By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    healthcare cybersecurity
    4 Helpful Tips on How to Protect Your Medical Practice Against Cyber Attacks
    October 24, 2021
    Health Check Diagnosis Medical Condition Analysis Concept
    6 Health Woes With Online Remedies
    January 19, 2022
    Eight Things Men Should Know About the Male Menopause
    Eight Things Men Should Know About the Male Menopause
    April 24, 2022
    Latest News
    Beyond Nutrition: Everyday Foods That Support Whole-Body Health
    June 15, 2025
    The Wide-Ranging Benefits of Magnesium Supplements
    June 11, 2025
    The Best Home Remedies for Migraines
    June 5, 2025
    The Hidden Impact Of Stress On Your Body’s Alignment And Balance
    May 22, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    healthy nursing school habits
    Healthy Habits for Nursing Student Nursing School Students
    May 24, 2024
    High Deductables
    High-Deductible Insurance and Rising Bad Debt
    July 24, 2015
    How People Are Taking Advantage of Health Deals in the Recent Recession
    February 5, 2021
    Latest News
    Top HIPAA-Compliant Messaging Apps for Healthcare Teams
    June 25, 2025
    When Healthcare Ends, the Legal Process Begins: What Families Should Know About Probate and Medical Estates
    June 20, 2025
    Preventing Contamination In Healthcare Facilities Starts With Hygiene
    June 15, 2025
    Strengthening Healthcare Systems Through Clinical and Administrative Career Development
    June 13, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Questions About How We Train Primary Care Doctors
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Policy & Law > Medical Education > Questions About How We Train Primary Care Doctors
Medical Education

Questions About How We Train Primary Care Doctors

rdowney14
Last updated: May 21, 2012 1:54 pm
rdowney14
Share
3 Min Read
Image
SHARE

D

Image

Depending on who is talking we either have a shortage of primary care physicians or we don’t.

D

More Read

TBI: Some Surprising Statistics
Medical Advancement: Innovation to Sports Injuries Treatments
It’s Not Just a Job….
A Student’s Guide to Careers in Rehabilitation Medicine
A Skills Shortage Threatens To Bring Medical Laboratories To A Standstill

Image

Depending on who is talking we either have a shortage of primary care physicians or we don’t.

It’s hard to make a case for no shortage when you go to places like Prescott, Arizona.  Primary care practices there are full.  New residents often have to make the 80 mile trip to Phoenix to find a “medical home.”  Those who maintain there is no shortage usually fall back on the argument that we have a ”maldistribution of physicians,” which suggests that someone needs to tell many of them to move to rural, underserved areas if they want to practice.  ”After you,” they would say.

I am beginning to wonder, though, about the training we provide new med school graduates and how that factors into the equation.  I just finished reading an excellent article by Dr. Susan Okie in the New England Journal of Medicine, titled “The Evolving Primary Care Physician.”  The part that intrigued me involves “Reforms in Education.”  Dr. Okie relates a story that George Thibault, president of the Macy Foundation, told her.  Thibault who was once a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, says a primary care resident confessed she wasn’t going to be “comfortable” with an outpatient practice after her training at Massachusetts General Hospital.  In her mind, she was deficient in the proper skill set for providing ambulatory care.  If residents never leave the ICU, Dr. Okie quotes Thibault as saying, “They’re never going to have a comfort level to even imagine [working in a community setting],” let alone a rural setting.

Put yourself in this resident’s shoes.  She is finishing one or two years of a primary care residency and doesn’t feel comfortable with being a primary care provider.  What does she do now?  As Thibault notes, training should match what a student’s career pathway much earlier, or they’ll end up in a similar fix – unhappy and uncomfortable in a primary care setting.  I hope she is more the exception than the rule because my belief is that a person’s happiness revolves around the reason to get up every morning.  Thinking positively, perhaps once she starts seeing patients, she will resolve some of that discomfort.  But we don’t know that, and neither does she.

TAGGED:primary care physicians
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

women dental care
What Is a Smile Makeover and How Much Does It Cost?
Dental health
June 30, 2025
HIPAA-Compliant Messaging Apps
Top HIPAA-Compliant Messaging Apps for Healthcare Teams
Global Healthcare Policy & Law Technology
June 25, 2025
recovering from injury
Rebuilding After Injury: Path to Physical and Emotional Recovery
News
June 22, 2025
scientist using microscope
When Healthcare Ends, the Legal Process Begins: What Families Should Know About Probate and Medical Estates
Global Healthcare
June 18, 2025

You Might also Like

American Medical Association Putting $10M Up to Encourage Innovation in #Meded Curriculum

February 2, 2013
what is a certified nurse midwife
Hospital AdministrationMedical EducationPublic Health

The Role of a Certified Nurse-Midwife [INFOGRAPHIC]

February 12, 2014
online nursing resources
Medical EducationNursing

Nurse Educator Resources for Online Clinical Education

April 29, 2021

Nursing Experts Release Guiding Principles for Patient Engagement

July 20, 2012
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?