The study of the General Practioners' vocational training in modern France is realized. The analysis of the case studies has shown the peculiarities of the French medical education's genesis: the origin based on Celtic, Greek and Roman traditions; the field's institutionalization under the influence of Christianity and socio-political processes; the development of its structure at the universities; and finally - the establishment of the unique national system of higher medical education. The research describes current trends in modernization of the higher medical education in France: general: systematization and standardization, democratization, globalization, integration and humanization and specific: regionalization, multidisciplinarity, transparency and flexibility, IT-based educational support, professionalization in the field general practice. A theoretical analysis of "General Practice" as a scientific discipline is done (the description of principles, features, concepts and required competencies of general practitioners (GP)), and its content as a sphere of professional activities in French health care system is highlighted, including GP's functions, role, tasks, duties, conditions of the practice authorization and demography. All these aspects are respected in building up the curricula of their training programs. The general educational paradigms are competency-based and student-centred approaches. The specific features of the undergraduate course in GP's training in modern France include: the candidates' selection for medical training within the first general for all medical specialties (medicine, dentistry, obstetrics and pharmaceutics) under the strict State control the number of places available, the unique system of classification and distribution of graduates, variable training programs with a focus on a thorough research and pedagogic studies, early focus on clinical practice, the integration of disciplines in educational units, the development of critical thinking through the application of interactive teaching techniques and IT technologies. Postgraduate education of general practitioners is based on the principles of autonomy and professionalization of an intern, concepts of "workplace learning" and "peer education". An important feature of the internship is its dual focus on a variety of outpatient clerkships and the research work. The author investigates similarities and differences between the two systems' educational organization of GPs' training. The peculiarities of State regulations in the number of future physicians are explored. The similar patterns include: the strict government control over the systems of higher education and health care; stepwise systems of higher medical education; medical education entry is based mostly on academic achievements; for the most part curricula include similar subjects, but French universities offer much wider choice of elective courses and more opportunities of scientific and vocational training. The main challenges of Ukrainian higher medical education are the following: the length of generalists' postgraduate education is too short, unsatisfactory State regulations of the number of doctors according to the needs of population, an archaic curriculum build-up, the minor extent of clerkships. The ways of implementing the French experience in Ukrainian higher medical education has been offered among which are: improvement the State standards of general practitioners' training in the respect of competency-based approach; elaboration and implementation of "Specialty handbook"; establishment of a common undergraduate curriculum for all medical specialties; increase of a clinical training component and the variety of clerkships, wider implementation of IT educational technologies etc.
