Læknablaðið - 01.12.1963, Side 65

LÆKNABLAÐIÐ
183
away, a brief return to residen-
cy in the hospital is hoth more
convenient and even more in-
structive hecause during those
days of residency tliey can he
participants in the team work
of the unit or clinic. There are
many other things we can do
to secure tliat the general prac-
titioner is kept familiar wilh
new developments. We helieve
that in the hospital library fuli
consideration should he given
to the puhlications which are
particularly apjn’opriate for the
man in general practice. We
believe that there is certainly
room for the publication of spe-
cial journals and reports, espe-
cially periiaps reports dealing
with newly introduced drugs,
and we would sh'ess the very
real importance of true con-
sultation hetween the practi-
tioner and the specialists in or-
dinary practice, consultation
where there can he discussion
on which is not only of henefit
to the patient hut also to the
specialist and the practitioner.
And here in practice I liave
to refer to certain difficulties
of implementing sucli educa-
tional activities. First of all it
demands that tho.se responsible
for finance, as I have already
indicated, must appreciate tlie
necessity of providing adequate
hospital staff and facilities. Sec-
ondly it requires the co-opera-
tion of the hospital staffs. When
tlie problem was small, it was
possihle to tag on post graduate
teaching to the other hospital
activities but as the problem
grows the load becomes too
great and however willing the
staff may be, they are unable
to give adequate time to it. They
no longer view participation in
this work with zest and pleas-
ure. Finally, particularly in
connection with continuing edu-
cation, we have got to make it
attractive. The young doctor ac-
cepts further periods of hard
study and self sacrifice hecause
he sees a goal aliead of him.
Some of us are prepared to car-
ry on because tliat is tlie way we
are made, hut there are others
who become unwilling to accept
the inroads of continuing study
into their leisure whicli is often
scanty enough, and the special
effort wliich is needed to partic-
ipate in a period of renewed
studv and these demands he-
come all the more unwelcome
when tliey are associated with
inevitable financial loss.
In Edinburgh for example we
find tliat a percentage of gener-
al practitioners attend each and
every course, some attend per-
haps only occasionally and
some not at all. To expect all
to attend may he idealistic, hut
it is certainly not realistic and
I think that as practical indi-
viduals, we must realise that
tliere must be a real incentive.
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