FSU College of Medicine recognized for producing family physicians

The Florida State University College of Medicine has been recognized as one of the top medical schools in the country for producing family physicians.

The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) presented its Top 10 Award to FSU last week during the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine annual conference in Baltimore.

"Family physicians play an important role in our health care system and part of our mission is to identify and recruit students who understand the significance,'' said College of Medicine Dean J. Ocie Harris. "To have the AAFP recognize us with an award of achievement in this particular aspect of our mission is especially meaningful.''

In September, the AAFP announced that FSU's College of Medicine rated second nationally in the number of its graduates entering family medicine residencies over the past three years. Based on a three-year average for the period ending October 2007, 17.9 percent of FSU College of Medicine graduates entered an accredited family medicine residency program. FSU was tied for No. 1 nationally in the number of graduates entering family medicine over the past year.

"This contribution is important to the specialty and, more importantly, to the health of all Americans,'' said Dr. Perry Pugno, director of the division of medical education at the AAFP.

FSU will graduate its fourth class of medical students this month, and the school's distinction in producing family physicians will continue. Ten of the 58 students scheduled to receive their medical degrees, or 17.2 percent of the class, have been accepted into family medicine residency programs.

By Doug Carlson