Match Rates into Family Medicine among Regional Medical Campus Graduates, 2007-2009

Background: Regional medical campuses (RMCs) are geographically separate from parent campuses, have administrative ties to deans' offices, and offer at least 4 third-year clerkships. This study sought to describe the match rates into family medicine for graduates of RMCs and non-RMCs. Methods: The authors obtained the 2007 to 2009 match lists from schools participating in the Association of American Medical College's Group on Regional Medical Campuses. RMC match numbers for family medicine were subtracted from the total number of family medicine matched US seniors as published by the National Residency Match Program. The outcome of interest was the relative frequencies of RMC and non-RMC graduates matching into family medicine. Results: Between 2007 and 2009, 261 graduates from 29 RMCs accounted for 8% of all family medicine matches. During the study period, the match rate into family medicine for RMC graduates was 80% higher than that of non-RMC graduates (14.2% vs 7.9% for all 3 years). In 2009, only 3 of the RMCs had family medicine match rates lower than that of non-RMCs (7.5%). Conclusions: The RMC match rate into family medicine was nearly twice that of non-RMCs. RMCs may play a role in addressing physician workforce imbalances. (J Am Board Fam Med 2012;25:894-907.)