Medical student education for primary health care: who teaches what, when?

Since primary health care (PHC) is central to good doctoring and pervades all levels of medical services, a suitable system for teaching it must be developed. Whereas the traditional approach in teaching has been toward a set objective, PHC requires an approach that aims to meet urgent and changing needs. The PHC doctor must adapt to the prevailing requirements of his practice. Other teaching implications are those of organization and team training and continuing medical education. The conflict between different approaches is considered in an attempt to resolve the problem of who teaches what, when.