Graduating class could help Indiana's primary care shortage
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Nearly half of the first graduating class of Marian University's medical school has chosen to focus on primary care in Indiana, potentially helping address the state's severe shortage of such physicians.
Of the about 130 students in the university's College of Osteopathic Medicine who entered the competitive matching program for residency slots around the U.S., over 60 won residencies in primary care, the Indianapolis Business Journal (http://bit.ly/2oiTvvr ) reported. Thirty-eight percent of the school's graduates will do their training in Indiana.
The Association of American Medical Colleges says Indiana ranks 38th in the number of primary care physicians on a per-capita basis. A lot of the shortage has hit hardest in rural areas.
A recent study by Pittsburgh-based consulting firm Tripp Umbach says Indiana will need more than 800 additional primary care physicians by 2030.
Marian's goal is to keep many of the doctors they train in Indiana, particularly in rural, underserved areas. Health leaders in the state say they're encouraged by the results of the first class of graduates.
"We've been waiting for that graduating class from Marian for a while, knowing that most of the time, D.O.s do go into primary care," said Ann Alley, director of chronic disease, primary care and rural health for the Indiana State Department of Health. "Indiana is experiencing a dearth of primary care providers, so we're really happy about this."
Marian had a 98.5 percent placement rate for students who participated in the residency matching program. The national average is 94 percent.
"My prediction was that the numbers wouldn't be as good as they were," said Dr. Donald Sefcik, dean of Marian's osteopathic college. "The surprise was, we did extremely well for a brand-new school."
Indiana hospitals currently offer about 1,400 residency positions, but that's not enough to keep up with the growing number of doctors from medical schools in Indiana and nearby states. The state is slowing creating a few more residency spots.
Tim Putnam, president of Margaret Mary Health in Batesville, said it's critical to train physicians to serve rural, medically underserved areas.
"We're producing some very high-quality physicians from our medical schools," Putnam said. "It would be nice to keep them here."
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Information from: Indianapolis Business Journal, http://www.ibj.com