Economic Contributions of UNMC Dept of Family Medicine to Rural Nebraska

Year Total Grads Rural Grads Extra Rural Grads Average Yrs Practice so far Total Rural Docs Rural Years from Extra Rural Grads Cumulative Economic Impact in Rural Areas for Extra rural docs (millions) Cumulative Economic Impact for Rural Grads 1985 - 2003
1985 16 6 3 12 9 36 36 108
1986 16 6 3 12 9 36 36 108
1987 16 6 4 11 10 44 44 110
1988 16 6 4 11 10 44 44 110
1989 16 6 4 11 10 44 44 110
1990 16 6 4 10 10 40 40 100
1991 16 6 4 10 10 40 40 100
1992 16 6 5 10 11 50 50 110
1993 16 6 5 10 11 50 50 110
1994 16 6 5 9 11 45 45 99
1995 16 6 5 8 11 40 40 88
1996 16 6 5 7 11 35 35 77
1997 18 6 5 6 11 30 30 66
1998 18 6 5 5 11 25 25 55
1999 18 6 5 4 11 20 20 44
2000 18 6 5 3 11 15 15 33
2001 20 6 5 2 11 10 10 22
2002 20 6 5 1 11 5 5 11
2003 20 6 5 0 11 0 0 0
  324 114 86 200 609 609 1461

According to data from Oklahoma and Minnesota, a rural doc is worth 1 million in economic impact considering practice, hospital, nursing home, and pharmacy services. This may be a conservative figure given the activity and breadth and length of practice of Nebraska rural docs.

About 40% of UNMC FP grads chose rural previously. This changed to 60% with the conversion of general FP slots to RTT and accelerated rural positions and also improved admissions at UNMC with students that were more likely to choose rural practices.

Contribution of UNMC FP rural grads since 1985 is 1.461 billion

Contribution of additional rural graduates by changing residency programs and admissions is 609 million since 1985

Contribution of previous rural grads 1972-1985 is 615 million, before program changes 

Contribution of faculty and residents during training in CORE Rural Residency rotations and moonlighting is 615 million

Total impact of UNMC Department of Family Medicine on rural areas of Nebraska since 1972 is 2.22 billion dollars, additional impacts in large rural areas, suburban, urban, inner city, and outside the state have not been calculated.

753 million has arisen from the choices made by the Department of Family Medicine (training locations, resident workforce, extra rural graduates) and the admissions policies of the medical school to select those likely to return to rural practice

This contribution is fragile and could disappear without consistent effort.

Year in Future Loss rural docs per year if change in admissions or in programs (2 docs if program change, 5 docs if admissions)  
  5 used here Yrs of practice Total rural yrs lost and millions lost at 1 million per year lost
2004 5 8 40
2005 5 8 40
2006 5 8 40
2007 5 8 40
2008 5 8 40
2009 5 8 40
2010 5 8 40
2011 5 8 40
2012 5 8 40
2013 5 8 40
2014 5 8 40
2015 5 8 40
2016 5 7 35
2017 5 6 30
2018 5 5 25
2019 5 4 20
2020 5 3 15
2021 5 2 10
2022 5 1 5
 

5 doc loss a year means 620  million
  2 doc loss a year means 248  million

Loss of 2 graduates a year to rural towns in Nebraska due to changes forced on UNMC by national accreditation and/or changes in admissions resulting in fewer rural background students admitted (like the rest of the nation which decreased from 22% to 16% in past 10 years) would mean 248 million lost in rural economic impact for the years 2004 till 2022.

Loss of 5 grads a year would be 620 million lost to rural areas of the state, not to mention loss of hospitals, health services, current jobs, future jobs, and leaders for rural Nebraska. Admissions policy changes might mean 5 grads a year. The impact of even a few graduates a year is multiplied by the increased retention of such grads. This is also true from Duluth studies and Rabinowitz studies at Jefferson on PSAP grads.

Loss of the Accelerated Program advantages might cost the state 2 grads a year

UNMC Department of Family Medicine

Detailed Economic Impact of RPAP in rural Minnesota

 

Rural Contributions of the Department of Family Medicine