Aust Fam Physician
-
Divisions of general practice are key structures for integration between general practice and other health services in Australia. ⋯ Formalizing collaboration will require changes to funding and accountability. However there is also a need for cultural change to support greater integration of patient care between general practice and both hospitals and community health services.
-
Course evaluation is essential for continuous enhancement of teaching. This evaluation aimed to assess the impact of the Graduate Diploma of Family Medicine on the clinical practices, community activities, learning styles and personal lives of its graduates. ⋯ The clinical electives of the Graduate Diploma in Family Medicine had the most significant impact on the clinical practices of full time GPs who were predominantly male graduates. Gender differences were apparent in styles of practice as males tended to conduct more procedural work, while female graduates preferred the gatekeeper role and referred more. The course also impacted on the students' approach to evidence in their clinical decision making. They were more critical of medical information provided by pharmaceutical representatives who are one of the major sources of CME for many GPs. Future evaluations should be based on experimental and quasi-experimental designs in order to measure changes in student perceptions and clinical practice, as well as more objective measures of learning styles.