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Essay |
1 Division of General Internal Medicine, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver, Colo
2 Center for Studies in Family Medicine, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver, Colo
3 Department of Family Medicine, University of California, Irvine School of Medicine, Irvine, Calif
4 Division of General Internal Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Md
5 Division of General Internal Medicine, John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County & Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Ill
6 Department of Family Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Wash
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR: Jean S. Kutner, MD, MSPH, Division of General Internal Medicine, Box B180, University of Colorado, Health Sciences Center, 4200 E. 9th Avenue, Denver, CO 80262, jean.kutner{at}uchsc.edu
ABSTRACT
To meet its populations health needs, the United States must have a coherent system to train and support primary care physicians. This goal can be achieved only though genuine collaboration between academic generalist disciplines. Academic general pediatrics, general internal medicine, and family medicine may be hampering this effort and their own futures by lack of collaboration. This essay addresses the necessity of collaboration among generalist physicians in research, medical education, clinical care, and advocacy. Academic generalists should collaborate by (1) making a clear decision to collaborate, (2) proactively discussing the flow of money, (3) rewarding collaboration, (4) initiating regular generalist meetings, (5) refusing to tolerate denigration of other generalist disciplines, (6) facilitating strategic planning for collaboration among generalist disciplines, and (7) learning from previous collaborative successes and failures. Collaboration among academic generalists will enhance opportunities for trainees, primary care research, and advocacy; conserve resources; and improve patient care.
Key Words: Academic generalism administration collaboration family medicine general pediatrics general internal medicine delivery of health care health services research
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