MANAGED CARE, ATTITUDES, AND CAREER CHOICES OF INTERNAL-MEDICINE RESIDENTS

The influence of managed care on internal medicine residents' attitude s and career choices has not yet been determined and could be substant ial, In a survey of 1,390 third-year internal medicine residents, 21% believed that managed care was the best model of health care for the U nited States, and 31% stated they would be satisfied working in a mana ged care system. Those from high managed care communities (>30% penetr ation) were only slightly more accepting of managed care, but were mor e likely to choose general internal medicine as a career (54%, p = .00 09) than those from communities with lower managed care penetration.