The difficult patient

Abstract

Essential C M E u a scries involving a continous self learning process in Family Practice for general practitioners, primaiy cure physicians and generalist medical officers. With the introduction of the category " Family Physician " and the need for certification and recertiftcation in the future, this series is aimed at the busy doctor to help him or her to update knowledge on broad issues in family practice by usitig difjerenl approaches. Some parts will be focused on helping the general practitioner to obtain certification as a " Family Physician " via postgraduate examinations. There are five pans lo the section. Part One is called BENCHMARKS FOR THE BUSY GP. Instead of reading through a long article. a group of CPs will have extracted the important facts on the subject from a general practice perspective. Part Two is on SOUTH AFRICAN RURAL GENERAL PRACTICE. It deals with the issues arising from practice in remote rural clinics. It is context related to practising in poverty stricken communities ittid problem orientated to the specific conditions arising front this context. Part Three is called TEACHING OLD DOCS NEW TRICKS and is a mock oral examination for a postgraduate degree in family medicine. Part Four isa self evaluation section by short MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS (MCQS). Part Five is a selection of SOURCES OF INFORMATION and resources for further reading. Throughout these sections family practice perspectives and theories will be integrated with the clinical aspects. Obviously this CME section cannot cover all that is " essential" in a prescriptive way but aims to help you revise, stimulate your interest and provide some guideposts. This is number eighteen in the series and is on THE DIFFICULT PATIENT.