1. The Impact of Interest: How do Family Medicine Interest Groups Influence Medical Students?
Kerr, JR, Seaton, B, Zimcik, H, McCabe, J and Feldman, K (2006)
Memphis, Tennessee
Society of Teachers of Family Medicine
Jan 27, 2007
JONATHAN

2. Family Doctor Shortage: Supply vs Demand
Supply: only 32%* of graduating medical students chose FM as a career in 2006
* (including Quebec)
Demand: 14% of Canadians have no family doctor JK
Supply: enrolment, interest, brain drain, img’s, retirement
Demand: 14% of Canadians have no family doctor (StatsCan, July 2004), 15% personally had trouble finding a family doctor (CFPC, Nov 2002)
I am only one of these Canadians… but I also happen to be a medical student. As medical students, we are uniquely qualified to help with this problem by promoting interest in family medicine among medical students.

3. Our Origins and Mission of
Student-run interest group
Founded in 2003
Support from Department of Family and Community Medicine
OUR MISSION:
Increase exposure to Family Medicine during medical student years
Promote post-graduate training and practice in Family Medicine JK

4. IgFM: Targeting Pre-Clerkship
Speakers Series
“Balancing Family/Social Life with Career”
“2+1 Family Medicine Residencies”
“International Health Opportunities
“Payment Models in Family Medicine”
Attendance:
Mentorship Program
1st and 2nd year medical students paired with Family Doctors or Residents HZ

5. IgFM: Targeting Pre-Clerkship
“Get Smart” Clinical Skills Conference
Three interactive workshops led entirely by Family Doctors and Residents
Advocacy
Encouraging Positive Representation of Family Physicians by Lecturers and Within PBL Cases
Highlighting Positive Role Models
Developing Clerkship Curriculum changes
Collaborating with DFCM HZ

6. Study Rationale Very few prior studies; conflicting data1,2,3
Unclear impact of FMIGs on medical students.
Many stakeholders involved (DFCM, CFPC, Health Canada)
1. Baraka SM. Ebell MH. Family medicine interest groups at US medical schools. Family Medicine. 1995; 27(7):  
2. Survey: Active FMIGs May Boost Family Medicine Match Rates. (Retrieved April, 2006)
Rosenthal TC. Feeley T. Green C. Manyon A. New research family medicine interest groups impact student interest. [Letter] Family Medicine. 2004; 36(7): 463. JK

7. Goals of the Study What do students know about IgFM?
What is the impact of IgFM?
Future directions for IgFM and FMIGs across Canada JK

8. Methodology Qualitative descriptive design: Focus Groups
Medical students from all four years at the University of Toronto (n=45)
Randomly selected
Research conducted over Winter 2006 JK

9. Study Participants 45 medical students, years 1-4 IgFM Exposure
1/3 never attended event
1/3 attended at least one event
1/3 highly involved in IgFM
Half expressed initial interest in FM as a career JK

10. Results The UofT FMIG: “increase(s) direct exposure to FM”
“dispel(s) myths”
“provide(s) mentorship opportunities”
plans “events that get people excited about FM”
“create(s) a community in advance… making links among future family physicians” HZ

11. Results: Experience with the FMIG
Speakers Series
Attended by over 50% of study participants
Clinical skills conference
“it opened my eyes to all the things that Family Doctors do”!
Advocacy
Fewer negative comments about FM in PBLs
Mentorship
Challenges finding enough mentors, matching with specified interest/demographics HZ

12. Results: Impact of the FMIG
Overall
“very strong extra-curricular committee”
“brings credibility to the decision to go into FM”
Students with Strong FM Interest
“resource for information”
“creates strength in numbers”
“counteracts the negative messages”
Students Considering FM
“opens the door” to learn more about FM
“keeps people interested” in FM
Students with No FM Interest
“unconsciously” encourages seeking out FM experiences
“If it wasn’t for IgFM, I wouldn’t have tried a rural (FM) elective” HZ

13. Challenges for the FMIG
Pre-medical school perceptions of FM
The “pro-specialization” culture within the medical school.
“Even if people do say, I’m interested [in Family Medicine], they’re going to get hit with insults or just demeaning comments about Family Doctors. And I think that culture is a huge barrier to creating a successful climate where people want to choose Family Medicine.” JK

14. Recommendations for FMIGs
Positive role modeling
Enthusiastic well spoken Family Physicians as speakers
Mentorship program
Social activities to bring together students and Family Physicians in Informal Settings
Battling negative attitudes towards FM
Actively work to dispel myths about FM
Advocate for change in the formal and “hidden” curricula
Actively challenge negative comments about FM JK

15. Recommendations for FMIGs
Maximizing exposure to FM
Make the IgFM as visible and dynamic as possible
Involve first year medical students
Take an inclusive approach to events
promote learning about FM to all students, regardless of career path!
Schedule events at the most convenient times/places to maximize medical student attendance. JK

16. Conclusions IgFM Successes:
Increasing medical student exposure to FM
Dispelling myths about FM
The IgFM had a different impact on students depending on their interest in FM
There is still much room for improvement! HZ

17. Future Directions for FMIG Research
Link between FMIGs and career choice?
Longitudinal study comparing similar medical school with and without FMIGs HZ