INFLUENCE OF AN OFFICE-BASED INTERNAL-MEDICINE CLERKSHIP ON SELECTIONOF PRIMARY-CARE TRAINING-PROGRAMS - A 5-YEAR EXPERIENCE

Background: Many factors influence medical students' career choice. Pu rpose: Determining the influence of an office-based component to the 3 rd-year internal medicine clerkship on selection of primary care. Meth ods: A prospective study using surveys and internship match informatio n. Results: Thirty-seven percent entered primary care; 44% completing the office-based rotation vs. 36% of others: odds ratio (OR) = 1.6 (1. 0, 2.7). Among those interested in family medicine or pediatrics, stud ents completing the office-based rotation were twice as likely to ente r primary care as their peers: family medicine OR = 1.8 (1.1, 3.2); pe diatrics OR = 2.2 (1.1, 4.4). Among those not interested in internal m edicine, students completing the office-based rotation were four times more likely to enter internal medicine than their peers: OR = 4.2 (1. 6, 11.0). Conclusions: This office-based internal medicine clerkship i s associated with primary care career choice for students expressing i nterest in family medicine or pediatrics, and students nor identifying internal medicine as a choice.