title: [Towards a single society for specialists in family medicine and specialists in general internal medicine in Switzerland?].
abstract: The debate on the legimity of having two distinct medical societies and specialist degrees in Switzerland, one for family medicine and the other for internal medicine, is currently reactivated due to the rapid evolution of medical demographics and of our health system. In this paper, the academic representatives of those disciplines from the French-speaking part of Switzerland sum up the arguments for and against creating a single medical society for generalists and internists, in the perspective of education and research. They conclude that the advantages vastly outweigh the inconveniences and support this project. Moreover, they propose a training track individualized according to the trainee's future practice environment (hospital-based, urban or suburban outpatient practice).
authors.affiliation: Service de médecine interne générale, Département de médecine interne, HUG, Genève. arnaud.perrier@medecine.unige.ch
authors.forename: Arnaud
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Perrier
authors.forename: Jacques
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cornuz
authors.forename: Jean-Michel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Gaspoz
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pécoud
authors.forename: Gérard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Waeber
mesh_terms: D003695:Delivery of Health Care; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate; D005194:Family Practice / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D007388:Internal Medicine / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital; D011320:Primary Health Care; D011331:Private Practice; D012106:Research; D019035:Rural Health Services; D012955:Societies, Medical / Q000458:organization & administration; D013337:Students, Medical; D013557:Switzerland; D019037:Urban Health Services