RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Substantial numbers of people are medically underserved because of rural residence and/or economic circumstances. The mission of many medical schools is service to this group, so the ability to identify applicants likely to serve this population is valuable. METHOD: In 2009, the authors asked graduates from their medical school, class of 1997 and forward, if they practiced in a medically underserved community in the past year. Variables obtained from medical school applications and scores from a survey of attitudes toward the underserved measured at matriculation were analyzed using logistic regression. RESULTS: Of 244 practitioners, 35% reported working in an underserved community. Rural background, older age (25+) at matriculation, and being a member of an underrepresented minority were independent, statistically significant predictors of practice in an underserved community. CONCLUSIONS: Schools wanting to increase the number of practitioners caring for the underserved could consider older as well as rural and minority applicants.