HOUSE STAFF RECRUITMENT TO MUNICIPAL AND VOLUNTARY NEW-YORK-CITY RESIDENCY PROGRAMS DURING THE AIDS EPIDEMIC

Objective. - To determine the impact on house staff recruitment of large numbers of patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Design. - Trends in yearly survey data from the National Resident Matching Program from 1983 to 1990 were examined for residency programs in New York City, NY, where AIDS is epidemic, in the four largest US cities with the fewest AIDS cases, and nationally. Within New York City, trends were compared for residency programs serving large numbers of AIDS patients (high AIDS) and for other programs (low AIDS). Main Outcome Measures. - Number of matches in each study year as compared with the baseline year of 1983 and the yearly percentage of positions offered that were filled by matches. Results. - During the study period, New York City experienced a greater decline in US graduate matches than did the four low-AIDS cities or the nation. Within New York City, recruitment to municipal programs, all with large AIDS patient populations, dropped from 241 to 173 matches (28.2%) despite a 3.6% increase in positions. However, recruitment to both high-AIDS and low-AIDS voluntary programs improved in all years except 1990. After controlling for numbers of offered positions, high-AIDS and low-AIDS voluntary programs again showed similar trends until 1990. Conclusions. - These observations cannot be attributed to AIDS alone. Multiple economic and social factors, including AIDS, may have contributed.