Impact of Community-Based Medical Education Program Content on Medical Students’ Applications for Community Residency Positions

Abstract

BACKGROUND: In this study, we compared four practice areas showing a medium-term effect of community-based medical education (CBME) with those that did not examine more effective practice content. METHODS: This observational study analyzed summer internship programs between 2015 to 2019 undertaken by Hyogo Prefecture community-based physicians who initiated training for regional quota students in 2017-2021. For applying to become a resident in each hospital, risk ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated based on the presence or absence of practice experience and grade of experience for each region. The content of practical CBME training in Tamba and three other regions was compared. RESULTS: Ninety-four participants were included (58 men and 36 women). CBME experience in Tamba during their senior years significantly increased the number of applicants for initial residency training compared with the number of participants who had no CBME experience in a determined region (RR=1.58, 95% CI: 1.04-2.39) and who experienced CBME during their junior years (RR=2.23, 95% CI: 1.15-4.33). In contrast to other regions, practice times in Tamba were longer for fostering empathy toward the community, understanding local healthcare needs, and building harmony with community residents. CONCLUSIONS: CBME with such training content enhances interaction with residents, thus demonstrating its educational value for the first time. As a next step, we should consider interviewing participants directly about their interactions with residents and whether CBME influenced their choice of place of employment.