Curriculum goals for the training of osteopathic family practice residents for the year 2000

The osteopathic family practitioner of the future will play a larger role in the delivery of healthcare under managed care. To prepare for this role, osteopathic family practice residents must develop skills in direct medical care, medical education, and healthcare administration. Likewise, these residents need to become familiar with the clinical setting in which these skills are needed, specifically, ambulatory, rural, hospital, and minor emergency care environments. We propose the development of a curriculum designed to promote these skills and clinical experiences. This curriculum would expand family practice experiences; replace the current required rotations in specialty medicine with longitudinal rotations designed to develop specific family practice skills; include block rotations in hospital care, minor emergency care, and rural medicine; develop model case assignments to teach residents to integrate their roles as provider, educator, and administrator; and entail clinical experiences in medical administration and education. An evaluation process that reflects the goals of the family practice curriculum is key to the success of such a program.