Factors influencing osteopathic medical students' intent to work with underserved populations: Implications for curriculum enhancement

Background Fewer medical students are selecting primary care, and medical students' attitudes toward underserved populations may impact their decision to pursue primary care. Objective This study investigated first year medical students' beliefs and attitudes toward underserved patient populations and how those attitudes might influence their intent to care for the this population as a career choice. Methods A cross-sectional, correlational research design was used to determine the influence of attitudes and beliefs on osteopathic medical students' intention to provide care to underserved patient populations in future practice. Between 2011 and 2015 data were collected using the Medical Students Attitudes Scale via written questionnaire from 829 first-year attending a large osteopathic medical school in the United States. Results More positive attitudes toward equitable healthcare, greater belief that access to medical care is influenced by socio-cultural-environmental factors (e.g., income, gender), sense of professional responsibility, choice of family medicine as a career, and being female were related to higher levels of intent to work with underserved populations; desire for higher income and choice of surgery as a career choice were associated with less intent. Multivariate modeling successfully explained the 29% of the variance in predicting intention to provide care to the underserved in future practice. Conclusions With an increasingly diverse population and increasing health disparities, osteopathic medical schools might consider incorporating changes in their curricula to inculcate cultural competency and social responsibility and foster more compassion among students to care for underserved populations.