Where are they now? USU School of Medicine graduates after their military obligation is complete

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

1-1-2012

Journal

Military Medicine

Volume

177

Issue

SUPPL.1

DOI

10.7205/milmed-d-12-00238

Abstract

The Uniformed Services University's (USU) F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine was chartered in 1972, with the goal of providing high-quality physicians for the Uniformed Services. In exchange for their education, USU graduates incur an active duty service obligation, after which they may choose to stay on active duty or transition to civilian practice. The purpose of this study is to describe the practice characteristics of USU graduates after this obligation has been completed in order to determine the societal benefits during this phase of their careers. To accomplish this purpose, we performed a retrospective cohort study of the first 20 years of USU graduates (1980-1999). We used the American Medical Association Physician Masterfile to determine the graduates' current practice location and characteristics, as well as their board certification status. Of these 2,760 graduates, nearly all (91%) were involved in active clinical practice in over 100 self-declared specialties, the vast majority (89%) practiced in locations other than the immediate vicinity of the medical school (i.e., Maryland and the District of Columbia), and most still worked for the federal government (71%). Finally, USU graduates in full-time clinical practice had a board certification rate of 93%, which was better than the average of all other graduates of U.S. Medical Schools (88%) in the same time period. Thus, it seems USU is attaining its goal of producing high-quality physicians who continue to benefit the nation after their service obligation has been completed, with many still in federal service. © Association of Military Surgeons of the U.S. All rights reserved.

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