Teaching Nursing Homes Revisited: Survey of Affiliations Between American Medical Schools and Long-term—Care Facilities

A survey of American medical schools was conducted to examine the growth of teaching nursing home programs. Ninety percent (109/121) of schools surveyed reported affiliations with a nursing home(s) for teaching, research, and/or clinical care. Most affiliations occurred in the last six years and were typically with two or more nursing homes. They were usually 120 beds or more in size, and the majority were nonprofit or Veterans Administration units. Eighty-three percent (101/121) of medical schools had teaching programs involving nursing homes. Medical school courses that utilized nursing homes as teaching sites were largely selective or elective and were offered primarily in the senior year. Training programs involving residents were usually mandatory and mainly involved the departments of internal medicine and family practice. Fifty-five percent (66/121) of the schools had research programs involving nursing homes.