National Study of Internal Medicine Manpower: VI. Factors predicting preferences of residents for careers in primary care or subspecialty care and clinical practice of academic medicine.

With data collected from a national sample of residents in internal medicine (Questionnaire III of the National Study of Internal Medicine Manpower), two models are empirically tested: the first predicting interest in primary care medicine in contrast to subspecialty medicine and the second predicting interest in academic medicine in contrast to clinical practice. Correlation and multiple regression (path analysis) show that background and personal variables specific to each person such as religion, personality type, and desire for control over working conditions have greater predictive power than variables describing the environment such as the type of medical school or residency program the trainee attends. The single most important predictor in terms of unique variance explained in both models is the desire for control over working conditions. The variables positively related to interest in primary care are negatively related to interest in academic careers.