Area of Concentration programs in university-based family practice residency training.

To encourage pursuit of focused academic and clinical interest by family practice residents, we developed an Area of Concentration (AOC) program at a university-based residency program. The program uses resources available throughout the university and permits residents to focus on a variety of interest areas, including geriatrics, women's health, sports medicine, international health, behavioral medicine, and others. These AOCs are not fellowships but special longitudinal training experiences that occur throughout the duration of a standard residency program. Residents who have participated in our AOC program have become involved in research, published papers, and been invited to present their work at state and national meetings.