Argues the need for a broad perspective in primary care policy, for government decision making to replace the normal market, for policy makers unafraid of controversy, for recognition of the difficulty of quantitative measurement of health care services, and for strong leadership including that from the academic sector. (JT)

New health practitioners (NHPs) are defined as nonphysician personnel being trained to carry out many tasks in the provision of primary care. The author traces historical background and legal issues involved in their training along with other policy issues and related problems, e.g. need for team training and practice. (JT)

Noting the problem of a gap between residency training and primary care practice, the author considers five issues faced by primary care graduate education (the setting, the patients, the curriculum, the students, and the faculty) and the three disciplines involved: internal medicine, pediatrics, and family medicine. (JT)

Noting that family practice is increasingly accepted as part of the academic system, the author discusses its philosophy, overviews undergraduate programs and residency programs, presenting a sample curriculum outline for a 3-year family practice residency and emphasizing the need for continuity of care and a family practice office or center as a…

Eugene Farley describes the University of Rochester and Highland Hospital Family Medicine Program for teaching of primary care internists, primary care pediatricians, and family doctors. Thomas Piemme presents the George Washington University School of Medicine alternative, a 2-year program in an ambulatory setting leading to broad eligibility in…

Contending that many health care shortcomings derive from instructional programs, Jason Hilliare advocates reform in the student selection process, the human models available for emulation, the evaluation/reward system, and the instructional experiences available. J. D. Myers holds that quality insures stable and self-renewing undergraduate and…

Decentralized models of medical education, particularly for preparing primary care specialists, are increasing in importance as medical educators become aware of the need for medical students and residents to receive part of their clinical training away from the academic medical center in real practice settings. (Editor/PG)

Benefits of hospital-based internship and residency programs for training psychologists are discussed, along with issues concerning licensing or certification. In hospitals, interns and residents are exposed to unusual and diverse forms of physical and mental pathology, as well as contact with a diverse patient population crossing all ages, racial…

The progress of undergraduate education in cancer in European countries was assessed, and recommendations were offered for further development according to the EURO program. Based on a survey of undergraduate education in medical schools of the European region, the following areas were evaluated: goals and objectives of teaching, tasks a general…

Describes a Family Nurse Practitioner Program that has effectively improved the distribution of primary health care manpower in rural areas. Program characteristics include selection of personnel from areas of need, decentralization of clinical and didactic training sites, competency-based portable curriculum, and circuit-riding institutionally…

When a private family practice in Hamilton, Canada, became a teaching practice of McMaster University, a before-and-after study was conducted to compare characteristics of the patients and the impact of the change on the practice. Conclusion: Such a transplanted private practice is a realistic teaching resource in primary care. (Editor/JT)

A study that sought to identify and describe the nature and content of questions asked by pharmacy patrons at the prescription counter is reported. The results indicate that the pharmacy is an important area in primary and self-health care, and that students should be trained in methods of responding and educating in one-to-one situations. (JMD)

The implementation of a model internal medicine group practice at the University of Colorado Medical Center is described, and the first 19 months of its operation are reported. It was formed to improve house staff experience in ambulatory internal medicine, allowing six residents to participate with two faculty internists in full-time continuous…

An "Introduction to Patient Care" course uses readings, group presentations, site visits, small-group seminars, and specifically-stated objectives to cover: U.S. health problems, physicians and healers, humanistic values, the sick role, and physician-patient relationship. Students are directed toward a scientific analysis of the art of…