GPI Generalist Physician Initiative
Background
For over eight years the Office of Community Programs sponsored the Generalist Physician Initiative (GPI), a primary care medical education program funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The purpose of the GPI was to increase the number of generalist physicians in practice—defined as internists, general pediatricians and family physicians.
Achievments
Since 1994, UMass Medical School has ranked in the top ten of USA medical schools or students pursuing primary care residencies with rates ranging from 63% in 1993 to 54% in 2004. Programmatic changes which contributed to this success include:
- Modifying admissions policies and procedures to identify, admit and recruit a larger proportion of students with a predisposition to primary care.
- Expanding the Longitudinal Preceptor Program (LPP) for all first and second year students, providing early and frequent contact with community-based primary care physicians.
- Increasing the involvement of generalist faculty in all aspects of curriculum, including the LPP, third year clerkships in primary care disciplines, and basic science courses.
- Expanding the number of family medicine residency positions and modifying the curriculum in Medicine Residency Programs to increase the amount of ambulatory time in community settings
- Supported the establishment of the UMASS Community Faculty Development Center, to offer regional and national faculty development workshops that provide participants with the essential tools for developing and supporting the teaching skills of community-based faculty.
Current Status
When grant funding ended in 2000, the GPI was institutionalized within the UMASS Medical School under the direction of Dr. Michele Pugnaire, Vice Dean, Office of Medical Education.
Learn More!
Contact Mick Huppert at the OCP office at 508-856-4301 or email Michael.Huppert@umassmed.edu