A study of ambulatory care education in medical schools and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs health care facilities.

A study of ambulatory care and education was conducted by sending questionnaires to U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals (75) and medical schools (65) prior to the Conference on Ambulatory Care and Education. Responses from 48% of medical schools indicated that there was little required clinical time in ambulatory care (15-20%), as well as faculty resistance and lack of medical school commitment to ambulatory care education. VA respondents (35% sample) also documented relatively little training in ambulatory care at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Numerous barriers to ambulatory care education are mentioned and strategies for overcoming the problems found are discussed.