Which procedures should be taught in family practice residency programs?

BACKGROUND

Family practice residencies lack clear guidelines defining which procedures should be included in their curricula. The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) Task Force on Procedures developed a recommendation (approved by the AAFP Board of Directors) that can be used to create a set of procedures that should be taught in residencies. The task force recommendation is based on procedures taught in most family practice residencies and performed by most practicing family physicians.

METHODS

The AAFP Task Force on Procedures surveyed all family practice residency programs and departments to determine which procedures they were teaching. The task force also surveyed a representative sample of practicing family physicians to find out which procedures they were performing.

RESULTS

Residency programs and departments returned 397 surveys (74.1% response), and the sample of 4,400 practicing physicians returned 2,028 surveys (46.1% response). The survey data identified 69 procedures as being taught in most family practice residencies, and 30 of these procedures as being performed by most practicing family physicians.

CONCLUSIONS

Many procedures can be identified as being taught in most family practice residencies or performed by most practicing family physicians. Fewer procedures are performed by practicing family physicians than are taught in residencies.