title: Influences on teaching colposcopy and treatment modalities in family practice programs.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Colposcopy and related therapeutic modalities are taught in many family practice residency programs. The role of the following two factors in a family practice residency program's decision to teach these procedures was evaluated: 1) the coexistence of an obstetrics and gynecology (OB-GYN) residency program at the affiliated hospital and 2) the perceived attitude of community obstetrician-gynecologists toward family physicians performing the procedures.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 1993, all 399 accredited family practice residency programs were surveyed, with a response rate of 86.5%.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ninety-three percent of responding programs taught colposcopy. All programs that rated community obstetrician-gynecologists' attitudes as positive taught colposcopy, and 91% taught cryotherapy. In programs rating local obstetrician-gynecologists' attitudes as negative, 85.5% taught colposcopy, and 71% taught cryotherapy. A co-located OB-GYN program did not influence a family practice program's likelihood of teaching colposcopy or treatment modalities.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A perception that community obstetrician-gynecologists have negative attitudes about family physicians performing colposcopy may dissuade some family practice programs from teaching colposcopy and related treatment modalities. This influence was not seen in programs with a co-located OB-GYN residency.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family and Community Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, USA.
authors.forename: G L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Brotzman
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Mark
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Wolkomir
mesh_terms: D002983:Clinical Competence; D003127:Colposcopy; D017679:Cryotherapy; D005194:Family Practice / Q000193:education*; D006176:Gynecology; D007396:Internship and Residency; D053685:Laser Therapy; D009774:Obstetrics; D013663:Teaching