Innovations in the training of community health personnel that emphasize the importance of the development of health personnel able and willing to serve the community by providing health care, promoting health, preventing disease, and caring for those in need are examined. The need for effective and efficient training programs relevant to present and future community requirements as well as to the characteristics of learners is discussed. Such programs seek to maximize the effectiveness of the teaching/learning process by basing it on community problems, by introducing the concepts of integration and active learning, and by using appropriate technology. A sample of 14 innovative programs from various countries are described including: The Institut Technologique de la Sante Publique, Constantine, Algeria; The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia; The Medical School of the University of Brasilia, Brazil; The McMaster Programme of Medical Education, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; Fiji School of Medicine, Suva, Fiji; The Medical University of Pecs, Hungary; University Center for Health Science, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Israel; The Rijksuniversiteit Limburg, Maastricht, Netherlands; Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand; School of Medicine, Hacettepe Yaounde, United Republic of Cameroon; College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University; The Upper Peninsula Health Education Corporation, Marquette, Michigan; The WAMI Program, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle; Ecole Inter-Etats d'Ingenieurs d'Equipement Rural, Ouagadougou, Upper Volta. (SF)