opinion
Don't trim education for primary care
Posted Feb. 21, 2011
Regarding "Medical students shun primary care for more reasons than pay" (link): As a board-certified family practice doctor, I must say the idea, in the letter to the editor cited, to shorten the education requirements for primary care is terrible.
Sure, all doctors are aware that calculus and organic chemistry have little to do with practicing medicine (even for specialists), but if you eliminate the tough classes just to pump out primary care physicians more quickly, do you know what you are left with? Nurse practitioners and physician assistants. Length of training is the main thing that separates doctors from other medical professionals. If it didn't take a long time to become a doctor, primary care physician or specialist, then everyone would become one.
Lee Morgentaler, DO, Blauvelt, N.Y.
The print version of this content appeared in the link issue of American Medical News.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2011/02/21/edlt0221.htm.
