A good department, like a good physician, should always be examining its actions, learning from experience and attempting to improve, questing for new, better ways to achieve its goals. In an academic Department of Family Medicine, scholarship and research expressed in the pursuit of new knowledge and understanding about clinical problems encountered by patients lies at the heart of faculty activities. Because family practice is about caring for patients and families, these activities should focus on ways of improving health of patients and of communities, emphasizing prevention and wellness, along with better ways to diagnose and treat commonly encountered problems. A major focus on the health of populations and communities should underlie these activities. Because of the rural nature of central Virginia, the department should include an emphasis on rural health care in its research, education, and clinical programs.
Education lies next to scholarship in the heart of the department.
Teaching all medical students the principles, clinical methods, and techniques of family practice is an essential task for the department. Development and implementation of a comprehensive four-year curriculum in family medicine is important to assuring that the department meet these educational priorities, thus supporting the development of accessible primary health care within the University and Commonwealth of Virginia. In support of this effort, extensive groundwork has been laid through the work of the RWJ Generalist initiative, the strong efforts of the present departmental faculty, and collaborative work with the other primary care departments in the School of Medicine. Excellence and innovation in education should also extend to teaching of residents, improving faculty performance, and helping practicing community based physicians throughout the Commonwealth enhance their skills and abilities. The department must reach beyond the bounds of its current domain to its affiliated residency programs in Lynchburg and Roanoke and to any other organizations interested in a collaborative mutually beneficial working relationship.