title: The Status of Family Medicine Training Programs in the Asia Pacific.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The family medicine training programs in the Asia Pacific (AP) are evolving. To date, there is a lack of comprehensive and systematic documentation on the status of family medicine training in the AP. This study aims to determine the status of family medicine training at both the undergraduate and postgraduate levels in medical schools (universities or colleges) in the AP.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 2014, the authors conducted a cross-sectional online survey to assess the undergraduate and postgraduate family medicine programs in academic family medicine departments from AP countries. A 37-item online survey questionnaire was sent to key informants from academic institutions with established family medicine departments/units. Only one response from each family medicine department/unit was included in the analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The medical school and country response rates were 31.31% and 64.1%, respectively. The majority of the medical schools (94.7%, n=71/75) reported having a department/unit for family medicine. Family medicine is recognized as a specialist degree by the governments of 20/25 countries studied. Family medicine is included in the undergraduate program of 92% (n=69/75) of all the participating medical schools. Only slightly more than half (53.3%) (n=40/75) reported conducting a postgraduate clinical program. Less than one third (26.7%) (n=20/75) of the medical schools conducted postgraduate research programs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Undergraduate training remains the focus of most family medicine departments/units in the AP. Nevertheless, the number of postgraduate programs is increasing. A more rigorous and long-term documentation of family medicine training in the AP is warranted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Primary Care Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Chirk
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jenn Ng
authors.forename: Cheong
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lieng Teng
authors.forename: Adina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abdullah
authors.forename: Chin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hoong Wong
authors.forename: Nik
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sherina Hanafi
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Su Yin Phoa
authors.forename: Wen Ting
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Tong
mesh_terms: D001208:Asia; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003479:Curriculum / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004501:Education, Medical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005194:Family Practice / Q000193:education* / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D012577:Schools, Medical; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires