The Evolution and Challenges of Academic Family Medicine: Insights from the Banja Luka Declaration

• Published in: Zdravstveno varstvo Vol. 63; no. 4; pp. 160 - 163
• Main Authors: Stepanović, Aleksander, Švab, Igor, Đukić, Biljana, Škrbić, Ranko
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Poland Sciendo 01.12.2024; De Gruyter Poland
• Subjects: Academic careers; Academic disciplines; Academic medicine; akademska medicina; Clinical medicine; Curricula; dejavnost; družinska medicina; Education; Family medicine; Health care; International conferences; Medical research; Medical science; Medicine; osnovna zdravstvena; Primary healthcare; Science; Southeast Europe; SZO; WHO; akademska medicina; Academic medicine; Primary healthcare; družinska medicina; Family medicine; SZO; osnovna zdravstvena; Southeast Europe; WHO; dejavnost
• ISSN: 1854-2476; 0351-0026; 1854-2476
• DOI: 10.2478/sjph-2024-0021

Academic medicine encompasses education, research and clinical practice, and plays a crucial role in advancing medical science and training physicians. However, the field faces a crisis, with fewer graduates pursuing academic careers. Family medicine emerged as an academic discipline in the second half of the 20th century, contributing significantly to science and primary healthcare. Despite its recognised status, the World Health Organization has yet to formally define it as an academic discipline. Nevertheless, the discipline must continually update its academic dimension in order to address future challenges. The international conference in Banja Luka, attended by deans or representatives of Medical Faculties in Southeast Europe, emphasized family medicine's role in primary healthcare and academic medicine, adopting the Banja Luka Declaration to promote family medicine as an independent academic discipline. The conference aims to inspire global support for family medicine as an academic discipline.