The experience of two combined residency programs in internal medicine and pediatrics is reviewed. The difficulty for residents of achieving competence in two disciplines is compounded by a lack of faculty role models. Success will depend on the ability of graduates to offer special talents to academic and clinical settings. (Author/MLW)

A survey of one medical school's graduates examined their perspectives on the design and benefits of their community health center training, including how their time was spent in the program, goals of the experience, program strengths and weaknesses, and how the program prepared them for residency training. (MSE)

Experience with the Computer Stored Ambulatory Record (COSTAR), a computerized medical records system, installed at a large primary care clinic at a university medical center is reported. Use of the system was terminated because clinic revenues could not cover operating costs. (Author/MLW)

The characteristics of the mental health components of residency training in traditional internal medicine, primary care internal medicine, and family practice were examined. Internal medicine programs relied on the consultation method and in-patient facilities, and used the psychiatrist as the primary teacher. Evaluation of the outcome of…

A modified Delphi survey technique was used to delineate diagnoses, management techniques, and procedural skills in seven subspecialty areas necessary for house officers in a primary care internal medicine training program. The self-evaluation approach provided a longitudinal assessment of changes in the confidence of house officers. (Author/MLW)

A case study reports on a community-wide effort to reduce fragmentation and duplication of child health services. Existing resources were assessed and a decision made as to where service would be performed. This plan offers a way to maximize school health services as funding declines. (Author/DF)

Opinions were obtained from residents, family medicine faculty, and attending physicians familiar with an established family medicine residency program regarding the tasks that family doctors should and should not perform. (LBH)

An important but often overlooked member of a student's health care team is the teacher. This text covers ways to help teachers and administrators understand the special needs of students suffering from a chronic illness, how to recognize health events that may interfere with learning, and suggestions for appropriate interventions. The book opens…

"Managed care" is a term used to describe health care plans in which a primary provider typically monitors all of a patient's care within a specific network of providers. It differs from the traditional fee-for-service model in that patients often are expected to pay extra if they want to see out-of-network providers. Additionally,…

The Healthy Steps for Young Children program is a national initiative developed by pediatricians from Boston University in collaboration with professionals from the Commonwealth Fund. This program for families with young children (birth to 3 years of age) provides developmentally--oriented services within pediatric primary care through addition of…

Private patients surveyed generally were favorable to resident involvement in their care. Most would allow limited responsibilities in residents: history-taking, physical examination, and visit scheduling. Most wished faculty consultation at each visit and advance knowledge of the resident's participation. (MSE)

A community-based educational network was established to improve the deployment of physicians's assistants away from the original site of training in California's San Francisco Bay Area. The graduates' practice locations for a 7-year period was compared before and after the decentralization of the program. (Author/MLW)

One of the most neglected consumer groups has been the migrant and rural poor populations scattered through the farming regions of the country. The Colorado Migrant Health Program is a valuable means of providing primary health services to migrant farmworkers. (JN)

A study of family medicine residents' preferences for the content areas of family medicine emphasized by those attending physicians perceived by the residents as the "best" clinical teachers is discussed. Specific teaching behaviors are identified, and a statistical analysis of the preferences of residents is provided. (Author/MLW)

Discusses the need for alternate delivery systems in continuing medical education (CME), the benefits of using computers to deliver CME, and ways to increase the efficiency and cost effectiveness of computer based education. Current and future applications of computer techniques to CME are also examined. (Author/MER)