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To the Editor: Dr Graham and colleagues¹ provided an overview of the current status of family practice in the United States. As a family practitioner who practiced 41 years in the same small town in Washington State from right after World War II until 1989, I was very surprised that Graham et al do not discuss the role of obstetrics in family practice.

I very much enjoyed doing obstetrics, and, as a result, it was a large part of my practice. If a cesarean delivery became necessary, an assistant, most often an obstetrician, graciously helped me. I have a difficult time believing that those days are gone forever, because there are many remote small towns that are served only by a family physician. Surely, some of them are still delivering infants?

Weldon C. Flint, MD
Ferndale, Wash

1. Graham R, Roberts RG, Ostergaard DJ, et al. Family practice in the United States: a status report. JAMA. 2002;288:1097-1101. FREE FULL TEXT

Letters Section Editor: Stephen J. Lurie, MD, PhD, Senior Editor.

JAMA. 2003;289:297.

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