Georgia medical school graduates : trends in graduates entering primary care & other needed core specialty residence programs, 1999-2009

GEORGIA MEDICAL SCHOOL GRADUATES: TRENDS IN GRADUATES ENTERING PRIMARY CARE & OTHER NEEDED CORE SPECIALTY RESIDENCY PROGRAMS* 1999-2009 GEORGIA BOARD FOR PHYSICIAN WORKFORCE
September 2009

According to surveys conducted by the Georgia Board for Physician Workforce (GBPW), medical students tend to make the decision about what specialty to pursue during their 3rd year of medical school. This fact
sheet examines trends in the percentage of medical school graduates entering family medicine, internal
medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics/gynecology, and general surgery.

Family Medicine
The rate of Georgia medical school graduates entering family medicine has significantly declined from an average of 20% in 1999 (for all schools combined) to an average of 4% in 2009.
Morehouse had the highest percentage of graduates entering family medicine for all but two years. The lowest rate was 5% and the highest was 32%.
Mercer's rate ranged from a low of 2% to a high of 25%.
Emory had the lowest overall percentage of graduates entering family medicine. The rate ranged from a low of 1% to a high of 8%.
MCG's rate ranged from 5% to 20% of graduates entering family medicine.

Medical School Graduates Entering Family Medicine 1999 - 2009
35%

30%

25%

20%

15%

10%

5%

0%

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

Morehouse

Mercer

Emory

MCG

Internal Medicine*
Medical School Graduates Entering Internal Medicine 1999 - 2009
35%

30%

25%

20%

15%

10%

5%

0% 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

Morehouse

Mercer

Emory

MCG

The rate of Georgia medical school graduates entering internal medicine has increased slightly from an average of 23% in 1999 (for all schools combined) to an average of 25% in 2009.
Since the figures are a snapshot of graduates' plans for the first year of residency training, it's unknown whether these graduates went on to practice general internal medicine or if they subspecialized.
In 2004, Morehouse had the fewest graduates entering internal medicine at 8%, but was among the highest in 2009 at 31%.
Mercer's rate ranged from 10% to 30%.
Emory's rate ranged from 19% to 31%.
MCG's percentages ranged from 10% to 20%.

Pediatrics

The rate of Georgia medical school graduates

entering pediatrics has remained the same with 35% an average of 13% in 1999 and 2009 (for all

schools combined).

30%

Since the figures are based on graduates' plans for the first year of residency, it's unknown 25% whether these graduates went on to practice 20% general pediatrics or if they sub-specialized.

Medical School Graduates Entering Pediatrics 1999 - 2009

Between 2000 and 2001, Morehouse graduates 15%

entering pediatrics declined from 22% to 7%, representing the most significant change. Since 10%

then, the percentage of Morehouse graduates entering pediatrics has stayed at 15% or higher.

5%

Mercer's percentages ranged from 6% to 21%. 0%

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

Emory's percentage peaked at 18% in 2002. Since then, the percentage has been 10% or less.

Morehouse

Mercer

Emory

MCG

MCG's percentages ranged from 10% to 21%.

Obstetrics and Gynecology

Medical School Graduates Entering OB/GYN 1999 - 2009
35%

30%

25%

20%

15%

10%

5%

0% 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

Morehouse

Mercer

Emory

MCG

The rate of Georgia medical school graduates entering OB/GYN has increased slightly from an average of 6% in 1999 (for all schools combined) to an average of nearly 8% in 2009.
Morehouse had the greatest increase in medical school graduates entering OB/GYN when the rate went from 3% in 1999 to 32% in 2000. Morehouse also experienced the most significant decline of any schools when the rate dropped from 32% in 2000 to 17% in 2001.
Mercer's percentages have ranged from a low of 4% to a high of 15%.
During multiple years, Emory had the lowest percentage of graduates entering OB/GYN at 2%. The highest rate reached by Emory was 7%.
MCG's rate of graduates entering OB/GYN has ranged between 4% and 9%.

General Surgery
Medical School Graduates Entering General Surgery 1999 - 2009
35%

30%

25%

20%

15%

10%

5%

0% 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

Morehouse

M e r ce r

Em ory

M CG

The rate of Georgia medical school graduates entering general surgery has decreased slightly from an average of 9% in 1999 (for all schools combined) to an average of 7% in 2009.
Morehouse, Emory, and MCG fell to their lowest percentage of graduates entering general surgery in 2004. However, Mercer had its highest rate in 2004 when 20% of graduates entering general surgery residency programs.
Morehouse had no graduates enter general surgery in 2004 and reached the highest percentage of 10% in 2008.
Mercer's rate of graduates entering general surgery ranged from a low of 6% to a high of 20%.
Emory's rate ranged from a low of 3% to a high of 12% and MCG's rate was between 4% and 8% each year (with the exception of 2004 when the rate dropped to 3%).

Summary - 2009 Graduates Entering Core Specialties

First year residency selections for the most recent graduating class of

Medical School Graduates Entering Core Specialties 2009 Graduating Class

medical students indicate internal

medicine is the most popular primary 35%

care/core specialty, followed by

31%

pediatrics, OB/GYN, general surgery 30% and family medicine.

Morehouse and Mercer have 25% maintained a primary care-oriented

22%

focus since their inception in the early 20% 1980's. Accordingly, these two

medical schools have the highest percentage of graduates entering 15%

25%

27%

15%

19% 17%

primary care or core specialty

residency programs.

10%

In 2009, 75% of Morehouse

6%

graduates entered core specialty 5%

residency programs. Mercer's rate

7% 9% 2%

10%9%

9%

7% 6% 7%

1%

6% 5%

was 61%, Emory's rate was 50% and 0%

MCG's rate was 54%.

Morehouse

Mercer

Family Medicine Pediatrics & Medicine/Pediatrics Gen Surgery

Emory Internal Medicine OB/GYN

MCG

* Data is provided by the medical schools after the NRMP Match results are announced in March of each year. Information provided to the GBPW denotes medical specialty for the graduates' first year of residency. Graduates were not counted under Internal Medicine if a preliminary year was noted and/or if the graduate had already matched to a second year sub-specialty residency program (e.g., Radiology).

Georgia Board for Physician Workforce 1718 Peachtree St., N.W., Suite 683, Atlanta, Georgia 30309, (404) 206-5420 www.gbpw.georgia.gov Cherri Tucker, Executive Director. Colette Caldwell, Carla Graves, Kelly McNamara, and G.E. Alan Dever, M.D., Ph.D., contributors.