Resident attrition from family practice residencies: United States versus international medical graduates.

Background: Attrition of residents from family practice residency programs may cause significant problems for faculty, residents, and patients. The objective of this study was to determine international medical graduates' attrition rate from family practice residencies, compared with US medical school graduates.

Methods: Surveys were sent to all family practice residency program directors asking them to calculate their attrition rate for a 10-year period.

Results: The overall response rate was 56.6%, but interpretable responses were received from 45% of all civilian, continental US family practice residencies. Responding programs did not differ from all family practice programs with respect to program overall. Of those residents leaving, 63% did so to enter other specialties. The attrition rate was 18.5% for international graduates, compared with 7.8% for US graduates (P < .0001). International graduates enrolled outside of the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) were most likely to leave programs before completion.

Conclusions: Attrition rates from family practice residency programs are higher for international medical graduates than for US graduates. International graduates enrolled outside of the NRMP were most likely to leave a program.