THE CORE CONTENT OF A GENERALIST CURRICULUM FOR GENERAL INTERNAL-MEDICINE, FAMILY-PRACTICE, AND PEDIATRICS

The authors analyzed the educational content of the curricula develope d for teaching in the generalist disciplines of pediatrics, family med icine, and general internal medicine. Fifteen educational components t hat constitute the core content shared by the three generalist discipl ines arc identified, described, and referenced. Tailoring the generali st curriculum for students and residents at the different stages of le arning is reviewed, along with the refinement of the curriculum to mee t the special needs of each generalist discipline. The success of a ge neralist curriculum will ultimately be measured by generalist career c hoices, quality of care, and both patient and professional satisfactio n. The curricular determinants of success require institutional commit ment to an educational philosophy that embraces the generalist discipl ines, a core curriculum that provides education and training that are correlated with the demands of clinical practice, and generalist facul ty who serve as role models, mentors, and teachers.