The impact of Title VII departmental and predoctoral support on the production of generalist physicians in private medical schools.

Although federal support for medical education comes from several sources, only 1 targets generalist education--Title VII of the Public Health Service Act. With governmental streamlining and downsizing, the federal investment in medical education should be evaluated. We tested the relationship between 2 Title VII authorities and presence of a medical school generalist training infrastructure, and the relationship between this infrastructure and generalist production. Based on our definitions for receipt of Title VII support, generalist infrastructure, and generalist production, we found that, for private schools, sustained receipt of Title VII funds directed for undergraduate medical education is positively associated with presence of family medicine departments, which is positively associated with higher rates of generalist production. Establishment and maintenance of family medicine departments in private schools and their generalist production are positively associated with Title VII support. Title VII support in public schools, the major generalist producers, has less of a unique measurable impact on generalist production.