Hospital postgraduate training: factors affecting prospective interns' ranking of a municipal hospital program in internal medicine.

This study examines the statistical relationship between potential influencing factors and the rank that prospective intern applicants assigned to Boston City Hospital in the National Internship and Residency Matching Program. Types of factors examined include personal considerations, the applicant's experience during the personal interview, hospital attributes, the academic program itself, and perceived house officer experience. A brief questionnaire was mailed to prospective interns ranked by the Department of Medicine. Analysis of questionnaire data indicates that personal reasons and two hospital characteristics, ancillary staff and type of hospital, were predominant influencing factors.