Teaching seminars on the topic of medical prescriptions were organized in Switzerland with the cooperation of 34 independent practitioners and residents from outpatient clinics in Basel, Geneva, Neuchâtel and Berne. Taped recordings from 230 consultations revealed strong points (biomedical aspects) and weaknesses (insufficient appraisal of the affective side and the participation of patients) in such conversations. These observations permit to compare the five groups of doctors participating in this study.