The Doctor Can See You Now

WHAT:    Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) School of Medicine

will host a press conference to present the first group of medical students for the new and innovative Family Medicine Accelerated Program (FMAT).

WHEN:     10 a.m. Thursday (June 9)

WHERE:  TTUHSC Academic Classroom Building first floor lobby, 3601 Fourth St.

EVENT:  The United States is facing a primary care physician shortage. Family medicine

physicians receive less pay than those in specialized medicine, yet still build the high debt that four years of medical school brings. The first class of medical students from this innovative degree began their first week of a program that hopes to change how medical schools will train and educate future primary care physicians across the country.

According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, since 1997, U.S. medical school graduate matches in family medicine and general internal medicine programs have fallen by nearly 50 percent. Despite the disproportionate growth of subspecialties, U.S. primary care physicians still provide much of the care to patients for most conditions.

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