The Oslerian Tradition

Abstract

To the Editor.— This letter is to express gratitude to Dr Regelson for his concern over a putative deterioration in the practice and teaching of clinical medicine at the hospitals. If accurate, his characterization of the Harvard model as a grant-grubbing machine subserviant to funding priorities with insensitivity to training and practice deserves prompt redress. My observations as a clinical full-time physician and faculty member at the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital indicate, however, that his description is incorrect. Innovations at this hospital over the last several years include the following: (1) creation of a primary care center within the teaching hospital (1973), (2) formation of a primary care tract within the internal medicine residency program (1973 to 1974), which will soon include ten to 12 trainees (one quarter of the medical house staff), (3) formation of a Division of General Medicine (1975), including eight full-time staff physicians, whose principal