An intercalated BSc in Primary Health Care - an outline of a new course

This paper describes a BSc in Primary Health Care. The course is in its fou rth year, with seventeen graduates. We expect the nine currently enrolled t o graduate in summer 2001. The aims of the course are to give students addi tional skills, that ape generic to medicine (research methods etc.) and als o specific to primary health care. The course consists of a taught componen t about the theoretical background to primary care, with input from the soc ial sciences, epidemiology and public health. The self-directed component c onsists of a research project and, unusually for a BSc, a regular clinical placement. This course may help to change students' expectations that BScs are only for those who are interested in laboratory based medicine.