As medical students across the nation excitedly celebrate the outcome of yesterday's Match Day, the American College of Physicians has issued statement that the match results are "not encouraging for adults needing primary care."
Compared to data from 2009, the number of students selecting internal medicine increased 3 percent. Students choosing pediatrics rose 2 percent and students placed in family medicine programs is up 9 percent, according to the 2010 National Resident Matching Program report (.pdf).
Members of the ACP, one of the largest physician group in the country, don't find these slight increases encouraging in light of the nation's primary care shortage. ACP representative Steven Weinberger, MD, said in a release:
As America's aging population increases and more people gain access to affordable coverage, the demand for general internists and other primary care doctors will drastically outpace the primary care physician supply.
