Preparing For Family Practice

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30543, 11 September 1964, Page 2

Preparing For Family Practice

(N.Z. Press Association) DUNEDIN, Sept. 10. Establishment of a post-graduate school of family and personal medicine has been suggested by Dr. Ashley Aitken, of Oamaru. It is part of a programme of preparation for family practice advanced by Dr. Aitken in a supplement to the latest “N.Z. Medical Journal” published by the College of General Practitioners in New Zealand.

“I believe that adoption of these proposals would provide a practical blueprint for the development of family

practice in New Zealand,” he says. “In a decade we could have a core of people with outstanding experience, acceptable qualifications and high status within the profession. “Within two decades, the face of general practice in New Zealand could be changed so that the community would have a general medical service which could be equalled, but not surpassed anywhere. “Any lesser programme would be trifling with the needs of the profession and the community.” Dr. Aitken was 1963 New Zealand Nuffield Travelling Fellow in general practice. He envisages calling for applications from general practitioners or groups to have their practices designated as experimental, demonstration or training practices. These would be used for part of the post-graduate training of candidates who had completed at

least two years’ hospital training and intended to enter general practice. Four of the practices might be leased or bought by the post-graduate school to form its “academic nucleus?’ This would be used to train future leaders in the branch of the profession.

After 18 months to two years the candidate would go overseas to top-off his training in certain respects. On his return he would rejoin

one of the school’s nucleus practices, qualified and able to make a continuing contribution to the development and teaching of family practice in New Zealand. Discussing the criteria for entry to the college of general practitioners, Dr. Aitken suggests associateship and membership should be retained, but three other grades should be instituted—certified membership, fellowship and honorary fellowship.