The "incompleat" physicians: community physicians' lack of knowledge of medical socioeconomics and politics.

The suspicion that physicians in this community know little about current events in American medical socioeconomics and politics led to a survey of the local medical society membership. The results showed a discouraging lack of knowledge about information that is readily available to physicians. We concluded that current methods for educating physicians in these subjects are largely ineffective. Live, as opposed to printed, presentations at local, state, and specialty medical society meetings may be more effective in educating, and thereby involving, physicians in the critical political and economic issues presently facing them.