Integration of undergraduate and postgraduate general practice education--does it work?

Academic general practice remains a small part of most medical schools. One topical method of creating larger units is to integrate the undergraduate and postgraduate education roles. This paper describes the structure of the General Practice and Rural Health Unit at the North Queensland Clinical School, where education, clinical service and policy development roles are combined to create one of Australia's larger academic general practice centres. Issues which have facilitated and challenged the development are discussed in this reflective paper describing the first 3 years of operation.