Factors Influencing Primary Care Career Choice: A Multi-Institutional Cross-sectional Survey of Internal Medicine Primary Care Residency Graduates.

BACKGROUND: Although primary care is associated with population health benefits, the supply of primary care physicians continues to decline. Internal medicine (IM) primary care residency programs have produced graduates that pursue primary care; however, it is uncertain what characteristics and training factors most affect primary care career choice. OBJECTIVE: To assess factors that influenced IM primary care residents to pursue a career in primary care versus a non-primary care career. DESIGN: Multi-institutional cross-sectional study. PARTICIPANTS: IM primary care residency graduates from seven residency programs from 2014 to 2019. MAIN MEASURES: Descriptive analyses of respondent characteristics, residency training experiences, and graduate outcomes were performed. Bivariate logistic regression analyses were used to assess associations between primary care career choice with both graduate characteristics and training experiences. KEY RESULTS: There were 256/314 (82%) residents completing the survey. Sixty-six percent of respondents (n = 169) practiced primary care or primary care with a specialized focus such as geriatrics, HIV primary care, or women's health. Respondents who pursued a primary care career were more likely to report the following as positive influences on their career choice: resident continuity clinic experience, nature of the PCP-patient relationship, ability to care for a broad spectrum of patient pathology, breadth of knowledge and skills, relationship with primary care mentors during residency training, relationship with fellow primary care residents during training, and lifestyle/work hours (all p < 0.05). Respondents who did not pursue a primary care career were more likely to agree that the following factors detracted them from a primary care career: excessive administrative burden, demanding clinical work, and concern about burnout in a primary care career (all p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Efforts to optimize the outpatient continuity clinic experience for residents, cultivate a supportive learning community of primary care mentors and residents, and decrease administrative burden in primary care may promote primary care career choice.

A National Survey of Internal Medicine Primary Care Residency Program Directors.

BACKGROUND: The United States is facing a primary care physician shortage. Internal medicine (IM) primary care residency programs have expanded substantially in the past several decades, but there is a paucity of literature on their characteristics and graduate outcomes. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to characterize the current US IM primary care residency landscape, assess graduate outcomes, and identify unique programmatic or curricular factors that may be associated with a high proportion of graduates pursuing primary care careers. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study PARTICIPANTS: Seventy out of 100 (70%) IM primary care program directors completed the survey. MAIN MEASURES: Descriptive analyses of program characteristics, educational curricula, clinical training experiences, and graduate outcomes were performed. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to determine the association between ≥ 50% of graduates in 2016 and 2017 entering a primary care career and program characteristics, educational curricula, and clinical training experiences. KEY RESULTS: Over half of IM primary care program graduates in 2016 and 2017 pursued a primary care career upon residency graduation. The majority of program, curricular, and clinical training factors assessed were not associated with programs that have a majority of their graduates pursuing a primary care career path. However, programs with a majority of program graduates entering a primary care career were less likely to have X + Y scheduling compared to the other programs. CONCLUSIONS: IM primary care residency programs are generally succeeding in their mission in that the majority of graduates are heading into primary care careers.

Exemplary Care and Learning Sites: A Model for Achieving Continual Improvement in Care and Learning in the Clinical Setting.

PROBLEM: Current models of health care quality improvement do not explicitly describe the role of health professions education. The authors propose the Exemplary Care and Learning Site (ECLS) model as an approach to achieving continual improvement in care and learning in the clinical setting. APPROACH: From 2008-2012, an iterative, interactive process was used to develop the ECLS model and its core elements--patients and families informing process changes; trainees engaging both in care and the improvement of care; leaders knowing, valuing, and practicing improvement; data transforming into useful information; and health professionals competently engaging both in care improvement and teaching about care improvement. In 2012-2013, a three-part feasibility test of the model, including a site self-assessment, an independent review of each site's ratings, and implementation case stories, was conducted at six clinical teaching sites (in the United States and Sweden). OUTCOMES: Site leaders reported the ECLS model provided a systematic approach toward improving patient (and population) outcomes, system performance, and professional development. Most sites found it challenging to incorporate the patients and families element. The trainee element was strong at four sites. The leadership and data elements were self-assessed as the most fully developed. The health professionals element exhibited the greatest variability across sites. NEXT STEPS: The next test of the model should be prospective, linked to clinical and educational outcomes, to evaluate whether it helps care delivery teams, educators, and patients and families take action to achieve better patient (and population) outcomes, system performance, and professional development.

The 4∶1 schedule: a novel template for internal medicine residencies.

BACKGROUND: It is widely acknowledged that there is need for redesign of internal medicine training. Duty hour restrictions, an increasing focus on patient safety, the possibility of inadequate training in ambulatory care, and a growing shortage of primary care physicians are some factors that fuel this redesign movement. INTERVENTION: We implemented a 4∶1 scheduling template that alternates traditional 4-week rotations with week-long ambulatory blocks. Annually, this provides 10 blocks of traditional rotations without continuity clinic sessions and 10 weeks of ambulatory experience without inpatient responsibilities. To ensure continuous resident presence in all areas, residents are divided into 5 groups, each staggered by 1 week. EVALUATION: We surveyed residents and faculty before and after the intervention, with questions focused on attitudes toward ambulatory medicine and training. We also conducted focus groups with independent groups of residents and faculty, designed to assess the benefits and drawbacks of the new scheduling template and to identify areas for future improvement. RESULTS: Overall, the scheduling template minimized the conflicts between inpatient and outpatient training, promoted a stronger emphasis on ambulatory education, allowed for focused practice during traditional rotations, and enhanced perceptions of team development. By creating an immersion experience in ambulatory training, the template allowed up to 180 continuity clinic sessions during 3 years of training and provided improved educational continuity and continuity of patient care. CONCLUSION: Separating inpatient and ambulatory education allows for enhanced modeling of the evolving practice of internists and removes some of the conflict inherent in the present system.

Heterotopic pancreas presenting as dysphagia.

Heterotopic pancreatic tissue, also known as a pancreatic rest, is an uncommon congenital anomaly defined as extrapancreatic tissue located far from the pancreas and without connection via vascular or anatomical means to it. Such tissue may occur throughout the GI tract but has a propensity to affect the stomach and the proximal small intestine. The majority of patients with pancreatic heterotopia are asymptomatic, but when symptoms occur, they can present in a variety of ways. We report a case of a patient whose pancreatic rest presented primarily as dysphagia for solid food and in whom endoscopic ultrasound was used to further define the lesion. There have been only two cases reported of a pancreatic rest causing symptoms of dysphagia. A review of the literature on pancreatic heterotopia as well as the use of endoscopic ultrasound as an aid in evaluation is included.