patient problems are in traditional areas of hematology; and (3) few general internal medicine disorders are seen.…”

“…For oncologists the central findings are as follows: (1) approximately 60% of the problems they see are in the traditional areas of oncology; (2) approximately 10% of the patient problems are in traditional areas of hematology; and (3) few general internal medicine disorders are seen. The practice of dual-certified respondents is very similar to that of medical oncologists, with just slightly less emphasis on solid tumors and slightly more on the traditional hématologie areas.…”

National Study of Internal Medicine Manpower

“…The 1986-1987 survey employed methods similar to those of previous NaSIMM surveys to maximize the comparability of the data. 13 During the summer of 1986 the Center for Health Administration Studies mailed questionnaires to all internal medicine resi¬ dency programs accredited by the Accreditation Council for 1976-1977 1977-1978 1978-1979 1979-1980 1980-1981 1981-1982 1982-1983 1983-1984 1984-1985 1985-1986 1986-1987 USFMG, US or Canadian citizen who graduated from a foreign medical school; and AFMG, Graduate Medical Education and to all known internal medi¬ cine fellowship programs based on earlier lists and lists pro¬ vided by subspecialty organizations. Three subsequent mail¬ ings were conducted during the fall and winter to collect data from nonrespondents.…”