How Best to Train Physician-Managers

To the Editor.— In the April 3, 1987, issue, Dr Henry1makes an interesting point concerning the MD-MBA dual degree. I would like to add to his discussion my belief that physicians who become physician-executives should be required to have a minimum of five years of community practice experience. My reason for this belief is that we currently have many physicians in administrative and regulatory capacities who lack such experience. Some of these physicians have gone directly out of medical school or residency into an administrative or regulatory post. A few of these physicians have had some academic experience before assuming their administrative or regulatory role. The problem with these physicians is that they do not have an intimate understanding of the problems faced in community practice. Since community practice far outweighs academic practice in terms of the total number of patients served and since community practice presents many