THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE COMMUNITY PEDIATRICIAN

As the focus of health care moves to the outpatient setting, residency programs are seeking alternative training sites for teaching ambulato ry primary care. The community pediatrician's office is an excellent l ocation for residents to learn from preceptors who have been trained t o teach them. Residents experience a variety of office and practice ma nagement issues not otherwise taught in the traditional hospital-based clinics. Pediatrician preceptors, because of commitment to the commun ities in which they live and practice, are role models for residents. Academic centers have the resources and expertise to train preceptors to become better teachers. The benefits to both preceptors and academi c centers, the problems encountered, and suggestions for creating an e xciting and innovative teaching program are discussed.