Health professions education. The shaping of a discipline through federal funding.

The federal government has been the single most dominant force shaping the development of health professions over the past 50 years. Described as both a patron and proprietor of health professions education, the federal government's role is a factor that health professionals cannot ignore. This article focuses on the three major federal initiatives (Veterans Administration training programs, Title VII of the Public Health Service Act, and Medicare's Graduate Medical Education) which have most significantly influenced the training in and development of the disciplines of psychology and medicine. The significance for psychology's involvement in national health policy, particularly during this era of reform, is highlighted.