Canadian family physician Médecin de famille canadien
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Recurrent abdominal pain is a common presenting complaint among children. A thorough history and physical examination and limited laboratory investigation should enable a physician to make a positive diagnosis of "functional" recurrent abdominal pain in 90% to 95% of cases; an organic cause is identified in only 5% to 10%. The care and thoroughness of the history and physical examination establish the physician's credibility; explaining the clinical basis for the diagnosis and educating the child and parents on what is known about the condition reassures the parents.
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An educational contract for family medicine residency training and evaluation addresses many of the difficulties and challenges of current postgraduate medical education. This article identifies important principles for developing a contractual approach; describes the contract used in one program and its implementation; and discusses its theory, advantages, and limitations.