The role of the European Academy of Teachers in General Practice and Family Medicine in family medicine education in Europe--the experience of the University of Maribor.

Primary health care is important item of political agendas since Alma Ata conference in 1978. West Balkans share common history in development of primary care since 1920s when Andrija Stampar introduced social and community based primary care concepts. The first known specialist training in general practice in the world started in former Yugoslavia in the early 1960s. Since then, much has been done in the field of general practice and family medicine and this is reflected in The European Academy of Teachers in General Practice and Family Medicine (EURACT), which is a network organisation within World Organization of National Colleges, Academies and Academic Associations of General Practitioners/Family Physicians Region Europe (WONCA Europe). Its aim is to foster and maintain high standards of care in European general practice by promoting general practice as a discipline by learning and teaching. EURACT developed several documents and teachers courses which can serve the development of family medicine curricula in new established departments of medical schools. This is also the case at Maribor Medical School, where learning outcomes and teaching methods are in concordance with EURACT teaching agenda, but also some innovative approaches are used, such as art and e-learning environment as teaching methods.