We appreciate the thoughtful comments regarding comparisons that could be made regarding single-site program length and fellowship or “track-specific” training. 1 The objective of the pilot was to study training length as 3 versus 4 years of training. 2 It may not be evident in the scope of practice paper, but many of the 4-year programs offered “areas of concentration” that allowed residents to focus on a specific area of interest to them, which may be less formal but does represent a “training track.” As we mentioned in the original paper, the benefits of undertaking lengthened training include that residents retain their continuity patients for an additional year while also getting training in areas important to their future careers. The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education Advancing Innovation in Residency Education (AIRE) family medicine effort is also studying different training model length approaches, which will also contribute importantly to these efforts.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Authors’ Response to “Appreciating the LoTP Study: Further Refining Scope-of-Practice Analysis”
Patricia A. Carney, PhD | Lars E. Peterson, MD, PhD | Lars E. Peterson, MD, PhD | Alan B. Douglass, MD | Stephanie E. Rosener, MD | W. Perry Dickinson, MD | Mark T. Nadeau, MD, MBA | Karen B. Mitchell, MD | Karen B. Mitchell, MD | Colleen Conry, MD | Colleen Conry, MD | James C. Martin, MD | M. Patrice Eiff, MD
Fam Med. 2025;57(9):680-681.
DOI: 10.22454/FamMed.2025.186494
References
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Rivé Lockwood E. Appreciating the LoTP Study: further refining scope-of-practice analysis. [published September 11, 2025]. Fam Med. doi: 10.22454/FamMed.2025.270596
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Carney PA, Valenzuela S, Dinh DH, et al. Impact of training length on scope of practice among residency graduates: a report from the Length of Training Pilot study in family medicine. Fam Med. 2025;57(8):1-14. doi:10.22454/FamMed.2025.224773
Lead Author
Patricia A. Carney, PhD
Affiliations: Department of Family Medicine, School of Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR
Co-Authors
Lars E. Peterson, MD, PhD - American Board of Family Medicine, Lexington, KY | Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
Lars E. Peterson, MD, PhD - American Board of Family Medicine, Lexington, KY | Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
Alan B. Douglass, MD - University of Colorado School of Medicine, CU Anschutz Medical Campus, Denver, CO
Stephanie E. Rosener, MD - Department of Family Medicine, Mountain Area Health Education Center, Asheville, NC | Family Medicine, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC
W. Perry Dickinson, MD - University of Colorado School of Medicine, CU Anschutz Medical Campus, Denver, CO
Mark T. Nadeau, MD, MBA - Family Medicine Residency Program, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX
Karen B. Mitchell, MD - Student and Resident Initiatives, American Academy of Family Physicians, Leawood, KS
Karen B. Mitchell, MD - Student and Resident Initiatives, American Academy of Family Physicians, Leawood, KS
Colleen Conry, MD - University of Colorado School of Medicine, CU Anschutz Medical Campus, Denver, CO
Colleen Conry, MD - University of Colorado School of Medicine, CU Anschutz Medical Campus, Denver, CO
James C. Martin, MD - Long School of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX
M. Patrice Eiff, MD - Department of Family Medicine, School of Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR
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