Education for General Practice—Worldwide Problems

Abstract

Although there is terminological confusion over the definition of general practitioner, it is agreed that there must be, in all systems, a “physician who provides personal primary and continuing care to individuals and families.” Factors influencing general practice include geography and urbanization, social pressures, technological advances, specialization within the hospital field, and cost–effectiveness. The general practitioner is a specialist in a special field who requires special training for his work. In the recent past departments of social medicine have been involved in the teaching of general practice. This has not been successful. Recent developments have dramatized the large number of special departments of general practice or family medicine throughout the world which are contributing much to teaching in the undergraduate period and in vocational training. They are also contributing to new methods of education and assessment which have wider applications. The past decade has seen the emergence of general practice as a special branch of medical education in its own right. The future is full of challenges to develop further and to create a new cadre of teachers in this field.