National Study of Internal Medicine Manpower XVIII: Subspecialty Fellowships with a Special Look at Hematology and Oncology, 1988-1989

doi:10.1059/0003-4819-114-1-36

National Study of Internal Medicine Manpower XVIII: Subspecialty Fellowships with a Special Look at Hematology and Oncology, 1988-1989

Abstract

Objective: To determine the number and distribution of internists in subspecialty training and compare with data collected since 1976; to determine the distribution of activity of subspecialty fellows; and to focus on hematology and oncology.

Design: Repeated mail survey with telephone follow-up.

Participants: All directors of subspecialty training programs in internal medicine in the United States.

Results: The 1988-1989 census identified 7530 fellows in training, 55 more than in 1987-1988. There are 24 more first-year fellows. Reports on the activities of subspecialty fellows show that, overall, 53% of fellows' time is spent in direct patient care, 20% on basic research, 15% on patient-related research, and 12% in teaching.

Conclusions: The number of internists entering subspecialty training has risen at a considerably slower rate in the last 5 years compared with the 5 years before that. The length of subspecialty training has increased significantly since 1976. There has been a shift in subspecialty choice from hematology to oncology and toward joint programs offering both subspecialties.

Article and Author Information

From the University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois; and the University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. For current author addresses, see end of text.
Grant Support: By grants from the Association of Professors of Medicine, the American College of Physicians, the American Board of Internal Medicine, the Association of Program Directors in Internal Medicine, the Richard King Mellon Foundation, and the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation.
Requests for Reprints: Christopher Lyttle, MA, Center for Health Administration Studies, 1101 East 58th Street, Chicago, IL 60637.
Current Author Addresses: Mr. Lyttle, Mr. Schmidt, Ms. Neymarc, and Drs. Andersen and Kohrman: Center for Health Administration Studies, 1101 East 58th Street, Chicago, IL 60637.

Dr. Levey: Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 1200 Scaife Hall, 3350 Terrace Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15261.