Reviews the rationale for including prevention in the clinical medicine clerkship. Summarizes current guidelines, presents examples of curricula in several medical schools, and proposes a future direction that stresses integrating teaching preventive medicine into internal medicine clerkships and across the entire four-year medical curriculum. (DB)

Although generalist physicians have traditionally been defined by their specialties (family, internal, pediatric medicine), this approach may not recognize specific competencies and training needed. A new definition based on functional requirements of generalist practice and the central role of the generalist in comprehensive care is proposed.…

As internal medicine residency programs struggle to produce enough general internists adequately prepared for practice, the graduate medical education system must have a clear picture of what competencies these practitioners will need. It must constantly monitor the changing practice environment and its varied generalist career choices.…

Medical education's current goal of producing 50% generalists, composed of practitioners in internal medicine, family practice, and pediatrics, is examined. Issues include the definition of generalist, the number of generalists needed, changes needed in graduate and undergraduate medical education, changes needed in the practice environment, and…