This study continues a series of reports from the American Academy of Family Physicians on the percentage of each medical school's graduates who enter family practice residency programs. Approximately 12.0% of the 15,872 graduates of United States medical schools between July 1986 and June 1987 were first-year residents in family practice in December 1987. The West North Central region reports the highest percentage of medical school graduates who were first-year residents in family practice programs in December 1987; the New England and Middle Atlantic regions had the lowest percentages. Medical school graduates from publicly funded medical schools were twice as likely to be first-year residents in family practice in December 1987 as were graduates from privately funded medical schools.