Training of the general internist: report of discussion groups.

Abstract

This report emphasizes four major areas of importance in the training of the general internist: curriculum, faculty, ambulatory care experience, and ancillary health care personnel. CURRICULUM The need for increased teaching in physical medicine, orthopedics, rheumatology, gynecology, otolaryngology, ophthalmology, dermatology, neurology, and psychiatry was emphasized in most of the discussion groups as being an important part of the complete training program for general internal medicine. The exact setting for teaching these various items was not discussed in detail, but emphasis on training in the ambulatory care setting was made. The need for a textbook or a compendium dealing with the items just mentioned was brought out as a means of aiding the teaching of these subjects to both housestaff and students. A strong emphasis was made in several of the discussion groups on the need for problem-solving techniques in all of the teaching programs for general internal medicine. The need