In Reply: The Pediatrician's RoleShrinking and Shrinking!
1 Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital and Medical Center, University of Washington, Seattle, Seattle, WA
2 Departments of Pediatrics and Health Services, University of Washington, Seattle, Seattle, WA
3 Departments of Pediatrics and Epidemiology, Harborview Medical Center, University of Washington, Seattle, Seattle, WA
Dr Burke raises important concerns about the changing role of the primary care physician, especially in light of our findings that most pediatricians in Washington State take care of a limited number of pediatric inpatients. However, our conclusions may have been misinterpreted. This study does not suggest that pediatricians should not be trained in inpatient care, but that the proportion of residency training dedicated to inpatient care be more commensurate with the needs of the typical practitioner.




