It is a matter of concern that general medical practice as it should be is slowly disappearing in our country, especially in the urban areas. There are many reasons for this. Specialisation has a glamour and prestige attached to it, as a result of which specialists also make more money than do general practitioners (GPs). GPs also have (well founded) fears of professional isolation as they work in the community and specialists from institutions. There are no clear-cut geographical distinctions between the work of GPs and specialists; in many areas specialists have taken over work that GPs should be doing by right. This particularly true of obstetrics, minor surgery, most of paediatrics, quite a bit of ophthalmology, ENT and psychiatry