Impact of the Rural Physician Associate Program on Workforce Outcomes. 2021

Logan Butler, and Mark E Rosenberg, and Yeng M Miller-Chang, and Jacqueline L Gauer, and Emily Melcher, and Andrew P J Olson, and Kirby Clark
Office of Medical Education, University of Minnesota Medical School Minneapolis, MN.

The Rural Physician Associate Program (RPAP) at the University of Minnesota Medical School (UMMS) is a 9-month rural longitudinal integrated clerkship (LIC) for third-year medical students built on a foundation of family medicine. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between participation in the RPAP program and the desired workforce outcomes of practice in Minnesota, primary care specialty (particularly family medicine), and rural practice. We analyzed workforce outcomes for UMMS graduates who completed postgraduate training between 1975 and 2017, comparing RPAP participants (n=1,217) to noparticipants (n=7,928). We identified graduates through internal UMMS databases linked to the American Medical Association (AMA) Physician Masterfile and the National Provider Identifier (NPI) registry. We identified workforce outcomes of rural practice, practice in Minnesota, primary care specialty, and family medicine specialty based on practice specialty and practice location data available through the AMA and NPI data sets. Proportionally, more RPAP graduates practice in state (65.7% vs 54.4%, P<.01), in primary care (69.0% vs 33.4%, P<.01), in family medicine (61.1% vs 17.3%, P<.01), and rurally (41.2% vs 13.9%, P<.01) than non-RPAP graduates. We demonstrate a significant association between participation in RPAP and a career in family medicine, rural practice, and primary care, all outcomes that promote meeting urgent rural workforce needs.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D010821 Physicians, Family Those physicians who have completed the education requirements specified by the American Academy of Family Physicians. Family Physician,Family Physicians,Physician, Family
D011365 Professional Practice Location Geographic area in which a professional person practices; includes primarily physicians and dentists. Location, Professional Practice,Locations, Professional Practice,Practice Location, Professional,Practice Locations, Professional,Professional Practice Locations
D002321 Career Choice Selection of a type of occupation or profession. Career Choices,Choice, Career,Choices, Career
D005194 Family Practice A medical specialty concerned with the provision of continuing, comprehensive primary health care for the entire family. Family Practices,Practice, Family,Practices, Family
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000078329 Workforce The number of people working or available for work or service. Human Resources,Labor Supply,Manpower,Staffing,Womanpower,Human Resource,Labor Supplies,Manpowers,Staffings,Supply, Labor,Womanpowers,Workforces
D013337 Students, Medical Individuals enrolled in a school of medicine or a formal educational program in medicine. Medical Student,Medical Students,Student, Medical
D019035 Rural Health Services Health services, public or private, in rural areas. The services include the promotion of health and the delivery of health care. Health Services, Rural,Rural Health Center,Services, Rural Health,Center, Rural Health,Centers, Rural Health,Health Center, Rural,Health Centers, Rural,Health Service, Rural,Rural Health Centers,Rural Health Service,Service, Rural Health

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