The majority of medical students say the availability of a robust health information technology infrastructure will be an important factor when choosing their residency program and ultimately where they practice after training, according to the second annual Future Physicians of America survey.
The report, conducted by Epocrates Inc. (San Mateo, Calif.), and Gerson Lehrman Group Inc. (New York), is summarized by the following findings:
- Technology ranked as a top priority — Medical students feel technology helps them practice better medicine.
- EMRs are gaining traction — Nearly 90 percent of respondents report using electronic medical records (EMRs) and the majority believe EMRs can enhance the quality of patient care.
- Growing concern over the uninsured population — Medical students believe the growing uninsured patient population is the primary challenge facing the country's healthcare system.
- Healthcare predictions for Election 2008 — More than 70 percent of medical students report that healthcare reform will be an important topic in the upcoming presidential race.
