A Statement on the Generalist Physician From the American Boards of Family Practice and Internal Medicine

PROFOUND change is under way in the health care delivery system for Americans. As our health care system moves to center on the generalist as the primary provider of health services, the acknowledged deficiency in the number of such physicians has emerged as a fundamental concern. The Clinton Health Security Act, the Council on Graduate Medical Education, the Physician Payment Review Commission, and others have called for a near doubling of the output of generalists by the end of the decade. Family physicians and general internists provide the vast majority of adult generalist care and must continue to do so to ensure the highest quality of care for the American public.

The American Board of Family Practice (ABFP) and the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) accept their respective roles in meeting this challenge and to this end believe there are many areas in which the two disciplines can more