Challenge to Osteopathic Education

THE OSTEOPATHIC TRADITION: A PRIMARY CARE ORIENTATION Of the 15 accredited colleges of osteopathic medicine, 10 were founded between 1969 and 1981. Of these 10, six are state-supported medical colleges, which, like the others, were originally created with a generalist focus. The primary care orientation of the osteopathic physician has been reinforced by the medical college curriculum and clinical education and by the prominent roles given to generalist physicians. The osteopathic educational system helped foster primary care education through its orientation to the health care needs of the community—ambulatory clinics and smaller hospitals were staffed by competent generalists (role models); the patient population was diverse; and clinical education emphasized prevention, ambulatory medicine, and acquisition of broad-based medical knowledge and practical skills. Students traditionally received their clinical training through the network of about 100 osteopathic hospitals, located chiefly in small communities and in America's inner cities. They had limited opportunities to