ASSESSMENT OF PHYSICIANS INTEREST IN PRIMARY-CARE TRAINING RETRAINING/

Purpose. To assess generalists' and specialists' interest in primary c are training and the factors associated with this interest. Method. Th e study sample was drawn from the alumni of the Jefferson Medical Coll ege of Thomas Jefferson University (classes of 1970-1990) who were pra cticing in Pennsylvania. Family practitioners and general internists w ere defined as generalists; obstetrician-gynecologists (ob-gyns) and i nternal medicine subspecialists were defined as specialists, In 1995 a questionnaire was mailed consisting of 46 items assessing the physici ans' interest in participating in primary care educational programs, r easons for any such interest, and preferences for content. Two items o n the specialists' questionnaire asked about changing careers from spe cialist to generalist, and two items on the generalists' questionnaire asked about broadening the scope of their practices. Results. The res ponse rate was 54% (381/707). In all, 78% of the physicians expressed interest in primary care training. The generalists were more intereste d in primary care training than were the specialists (p < .001). The o b-gyns were more interested in primary care training than were the med ical subspecialists (p = .01). Few of the medical subspecialists and n o ob-gyns were influenced by plans to change careers to primary care. More of the ob-gyns than the medical subspecialists were motivated by plans to shift emphasis to provide more primary care. Conclusion. The results suggest (1) that although many specialists have an interest in primary care training, it is rarely motivated by plans to change to p rimary care practice, and (2) that generalists are very interested in expanding their abilities. Both of these findings should be considered in workforce planning.