Breast Cancer Screening Rates Remain Lower in Resident Physician Panels

Researchers used electronic health record data from 2025 to assess breast cancer screening compliance at an academic primary care practice with established practice support. The analysis included 8,825 eligible patients: 1,024 (12%) were cared for by residents. Patients were considered up to date if they were women aged 40–74 with a mammogram within the previous two years and no disqualifying characteristics. The investigators compared rates by physician type and adjusted for patient demographics, clinical and utilization factors, and physician attributes.

Overall, screening compliance was 66% among resident patients and 83% among faculty patients (p<0.001). The unadjusted odds of being up to date were lower for resident patients (odds ratio 0.41, 95% CI 0.35–0.47). The adjusted odds ratio rose from 0.50 (95% CI 0.40–0.62) after sociodemographic adjustment, to 0.59 (0.48–0.74) after adding clinical and utilization variables, and to 0.73 (0.54–0.98) after accounting for physician attributes.

The findings indicate that differences in patient panels and physician characteristics explained part, but not all, of the screening gap in this practice. As a single-site observational comparison, the study cannot establish why the remaining difference occurred or whether it applies to other training settings. The authors suggest residency programs may need redesign to address persistent disparities.