The family physician in the emergency department.

The possible future role of the family physician in the emergency room is discussed in the light of the rapidly changing system of delivery of emergency medical services and the establishment of a specialty of emergency medicine. It is pointed out that the family physician will play a most important role in smaller emergency rooms into the indefinite future. His role in larger teaching emergency departments is more problematic. Some aspects of difficulties are mentioned. A possible common first year of residency training between emergency medicine and family medicine is postulated.