Factors Contributing to the University of Kansas School of Medicine Graduates' Choice of Specialty and Practice Location

Abstract

A retrospective, single institution study using archival data that describes graduates from the medical school and investigates factors that predict specialty choice and practice location of graduates. Student subjects consisted of the 1997 through 2008 graduates at the University of Kansas Medical School. Logistic regression was conducted to determine which factors predict specialty choice and practice location. Results indicated graduates who had a preference for primary care at matriculation, more recent graduates and graduates who completed a residency in Kansas were more likely to practice primary care. Age at graduation, having a rural background, graduation year, location of residency and practice specialty were all significant in predicting practice in Kansas. Results indicated that location of residency, age at matriculation and practice specialty were all significant in predicting practice in a medically underserved area. Graduates who were older were less likely to practice in state but more likely to practice in medically underserved areas. The study is important because the state of Kansas is not only grappling with a shortage of physicians and primary care physicians, it is also grappling with a mal-distribution of physicians in the state. Being able to determine specific characteristics of students who have the propensity to specialize in primary care and practice in state in rural areas will benefit the overall health of its citizens by increasing access to care and keeping the workforce of Kansas healthy as well