The doctor's role in rural health care.

A new pattern of health care in developing countries promises to meet the needs of rural people and still provide reasonable gratification for health workers. The service must have mutually strengthening linkages between all levels of the health care system. Reallocating roles in the health team requires turning routine medical care over to auxiliaries so that professionals can concentrate on more complex problems, such as community diagnosis and therapy. Young doctors are reasonable and willing to undertake a rural rotation early in their medical careers. This will help to identify those few who will provide leadership in improving rural services.