Læknablaðið - 01.08.1966, Page 74

184
LÆKNABLAÐIÐ
they do not over-sleep this development in medicine which, if not,
soon stopped, could produce many unagreeable events.
Another imposing fact is that in all 5 continents G. P.s have no
academic ladder. If a medical student decides to become a specialist,
an academic career up to Professorship and Nobelprize winner are al-
ways open to him. However, if the same student becomes a G. P. the
whole academic world is closed to him as soon as he has settled down
to devoting his life to his patients.
It is a common fact in all five continents that post-graduate in-
struction of the specialists is always by specialists. The G. P.s on the
other hand are the only group of doctors who up til now have not been
taught by the colleagues of their own branch.
One of the most striking facts also common to G. P.s in all 5 con-
tinents is that the highest positions in the medical world are reserved
for specialists, lecturers or professors. The G. P.s are still excluded from
these high posts.
Also a fact common to G. P.s all over the world is that research in
medicine up til now is completely reserved for the specialists. The
G. P.s are excluded from this sphere, but it is this branch of medicine
that would probably help the Public just as well, or even more, than
some of the other small sub-specialties, if this branch were scientifically
researched.
Another fact which is common to G. P.s in all 5 continents is that
G. P.s are always on service day and night, weekends, Sundays and
feast-days. Specialists in all 5 continents have their own labour division
which reserves them leisure and holidays, and block free time spaces
every day. The contingent medical services, the so-called comprehensive
medical care, comprising all hours of the day and all medical events of
the population is still laid on the shoulders of the G. P. in all 5 con-
tinents.
Concerning medical organizations, the G. P. in all 5 continents is
still to a great extent guided by the specialists who are leading Boards
of Medical Associations.
Scientific organizations, of General Practice are few and if one
looks through the index of scientific medical journals one sees at first
sight that every specialty and every sub-specialty in every country of
the world has its own scientific journal whilst the G. P.s have only
begun to found their own scientific periodicals in a few countries.
Thus, in conclusion of this section, we can state that the G. P. in
all 5 continents is in the role of a secondary doctor. His social, scientific
and inter-colleagial status is in many ways inferior to that of the
specialist.
PROBLEMS OF THE G. P. PECULIAR TO CERTAIN COUNTRIES.
Canada: The G. P. in Canada is still a king in his own territory
when he is alone or in a partnership practice away from the big cities.
The Canadian G. P. in these areas always has undergone a thorough
post-graduate education which enables him to apply all surgical and