RESUMO
BACKGROUND: In family practice residency program, education of common health problems in community primary care is the most important. This study was performed to evaluate whether the trainees of current tertiary hospital family practice residency programs could sufficiently experience common health problems in community primary care. METHODS: Each of three conveniently chosen tertiary hospital family practice centers in seoul was matched with one family practice clinic by its location. Whole patients visited the three family practice clinics on one specific day of June, 2001(primary care group) and the patients seen by the trainees of tertiary hospital family practice residency programs(tertiary care group), whose number was the same as that in matched family practice clinic, were included in this study. Demographic and clinical characteristics were obtained. RESULTS: In primary care group, the proportions of patients younger than 15-year(31.62%) or older than 65-year(21.79%) were significantly higher than those in tertiary care group. Laboratory tests(34.24%:2.99%) and referral(11.79%:0.85%) were significantly more common in tertiary care group. The most common health problem assessed by physician and chief complaint of patients in primary care group was respiratory illness, while digestive illness was the most common in tertiary care group. CONCLUSION: Age distribution, performance rate of laboratory tests and referral, chief complaints, and the health problems in primary care group were significantly different from those in tertiary care group. Trainees in family practice residency program needs to be provided more chances experiencing common health problems in community primary care.