A total of 65 physicians serve a Federal prison population of 24,000 inmates, and the Bureau of Prisons seeks qualified candidates for these medical positions. The physicians serving the Federal prison system today express a strong commitment to a group of men and women who need medical care and support. One of the major advantages to physicians in this setting is the normal work day and work week, generally with only hospital rounds on the weekends. Despite the regular work schedule, physicians see a wide range of pathology. Furthermore, the Bureau physician has impressive professional and paraprofessional support from both inside and outside the institution. Physician's assistants screen all patients, freeing the doctor from tedious chores and enabling more time and attention to be spent on major problems. Professional staff support is usually immediate and excellent in any prison community. External support is provided the Bureau physician by consultants. Some physicians in the Bureau take advantage of their free time and complement their prison practice with efforts of their own, from practicing in a private clinic to teaching at nearby universities. Although salaries and benefits are good, there are disadvantages: doctors feels they are frequent objects of games which take a variety of forms, most frequently badgering for drugs and medication. Also, some inmates sue the Government for alleged malpractice, and while the Department of Justice lawyers handle these cases with consistent success, these cases take up physicians' time. Furthermore, prison priorities affect the life of the Bureau physician in that custody is the primary mission of the Federal prison system. For the most part, the correctional and medical staff work well together, but problems do arise because good medical treatment of prisoners is an essential but nonetheless secondary element in an institution. Overall, prison medicine is a challenge and an opportunity.