Background and Objectives: The United States needs more family physicians. Projections based on current trends show a deficit of 52,000 primary care physicians by 2025. Eight national family medicine (FM) organizations have set an ambitious goal of increasing the proportion of US medical school graduates who enter FM residencies to 25% by 2030. This paper describes the most recent number and percentage of students from each US medical school entering Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)-accredited FM residency programs, long-term trends in the contribution of allopathic and osteopathic medical schools to the FM workforce, and medical school characteristics associated with higher proportions of FM graduates. Methods: Data about graduates entering US ACGME-accredited FM residency programs were collected using an annual program census and supplemental sources. Longitudinal census data from allopathic and osteopathic schools were combined to examine trends over time. ANOVA analyses were conducted to compare schools by percent of graduates entering FM, public/private ownership, allopathic/osteopathic, size, and presence of FM department. Medical school length of operation was correlated with percentage of students entering FM. Results: The overall proportion of US students entering ACGME-accredited FM programs has increased modestly over the past decade. Currently, only 12.6% of US allopathic and osteopathic seniors enter ACGME-accredited FM programs. Individual medical schools’ contributions to the FM workforce are described. Conclusions: The proportion of US medical students beginning ACGME-accredited FM residency programs has increased slightly over the last decade. However, significant changes to undergraduate medical education are needed to meet the nation’s primary care needs.

Background and Objectives: Fewer than 10% of US medical school graduates enter family medicine residencies each year. Little is known about the perceptions and attitudes of senior medical students as they make final decisions about specialty choice, especially those that support a decision to pursue family medicine. The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) administered a national survey to US seniors in 2015 to explore these factors. Methods: US seniors who were AAFP members (N=11,998) were invited to complete a survey exploring attitudes toward family medicine and experiences that influenced interest and choice of family medicine (FM) or other specialties. This was offered after students submitted their National Residency Matching Program rank list but before match. For those matching in family medicine, additional questions explored mentorship experience. Factors significantly predicting intent to match in family medicine, mentor attributes significantly influencing student attitudes, and family medicine interest group (FMIG) participation were identified via regression. Results: The survey response rate was 15.1%. Student perceptions of the respect of FM (OR=0.82), the future of FM (OR=2.04), and FMIG involvement (OR=1.75) predicted choosing FM, as did AAFP student membership (OR=2.13-2.44) and AAFP National Conference of Family Medicine Residents and Students attendance (OR=9.77). For students entering FM, having supportive mentors outside of FM and being dedicated to FM positively influenced their attitudes toward FM and their FMIG participation. Conclusion: National programs, FMIGs, mentorship, and medical school support of family medicine play a role in student selection of family medicine.

When the Family Medicine for America’s Health (FMAHealth) Workforce Education and Development Tactic Team (WEDTT) began its work in December 2014, one of its charges from the FMAHealth Board was to increase family physician production to achieve the diverse primary care workforce the United States needs. The WEDTT created a multilevel interfunctional team to work on this priority initiative that included a focus on student, resident, and early-career physician involvement and leadership development. One major outcome was the adoption of a shared aim, known as 25 x 2030. Through a collaboration of the WEDTT and the eight leading family medicine sponsoring organizations, the 25 x 2030 aim is to increase the percentage of US allopathic and osteopathic medical students choosing family medicine from 12% to 25% by the year 2030. The WEDTT developed a package of change ideas based on its theory of what will drive the achievement of 25 x 2030, which led to specific projects completed by the WEDTT and key collaborators. The WEDTT offered recommendations for the future based on its 3-year effort, including policy efforts to improve the social accountability of US medical schools, strategy centered around younger generations’ desires rather than past experiences, active involvement by students and residents, engagement of early-career physicians as role models, focus on simultaneously building and diversifying the family medicine workforce, and security of the scope future family physicians want to practice. The 25 x 2030 initiative, carried forward by the family medicine organizations, will use collective impact to adopt a truly collaborative approach toward achieving this much needed goal for family medicine.

90provide foundational training for residency faculty. Courses cover the structure and requirements of residency education; how to be an effective and efficient faculty member; the nuts and bolts of curriculum development and teaching; and strategies for assessment, feedback, and remediation of residents.Conducted the first meeting of the Precepting Expansion Oversight Committee. This multidisciplinary, interprofessional committee is overseeing the implementation of an action plan to decrease the percentage of primary care clerkship directors who report difficulty finding clinical preceptor sites and increase the percentage of students completing clerkships at high-functioning sites. Five tactic teams began meeting in 2017 and are now implementing strategies to ensure medical, nurse practitioner, and physician assistant students receive hands-on opportunities with patients in real-world settings.Updated the Leading Change online course. The content is now delivered in shorter segments and the course includes interactivity, learning activities, and quizzes to promote understanding and retention.Implemented new submission systems for the Family Medicine Residency Curriculum Resource and the STFM National Clerkship Curriculum. Submissions are now made through the same system STFM uses for its journals, which allows for better tracking of submissions and communication with authors.Implemented digital badging on member profiles in STFM CONNECT. A digital badge is an online recognition of accomplishments, mastery of a skill, or completion of a learning experience. The goal of the badging is to recognize members, showcase their accomplishments and STFM involvement, and encourage participation in STFM programs and leadership activities.The celebration and innovation of 2017 built momentum for the many products and activities planned for 2018: a Medical School Faculty Fundamentals Certificate Program, an enhanced online presence for Family Medicine, a revamped, mobile-friendly website, a new conference submission and review system, and ongoing work to address the shortage of community preceptors.

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