April 28, 2015

The OHSU School of Medicine received an American Academy of Family Physicians Top 10 Award April 27 for its consistent contributions to building the family physician workforce. This is the fourth consecutive year the school has received the honor.

The AAFP presents its Top 10 Awards during the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine annual spring conference to medical schools that graduated the greatest percentage of students who chose first-year family medicine residency positions during a consecutive three-year period. OHSU School of Medicine is sixth in the list, with nearly 17 percent of graduates choosing family medicine during the tracked years.

During the 2015 medical student "match," 55 OHSU students, or 45 percent of those pursuing residency training, chose a residency in primary care (internal medicine, family medicine or pediatrics). Seventeen students selected and matched to family medicine residencies.

"Medical school admissions policies, the academic and clinical experiences with family physicians, and rural medicine tracks have significant influence on students' choices," said Stan Kozakowski, M.D., AAFP director of medical education. "The schools honored today have made important investments in these and other invaluable programs that help students understand the importance of family medicine and the professional satisfaction the specialty brings."

He commended the OHSU School of Medicine for its ongoing focus on ensuring Americans have access to primary medical care.

"Four consecutive years of recognition says much about the Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine's focus on educating students to meet the needs of the nation," said Dr. Kozakowski.

According to AAFP, Top 10 Awards schools employ initiatives that support students who are interested in and most likely to become family physicians. Those initiatives include student outreach, admissions policies that target students from rural and medically underserved areas, clinical rotations that emphasize positive experiences in family medicine, faculty involvement in medical school committees, strong family medicine interest groups, and financial aid packages that minimize student debt.

The 2015 award recipients and their percentage of graduates entering family medicine are:

• The University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences — 20.8 percent
• University of Kansas School of Medicine — 19.7 percent
• University of Minnesota Medical School — 18.8 percent
• Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University — 18.5 percent
• University of Washington School of Medicine — 17.6 percent
• Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine — 16.9 percent
• Florida State University College of Medicine — 16.2 percent
• University of Missouri, Columbia, School of Medicine — 16 percent
• University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health — 15.9 percent
• University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine — 15.8 percent
• University of New Mexico School of Medicine — 15.8 percent

Pictured:  AAFP President Robert Wergin, M.D. (holding plaque), with OHSU School of Medicine Department of Family Medicine faculty and staff, Frances Biagioli, M.D., Ryan Palmer, Ed.D., Daisuke Yamashita, M.D., Ben Schneider, M.D., Timmy Joslin, M.D., Joe Skariah, D.O., Patrice Eiff, M.D., Peggy O'Neill, Jane Corboy, M.D., John Roger, M.D., MPH, John Saultz, M.D., Scott Fields, M.D., Smriti Ohri, M.D., Alex Verdieck, M.D., and Joyce Hollander-Rodriguez, M.D.