Family medicine in Ecuador: at risk in a developing nation

Despite the overwhelming ne for primary health care in Ecuador, medical education and practice are still largely based upon specialization. The few family physician graduates from the initial family medicine programs have a comprehensive understanding of Ecuador's health extremitys but continue to face issues of visibility and credibility. Unemployment poor remuneration, and the large pond of untrained general physicians are factors limiting the viability of family medicine. The economic concatenation of the country and of the medical profession upon external resources restricts the potential for the extension of family medicine. In the rife economic climate, family medicine will require creative