WHERE THERE IS NO FAMILY DOCTOR - THE DEVELOPMENT OF FAMILY-PRACTICE AROUND THE WORLD

Family physicians are generalists trained at the postgraduate level to address the majority of primary care needs of patients of all ages in communities they serve. Throughout the world there is a need for fami ly physicians to serve as cornerstones of comprehensive health care sy stems that provide high-quality, cost-effective medical and public hea lth services to the entire population. To meet this need, each country must value and adequately finance essential medical and public health services and must provide family physicians with a thorough education focused on the relevant health care problems of the population being served. The authors present an overview of the status of this training throughout the world, outline challenges to the development of such t raining, and suggest strategies for successful development accompanied by illustrative case studies from South Korea, Venezuela, and Pakista n.