1 Department of Pediatrics, Steele Memorial Children's Research Center, University of Arizona Health Sciences Center, Tucson, Arizona
In his recent article,1 Dr Haggerty touches on one of the most important issues facing departments of pediatrics, namely, the roles of the academic generalist and sections/divisions of general pediatrics. Our comments are not intended to be a critique of the article but rather to expand the discussion with the hope that solutions to some of the problems will be found rapidly.
Excellent teaching is clearly an academic function. Therefore, we would hope that, in the area of education, the academic generalist has never been an endangered species and no revival is necessary! As Dr Haggerty appropriately notes, sections/divisions of general pediatrics assume the major teaching obligation in many departments of pediatrics.