THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE RACE ETHNICITY OF GENERALIST PHYSICIANS AND THEIR CARE FOR UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS

Objectives. The purpose of this study was to examine empirically the r elationship between physicians' race or ethnicity and their care for m edically underserved populations. Methods. Generalist physicians who r eceived the MD degree in 1983 or 1984 (n = 1581) were surveyed. The pe rsonal and background characteristics of four racial/ethnic groups of physicians were compared with the characteristics of their patients. R esults. When the potentially confounding variables of gender, childhoo d family income, childhood residence, and National Health Services Cor ps financial aid obligations were controlled, generalist physicians fr om underrepresented minorities were more likely than their nonminority counterparts to care for medically underserved populations. Conclusio ns. Physicians from underrepresented minorities are more likely than o thers to care for medically underserved populations.