Developing family medicine in South africa: a new and important step for medical education.

The announcement by the National Ministry of Health on the 17th August 2007 (South African Government 2007), officially recognizing family medicine as a speciality in its own right is an indication of just how far 'general practice' has developed in South Africa. From January 2008 there is to be a compulsory, full-time four- year training programme for registrars in Family Medicine which should result in a well trained cohort of Family Physicians suitable to staff Community Health Centres and Primary Care Hospitals in the future. This article seeks to explore some of the milestones reached in the development of the community of family medicine professionals and teachers, the roles taken by the major protagonists in the development and the way that medical education can promote and sustain the discipline.