The number of Louisiana State University Health New Orleans medical graduates choosing to go into primary care has risen to more than half.
School of Medicine Dean Steve Nelson tells NOLA.com/The Times-Picayune that some Louisiana communities have an acute shortage of primary care doctors. Of 181 students, 89 chose to stay in Louisiana.
That's the same number as last year, but it represents a rate increase as last year's graduating class was larger. For the past few years, retention rate had declined amid state funding anxiety, but Nelson says the budget has stabilized.
Around 81 percent of those staying in Louisiana will begin an LSU Health residency program July 1. This year's Match Day was March 15. Medical students across the country learned where they would receive post-graduate medical training.