UF med school grads to give primary care a crucial boost

<p>Match Day might have brought good news for communities seeking primary-care physicians.</p><p>That includes Alachua County, where the federal government estimates that at least 17 more full-time primary-care providers are needed to serve county residents, particularly the low-income population.</p><p>More than one-third of the soon-to-graduate seniors - 48 of 126 - in the University of Florida College of Medicine have elected to go into a primary-care specialty, including pediatrics, family medicine, obstetrics and gynecology and medicine. After another three years as medical residents, each will launch a medical practice.</p><p>The question is, where will that practice be located?</p><p>Surveys consistently show that most medical residents will set up practice within 90 miles of where they did their residency. Only 18 members of the class will stay at Shands UF or within the state of Florida for a residency in family medicine, internal medicine, ob/gyn or pediatrics.</p><p>In 2009, the number of seniors at U.S. medical schools placed in family medicine slots dropped by 7 percent. This year, 2,608 family medicine training spots were available. That's 73 more positions than last year. U.S. seniors filled 1,169 of those positions; many will be filled by students and graduates of international medical schools.</p><p>One reason more primary-care slots than specialty slots go unfilled, according to HealthLeadersMedia, is that top specialties - anesthesiology or surgery, for example - can pay four times as much as family practice or internal medicine.</p><p>HealthLeaders cites a recent survey that found that a neurosurgeon on average generates $2.8 million in revenue each year for an affiliated hospital, whereas a family physician brings in $1.6 million through hospital referrals, tests and procedures.</p><p>In this year's match, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges, the stiffest competition was for available slots in neurological surgery, orthopedic surgery, dermatology and otolaryngology.</p><p>Also popular were obstetrics and gynecology and emergency medicine.</p><p>The number of couples participating in Match Day nationwide was at an all-time high at 808. UF had its share, with a number of couples heading to the microphone to announce their match carrying babies in one arm.</p>