Phoenix Newsletter - October 2025 President’s Message: Enduring Commitments in a Time of Change Read President’s Message: Enduring Commitments in a Time of Change
Home Research Research Library Maternity Care Tracks at US Family Medicine Residency Programs Maternity Care Tracks at US Family Medicine Residency Programs 2021 Author(s) Roskos, Steven E, Barreto, Tyler W, Phillips, Julie P, King, Valerie J, Eidson-Ton, W Suzanne, and Eden, Aimee R Topic(s) Education & Training, and What Family Physicians Do Keyword(s) Graduate Medical Education, and Maternity Care Volume Family Medicine Source Family Medicine BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The number of family physicians providing maternity care continues to decline, jeopardizing access to needed care for underserved populations. Accreditation changes in 2014 provided an opportunity to create family medicine residency maternity care tracks, providing comprehensive maternity care training only for interested residents. We examined the relationship between maternity care tracks and residents’ educational experiences and postgraduate practice. METHODS: We included questions on maternity care tracks in an omnibus survey of family medicine residency program directors (PDs). We divided respondent programs into three categories: “Track,” “No Track Needed,” and “No Track.” We compared these program types by their characteristics, number of resident deliveries, and number of graduates practicing maternity care. RESULTS: The survey response rate was 40%. Of the responding PDs, 79 (32%) represented Track programs, 55 (22%) No Track Needed programs, and 94 (38%) No Track programs. Residents in a track attended more deliveries than those not in a track (at Track programs) and those at No Track Needed and No Track programs. No Track Needed programs reported the highest proportion of graduates accepting positions providing inpatient maternity care in 2019 (21%), followed by Track programs (17%) and No Track programs (5%; P<.001). CONCLUSIONS: Where universal robust maternity care education is not feasible, maternity care tracks are an excellent alternative to provide maternity care training and produce graduates who will practice maternity care. Programs that cannot offer adequate experience to achieve competence in inpatient maternity care may consider instituting a maternity care track. ABFM Research Read all 2013 The redistribution of graduate medical education positions in 2005 failed to boost primary care or rural training Go to The redistribution of graduate medical education positions in 2005 failed to boost primary care or rural training 2017 Fellowship or Further Training for Family Medicine Residents? Go to Fellowship or Further Training for Family Medicine Residents? 2024 National Family Medicine Residency Outcomes Project Methodology Go to National Family Medicine Residency Outcomes Project Methodology 2022 The American Board of Family Medicine’s 8 Years of Experience with Differential Item Functioning Go to The American Board of Family Medicine’s 8 Years of Experience with Differential Item Functioning
Author(s) Roskos, Steven E, Barreto, Tyler W, Phillips, Julie P, King, Valerie J, Eidson-Ton, W Suzanne, and Eden, Aimee R Topic(s) Education & Training, and What Family Physicians Do Keyword(s) Graduate Medical Education, and Maternity Care Volume Family Medicine Source Family Medicine
ABFM Research Read all 2013 The redistribution of graduate medical education positions in 2005 failed to boost primary care or rural training Go to The redistribution of graduate medical education positions in 2005 failed to boost primary care or rural training 2017 Fellowship or Further Training for Family Medicine Residents? Go to Fellowship or Further Training for Family Medicine Residents? 2024 National Family Medicine Residency Outcomes Project Methodology Go to National Family Medicine Residency Outcomes Project Methodology 2022 The American Board of Family Medicine’s 8 Years of Experience with Differential Item Functioning Go to The American Board of Family Medicine’s 8 Years of Experience with Differential Item Functioning
2013 The redistribution of graduate medical education positions in 2005 failed to boost primary care or rural training Go to The redistribution of graduate medical education positions in 2005 failed to boost primary care or rural training
2017 Fellowship or Further Training for Family Medicine Residents? Go to Fellowship or Further Training for Family Medicine Residents?
2024 National Family Medicine Residency Outcomes Project Methodology Go to National Family Medicine Residency Outcomes Project Methodology
2022 The American Board of Family Medicine’s 8 Years of Experience with Differential Item Functioning Go to The American Board of Family Medicine’s 8 Years of Experience with Differential Item Functioning