Issues in Family Practice: Medical Student and Practicing Physician Perspectives

The elevation of Family Medicine to the status of a recognized specialty is designed, at least in part, to enhance the attractiveness of family practice as a career alternative for physicians. This paper examines the attitudinal orientations of a group of medical students and physicians toward family practice in an attempt to highlight some of the issues that might be anticipated as this new specialty develops. Based on the results, it is concluded that fundamental change in the nature of the medical education experience will be needed if greater numbers of physicians are to be involved in primary care.