The alcohol problem in universities and the professions.

Over the past few decades the belief has grown that the drinking habits of medical students and doctors are abnormal. The literature on the subject is, however, equivocal. Some studies suggest that medical drinking is not particularly excessive. Others indicate that it is when compared with the general population but not when compared with the drinking rates and patterns of comparable professional groups. Medical student drinking is often analysed without reference to that of other young adult groups and university students. However, the growing concern about medical drinking has stimulated a number of 'impaired physician' treatment programmes designed, implemented and monitored by the profession itself. Preliminary results suggest that such programmes achieve impressive therapeutic results and contain useful indicators relating to therapeutic efficacy which may well have wider application.