China plans to have at least one general practitioner for every 5-thousand residents, but current numbers are still well short of this goal.

?????? 近來，一種新的醫療服務職業——“全科醫生”在不少社區陸續出現。他們走進眾多家庭，為居民提供醫療保健服務，服務內容包括：建立健康檔案，對高血壓、糖尿病等慢性病人長期隨訪，對社區重點人群如兒童、孕產婦、老人進行保健等。同時，全科醫生還在社區醫療衛生機構提供門診服務。

?????? 6月22日召開的國務院常務會議，為全科醫生制度的建立和發展提出了目標：2012年，全國每個城市社區衛生服務機構和農村鄉鎮衛生院，都將有合格的全科醫生；再經過幾年努力，基本實現城鄉每萬名居民有2至3名合格的全科醫生。

?????? 由此，“全科醫生”這一有點兒新鮮又有些陌生的稱呼，得到社會更為廣泛的關注。請看相關英文報道：

China on Wednesday vowed to equip all hospital in urban communities and rural townships with qualified general practitioners by 2012, in an effort to improve the country's medical care services at grassroots clinics.

At an executive meeting of the State Council presided over by Premier Wen Jiabao, it was decided that China will establish a system of general practitioners, according to an official statement issued after the meeting.

Known as "door-keepers" for health of residents in urban communities and rural townships, general practitioners are medical professionals who treat acute and chronic illnesses and provide preventive care and health education.

Among the country's major efforts to reform its medical care system, it will work to make general practitioners the backbone of the medical professionals team at grassroots medical services, the statement said.

—— Excerpt from China vows to improve grassroots clinics

General practitioners often work long hours and go beyond the call of duty by making house calls to immobilized patients. Beijing started recruiting GPs 10 years ago to improve the quality of care at urban medical clinics. Zhao Yunjie explains how one such doctor is an indispensable part of her community.

Dr. Gao Xiuqin works a tight schedule every day.

As a community-based general practitioner in Beijing, Gao attends to her first patient at 7.30 am.

She also helps patients with a range of disabilities, including those with impaired hearing.

—— Excerpt from General practitioners vital in health care

?????? 這里反復出現的general practitioner就是我們說的“全科醫生”，簡稱GP；相應地，“社區全科醫生”則可如上文表達為：community-based general practitioner。

?????? （來源：中國網學英語頻道）