US Graduate Medical Education, 1999-2000

This report examines data collected through the American Medical Association Annual Survey of Graduate Medical Education Programs for 1999-2000 and compares these data with similar data collected during the past several years. The number of resident physicians enrolled during 1999-2000 was 606 more than during the previous year; graduates of US osteopathic medical schools (USDOs) had the greatest proportional increase (5.2%). The number of physicians entering graduate medical education (GME) for the first time in 1999-2000 (n = 22,320) also increased, with the number of USDOs increasing the most, by 14.5%, followed by international medical graduates (IMGs) at 6.5%. Between academic years 1998-1999 and 1999-2000, the number of physicians with prior US GME occupying first-year positions for which prior GME was not required (GY1 positions) increased by more than 300 (12%). Compared with graduates of US allopathic and osteopathic medical schools (USMGs), IMGs were more likely to seek additional training after graduating from a program. However, this was not true of IMGs who were US citizens or who had been naturalized or had permanent residency status. For the second year in a row, the number of white graduates of US allopathic medical schools (USMDs) entering GME has declined (2.0%), while the number of Hispanic GY1 USMDs has increased by 10.5%. The number of Asian GY1 USMDs increased steadily (11.0%) but the number of blacks decreased by 7.1% from 1998-1999. Growth continues, both in numbers and in heterogeneity of physicians in training, and must be considered in the future development of policy to guide US GME. JAMA. 2000;284:1121-1126