Family medicine
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This study's purpose was to evaluate the relationship between medical student debt and primary care specialty choice, while examining the potentially confounding effects of family income and race/ethnicity. ⋯ Confounding factors, including income of family of origin, may mask a relationship between debt and specialty choice in observational studies. This study suggests that medical students from middle income families are sensitive to debt when making career choices.
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Discrepancy in care of diabetes between racial and ethnic minority groups and Caucasians is well documented in America. System-based practices have been shown to improve quality of care outcomes. We implemented a disease registry and management system proven successful in a suburban practice network in four community health centers to improve diabetes process outcomes. ⋯ A structured systems-based approach to care of minority and at-risk populations utilizing diabetes registries resulted in significant improvement in clinical outcomes and helped to reduce but not eliminate disparities in diabetes outcome measurements between vulnerable and Caucasian populations.