Briefing

Nautical metaphor is in fashion: a whole supplement of Academic Medicine (1999;74:Svii) is devoted to the topic of “turning round the supertankers” that are medical schools; specifically, devising programmes and policies that will encourage medical graduates to enter primary care. Sixteen schools received grants from a private foundation designed to increase the number of generalists: all the schools have reached or exceeded their targets, though it is difficult to separate the value of the interventions funded from the changing economic climate.