General practice and the new renaissance

Traditional medical education has tended to emphasise the acquisition of knowledge and analytical skills. But it is the author's belief that this system has some limitations when applied in the general practice situation. Dr Edward DeBono has described an alternative style of thinking that relies fundamentally on perceptive and creative skills; ideas that have great relevance in learning how to apply our acquired knowledge in a meaningful way to the health care of our patients. This paper describes the personal odyssey that led to this realisation.