MEDICAL-STUDENT INITIATIVES TO PROMOTE THE EDUCATION OF GENERALIST PHYSICIANS

Medical student organizations-including the American Medical Student A ssociation (AMSA), the Association of American Medical Colleges's Orga nization of Student Representatives (AAMC-ORS), and the American Acade my of Family Physicians' National Congress of Student Members (AAFP-NC SM)-are responding to the increased need for generalist physicians. Th rough a variety of initiatives drawing on each organization's unique s trengths and capabilities, students are developing curricular and extr acurricular initiatives to increase trainees' exposure to and knowledg e about generalist medicine. These projects indicate that future physi cians are interested in learning about generalist careers and in worki ng with generalist mentors early in their medical training. Students a re addressing these needs through community-based experiences, student interest groups, legislative activity, curricular reform, and researc h in generalist medicine.