Pap smear practice patterns of family physicians

London, Ontario family physicians were surveyed, to compare the frequency of their Pap smear screening and their management of the abnormal smear with the recommendations of the 1982 Task Force report on cervical cancer screening. Considerable variation was observed between the Task Force recommendations and frequency of screening 36-60-year-old women, and the management of mild, recurrent mild, and moderate dysplasia. Many family physicians appeared to rely heavily on the cytopathologist's recommendations. More uniformity is required, both in cytopathologists' recommendations and in the practice of family physicians, if cervical cancer screening programs are to achieve their maximum effectiveness.