Community-orientated medical education: extending the boundaries

Community-orientated medical practice has become an integral part of the more recent undergraduate curricula, newly emerging as a result of the GMC recommendations for medical education in the future. In most of the courses, students' community activity focuses around the general practitioner and immediate primary care facilities. As part of an integrated community course at Liverpool, second-year students are asked to spend a period of time outside the confines of primary care in the wider community. This paper describes the course and its evaluation by students. The advantages and disadvantages perceived by the students are described, potential outcomes are identified and future improvements are highlighted.