title: A 'minimal core curriculum' for Family Medicine in undergraduate medical education: a European Delphi survey among EURACT representatives.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Family Medicine/General Practice (FM/GP) has not developed in a similar way worldwide. In countries that are not primary care oriented, the discipline of FM/GP may be less developed because this is not a career option for medical graduates. In such a situation, FM/GP will not be regarded as a required clinical experience during medical school.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To define the 'minimal requirements' or 'minimal core content' for a clerkship in FM/GP of very short duration, i.e. a basic curriculum for a clinical rotation in FM/GP, taking into account that in some European countries the time allocated for this rotation may not exceed one week.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Delphi method was used. The study group was composed of 40 family physicians and medical educators who act as national representatives of all European countries-plus Israel-in the Council of the European Academy of Teachers in General Practice and Family Medicine (EURACT). The representatives are elected among the EURACT members in their country.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After three Delphi rounds we obtained a consensual list of 15 themes regarded by the respondents as the most important to be included in a minimal core curriculum for FM/GP in undergraduate medical education.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This list may be useful for teachers and institutions that are about to introduce GP/FM as a new topic in their medical faculty, having only limited time available for the course. They will be able to focus on topics chosen by a European expert panel as being the most important in such a situation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, Siaal Family Medicine and Primary Care Research Center, Division of Community Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel. howard@bgu.ac.il
authors.forename: Howard
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tandeter
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Carelli
authors.forename: Markku
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Timonen
authors.forename: Givi
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Javashvili
authors.forename: Okay
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Basak
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wilm
authors.forename: Natalia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zarbailov
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Spiegel
authors.forename: Mette
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brekke
mesh_terms: D003479:Curriculum / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003697:Delphi Technique; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005060:Europe; D005194:Family Practice / Q000193:education*; D058006:General Practice / Q000193:education; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel; D012577:Schools, Medical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data