Careers in academic general practice

EDITOR,—Although an occupant of the corner so clearly fought for by Aly Rashid and colleagues in their recommendations on the need to increase general practitioners' contribution to teaching and research,1 I am concerned that those in other corners will view their paper as a polemic, or at best a case of special pleading. Historically, general practice has been service dominated. The opportunity for rapid attainment of principal status (compared with consultant status) has made acquiring research experience in junior academic posts unattractive financially. With respect to teaching, however, the vocational training …