Student attachment to a general practice in Cape Town. A report of 5 years' experience

Five years' experience of student attachment to a Cape Town general practice as part of a community medicine 'block' is described. The students found the proceedings valuable and specially mentioned that the holistic approach to patient care, continuing care and the importance of the doctor-patient relationship were issues which they had become aware of for the first time--in sharp contrast to their experience of patient care in the teaching hospital situation. Nearly all the students complained that the time allotted to their attachment and to general practice as a whole was far too short. Various aspects of attachment are discussed, e.g. the doctor's approach, the handling of students' anxieties and the doctor-student relationship. Certain inferences are drawn concerning overall undergraduate medical training.