Educational resource sharing and collaborative training in family practice and internal medicine. A statement from the American Boards of Internal Medicine and Family Practice

IN A RECENT report,1 the American Board of Family Practice and American Board of Internal Medicine indicated a willingness to embark on a cooperative and collaborative approach to the training of future generalists caring for adult patients. The promotion of new ways to train generalist physicians was one of several areas identified for future discussion. In response to anticipated health care system reform, the boards pointed out the advantages for the disciplines in sharing educational resources, particularly in the ambulatory training environment. The boards also called for innovative educational experiments that could involve combining training for portions of traditional residency programs or facilitate joint training and dual certification for those desiring more comprehensive training in both specialties. Subsequent discussions with internal medicine and family practice program directors have generated further ideas for resource sharing and collaborative training. Based on these and other discussions, the American Board of Family Practice