ABSTRACT
This study identified the relative influence of eight major factors on students' selections of family practice residency programs in Texas. All students (127) selected through the National Residency Matching Program in 1987 by 22 residency programs in Texas were surveyed. Based on a 91% response rate, 52 rating scale items were subjected to exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. The resulting eight factors were rank ordered according to program type (eg, medical school based) based on mean scores of items that loaded on each factor. The factor most influential in students' selections of programs was the "quality of training" they perceived they would receive, while the least important factor was "resident compensation and benefits." Students who selected medical school based programs and community based, medical school affiliated programs differed significantly as to the importance they placed on the "academic orientation of the program" and the "attitude toward family physicians" in their program selections.
Subject(s)
Career Choice , Family Practice/education , Internship and Residency , Students, Medical , TexasABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to identify the necessary skills for a beginning researcher in family medicine, utilizing the views of those currently conducting research in the specialty. A Delphi study, involving three questionnaires, was conducted to determine skills needed in the following areas: designing a research project, conducting a research project, statistical knowledge and/or skills, and computer skills. Participants were 32 family physicians who had published at least one article in the Journal of Family Practice (1983-84) or Family Medicine (1983-84). The Delphi technique was successful in achieving consensus among study participants. A total of 77 skills were identified in the four areas as being at least somewhat important to the beginning family medicine investigator. Thirty-eight of these skills were identified as important to extremely important.
