Is it difficult to match into Family Medicine?
Why family medicine?
- Family medicine is a medical specialty that opens the door to endless opportunities. Instead of focusing on one specialty, you can broaden your field of interest in pediatrics, internal medicine, radiology, hospice care, emergency medicine, surgery, OBGYN, etc. Family Medicine also offers a great work-life balance and there are unlimited openings to work either in a hospital, clinic or private practice.
Family Medicine Residency; What does it entail?
- Link to DCHC Family Residency Video *will be added*
How competitive is a residency program?
- Statistics on the Family Medicine Match - In 2022, family medicine had a total of 5,055 applicants and 4,916 spots. This equates to 1.03 applicants per position. Of the 1,500 U.S. MD seniors who applied, 32 did not match.
| Total Positions | Total Number of Applicants | Number of Applicants per Position |
| 4,916 | 5,055 | 1.03 |
What step scores are required for Step 1 and Step 2?
- Family medicine: USMLE Step 1 ( 221) USMLE Step 2 (211)
What is the application process for FMRP?
- A passing score of Step 1 and Step 2
- Understanding of Family Medicine and interest in underserved care
- For international applicants: Only J1 sponsorship is offered
- You must complete an application via ERAS-
- You will need three letters of recommendation: Ask your preceptors early. A letter of recommendation from the Chair (or designee) of your Department of Medicine, a letter from two members of the faculty with whom you have worked or who know you well.
Are you able to moonlight?
- Moonlighting is allowed but must be approved first for PGY-2 and PGY-3. However, moonlighting must not interfere with the ability of the resident to achieve the goals and objectives of the educational program, and must not interfere with the resident’s fitness for work nor compromise patient safety.
Does the program support continuing education courses, MPA, MBA, MPA, and is there a stipend to help cover the cost, etc?
- Academic and scholarly activities will include the opportunity to acquire a Masters Degree in Public Health and/or completion of two residency programs- Family Medicine and Preventive Medicine.
What is a typical/week/month/year like for a PGY-1, 2, or 3?
| PGY 1 | Electives List | Lenght |
| PGY 2 | ||
| PGY 3 |
How would you describe the patient’s demographics?
- Many communities do not have adequate access to medical care; they may exhibit a high poverty rate or have a high elderly population, and a high infant mortality rate. The patient's demographics may be based on their race, age, ethnicity, and gender. These factors may contribute to one health status.
- The demographic is based upon:
- Income: Community health center patients are much more likely to be low-income than the U.S. population overall.
- Age: Non-elderly adults (age 18-64) make up a much larger share of the health center patient population than of the low-income population overall.
- Race/ethnicity: Health center patients are more racially and ethnically diverse than the low-income population overall. They are more likely to be Hispanic, African-American, or a member of other racial or ethnic minority groups.
- Employment status: Health center patients are more likely to be unemployed than low-income people overall. The adverse impact of joblessness on insurance coverage, the resulting difficulty that unemployed people face affording necessary health care, and the fact that health centers have traditionally served as a source of care for people who have trouble affording services all play a role.
- Uninsured rate: Health center patients have higher uninsured rates than the general low-income population.
- Language preference/primary language: Roughly three-quarters of both health center patients and the low-income population overall report English as their preferred or primary language. Over a fifth (22%) of health center patients say they prefer to speak Spanish over English or another language. Among the general low-income population, 13% say they speak only or mostly Spanish, while another 6% say they speak both English and Spanish
How does your program ensure diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) within the organization and recruitment process and throughout the residency program?
- (DEI) has become one of the important drivers for an organization’s success. For diversity practices to be successful, there must be facilitation of an inclusive work culture. The ACGME recognizes how increasing diversity in the physician workforce positively impacts healthcare access and patient outcomes, a key part of the organization's Mission. https://www.acgme.org/what-we-do/diversity-equity-and-inclusion/
What is DePaul Community Health Centers’ philosophy regarding residents' well-being?
- Our goal is to ensure that our residents are provided with opportunities to maintain their highest level of functioning throughout their training. Their psychological, emotional, and physical well-being are critical in the development of a competent, caring, and resilient physician and require proactive attention to life inside and outside of medicine. Residents must be given the opportunity to attend medical, mental health, and dental care appointments, including those scheduled during working hours.
Are residents supported in external and internal organizational activities?
- Yes, it is necessary for residents to receive support in order to thrive and we encourage various internal and external interactions.
How do you prepare residents for careers after their residency?
- There are endless opportunities that you can select from. Ask yourself this question - “Do I want to go into fellowship, or start working in a practice?” The key is to start thinking about your future NOW. During the intern year, most residents study and also take their final USMLE or COMLEX-USA exam. In the second and third years of residency, additional exposure is given to the major specialty and subspecialty areas, with increased time spent in the family medicine continuity clinic.
