Abstract
With role models like former RCGP president Iona Heath, trainee GPs have no excuse not to appreciate that generalism is the essence of what we do and something that we should take much pride in.1 While this, of course, means recognising hidden context in presentations and appreciating the nuances of patient–doctor interactions, it also refers to clinical generalism and the ability to capably manage diseases and presentations across various systems. With an ageing and a growing population and the health burden of issues such as multimorbidity and obesity, these generalist skills are more relevant than ever. A classic line from the Greek poet Archilochus declares: ‘The fox knows many things, but the hedgehog knows one big thing.’ 2 This seems to fit nicely. The generalist ‘foxes’ are cunning and able to tackle many problems, whereas the specialist ‘hedgehogs’ are protective of their one fragment of detailed knowledge. Clearly, this interpretation will not be shared by …
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