As a first-year family practice resident in British Columbia, I was not surprised by this year's residency match results.1 Throughout my medical school training, family medicine was looked down upon as a career. Physicians in specialty areas would often disparage the “family doctor” who did a poor job managing a case. Worse off were rural family physicians, who were often criticized openly because of delays in care or lack of knowledge. Sadly, when asked their specialty by medical students, family physicians would almost invariably reply, “I'm just a family doctor.”
I chose this residency only because I entered medical school knowing I wanted to practise family medicine. Once I began my medical education I did not receive any encouragement to pursue this path until I actually spent time in a family practice elective.
Unless attitudes toward family medicine change in our academic training centres, we can expect an American-style system, where specialists outnumber family physicians. Perhaps then a better appreciation of primary care will emerge.
Signature
Kuljit K. Sajjan
PGY-1 Family Practice Chilliwack Site University of British Columbia Chilliwack, BC
Reference
- 1.Sullivan P. Family medicine loses lustre as students “vote with feet” in 2001 residency match. CMAJ 2001;164(8):1194. [PMC free article] [PubMed]