FOR several years medical educators have given increasing consideration to the problem of extending medical teaching beyond the period of medical school and residency training, into the area of medical practice.
Dr. Edwards A. Park forcibly outlined this concept when he wrote, "Perhaps the greatest benefit which could be brought to pass in medical care in this country would result if the medical schools could be made to descend from their ivory towers—to use Dr. James Wilson's metaphor—and extend their educational facilities to the practicing physicians of the country and to assume the task of keeping them informed as a full part of their responsibilities."
A few months later a committee of the American Academy of Pediatrics reported, "In its report to the Executive Board at the Academy's Annual Meeting in Atlantic City, November 20-23, 1948, the Committee on the Improvement of Child Health gave due recognition to the great progress over the last half century in the medical care of children, but emphasized that the full benefits of modern medical care are not available to all children. The Committee's overall recommendations based on the findings are twofold:
"(1) To strengthen pediatric training in medical training in medical schools so that all doctors, not only specialists, may be thoroughly prepared to care for children, and
"(2) To develop systems of decentralized training and rural extension services so that better medical care for children may be available in outlying areas."
In view of the widespread interest in this concept and also in methods of developing a workable system of extending the services of a modern teaching center, it is felt that a description of the Children's Hospital-Imperial County Project might be of interest.
THE ROLE OF MEDICAL EDUCATORS- PERCEPTION OF INDIAN MEDICAL STUDENTS
