This book has been written as a concise introduction to general practice. It is designed to help medical students and residents to adapt the knowledge they have gained in a hospital setting to work in the primary care team. It combines a scientific approach, based on the author's own research, with plentiful case histories. The author tackles the problems of teaching and learning in general practice, discusses the organization and characteristics of primary care, and describes with numerous examples the special skills required for history taking, physical examination, problem solving, and making a prognosis in general practice. He also addresses prevention, continuing care, terminal care, and the role of the primary care team.