National Study of Internal Medicine Manpower. XVIII: Subspecialty fellowships with a special look at hematology and oncology, 1988-1989

Abstract

Objective: To determine the number and distribution of internists in subspecialty training and compare with data collected since 1976; to determine the distribution of activity of subspecialty fellows; and to focus on hematology and oncology.

Design: Repeated mail survey with telephone follow-up.

Participants: All directors of subspecialty training programs in internal medicine in the United States.

Results: The 1988-1989 census identified 7530 fellows in training, 55 more than in 1987-1988. There are 24 more first-year fellows. Reports on the activities of subspecialty fellows show that, overall, 53% of fellows' time is spent in direct patient care, 20% on basic research, 15% on patient-related research, and 12% in teaching.

Conclusions: The number of internists entering subspecialty training has risen at a considerably slower rate in the last 5 years compared with the 5 years before that. The length of subspecialty training has increased significantly since 1976. There has been a shift in subspecialty choice from hematology to oncology and toward joint programs offering both subspecialties.