Results of the 2007 National Resident Matching Program show that the number of medical students (2,680) choosing internal medicine residencies stayed about the same compared with 2006. The American College of Physicians has cautioned that unless there is an increase in the number of medical students choosing internal medicine careers, there will not be enough internists to care for an aging population, which will result in lower-quality care, diminished access to care, higher costs, and decreased patient satisfaction. The ACP has called for a redesign of training in internal medicine to prepare physicians for a rapidly evolving system of healthcare delivery and to fundamentally change the way primary care is organized, delivered, financed, and valued.
