Pediatric Rheumatology Online Journal → August 2003 → Health-Care Delivery → Abstract #174

THE REGIONAL DISTRIBUTION OF PEDIATRIC RHEUMATOLOGISTS IN MEDICAL SCHOOLS IN THE UNITED STATES - 2002

J. T. Cassidy,¹ B. H. Athreya,² A. M. Nelson,³ C. B. Lindsley.⁴

¹Department of Child Health, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States; ²Pediatrics, duPont Hospital for Children, Wilmington, DE, United States; ³Pediatrics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States; ⁴Pediatrics, University of Kansas, Kansas City, KS, United States

This study was undertaken to examine the regional distribution of pediatric rheumatologists (PR) in medical schools in the US in 2002 and to document improvements in the work force during the past 15 years.
Methods: The professional focus of clinical practice and medical school affiliation of 172 PR was determined and plotted on a map of the US.
Results: Of the 172 PR, 158 were board certified; the remainder either were board certified and did not recertify, or were well-known PR who never applied for certification. In 2002, 135 PR were associated with medical schools for a substantial clinical effort. The remainder were in private practice or industry. In 1986 there were 103 PR associated with medical schools. At that time 55 medical schools had no PR; the number for 2002 was 48. There was also a marked regional disparity in the distribution of PR throughout the US. It was not known how many independent children's hospitals had consultation available from PR.
Conclusions: Our data indicate that there has been a moderate increase in the number of PR and their medical school affiliation in the last 15 years, but one which is insufficient to ensure an acceptable regional distribution of consultation and patient care services. In addition, medical education at the student and resident levels is unacceptably impaired when 48 medical schools currently have no PR faculty and undoubtedly a large number of children's hospitals with pediatric residencies have no PR. These data should form the basis for strategic planning to address these deficiencies in distribution and numbers of PR.