title: A hard look at the future of family practice.
abstract: The progressive fall in the status and numbers of general practitioners has produced a dangerous void in the field of comprehensive medical care. The Millis Commission and other national study committees have recommended that family practice be made a board-certified specialty in order to restore the status and numbers of family physicians. The scope of family practice that is envisioned, however, would be so restricted in depth as to raise serious doubts that sufficient medical graduates would be attracted to careers in this new specialty. Better training in broadly-based general or family practice-rather than a specialty board, per se-is the only realistic way to elevate status and attract more medical students to this field.
mesh_terms: D002140:California; D002568:Certification; D003191:Comprehensive Health Care