Where Are They Now? Alumni Outcomes From a Medical School Primary Care Pathway Program.

Abstract

Background and objectives: Many medical schools have implemented primary care tracks to increase the number of medical students pursuing primary care. The Primary Care Program (PCP) at the Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California is a 4-year primary care pathway that trains medical students to work in urban, underserved communities and has shown high student match rates into primary care residencies. This study evaluates the PCP graduates in residency and after residency, and assesses their career outcomes, their career characteristics, and the impact their PCP experience had on their careers.

Methods: All PCP alumni who graduated between 2015 and 2022 were invited to complete a 21-item Qualtrics (Qualtrics, LLC) survey. Descriptive data analysis was conducted through Qualtrics, and open-ended data were coded for themes.

Results: Seventy percent of PCP alumni (86/122) responded to the survey, with 65% (56/86) in residency/fellowship and 35% (30/86) in practice. Among those who matched into primary care residencies (61/86, 71%), the percentage that practiced or intended to practice general primary care was 70% (43/61). Respondents in practice (30) described their practice characteristics, including locations and payor mix consistent with majority underserved communities. Open-ended responses captured the impact that the PCP had on alumni's careers, with themes including mentorship, friendship/community, educational/service experiences, future career, exposure to types/kinds of practice, and social determinants of health exposure.

Conclusions: PCP alumni credit this program with impacting their retention in primary care and their career trajectories. This program can serve as a model for other institutions to help increase the number of medical students who pursue primary care careers.