Abstract
Background
There are unique challenges to recruiting students into the specialty of family medicine within academic medical centers.
Methods
At Virginia Commonwealth University, we developed an advising framework to help students address institutional and personal obstacles to choosing family medicine as a career.
Results
The role of a faculty advisor is not to direct the student to a career choice but rather to foster a mentor relationship and help the student come to his or her own realizations regarding career choice. The faculty advisor/medical student interview is conceptualized as five discussion topics: self-knowledge, perception, organizational voice, cognitive dissonance, and anticipatory counseling.
Conclusion
This framework is intended to assist faculty in their efforts to encourage students to consider a career in family medicine.
Conflict of interest and funding
The authors have not received any funding or benefits from industry or elsewhere to conduct this study.