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                                                                    EXHIBIT 23.5


                     CONSENT OF BT ALEX. BROWN INCORPORATED


         BT Alex. Brown Incorporated provided an opinion letter dated December
21, 1997 (the "Opinion") to the Board of Directors of CareWise, Inc.
("CareWise"). We hereby consent to the use of Annex B containing the Opinion in
the Proxy Statement/Prospectus constituting a part of the registration statement
on Form S-4 relating to the merger of a wholly owned subsidiary of PhyCor, Inc.
with and into CareWise and to the references to the BT Alex. Brown Incorporated
name in the Proxy Statement/Prospectus in connection with references to the
Opinion. In giving such consent, we do not thereby admit that we come within the
category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities
Act of 1933 or the rules and regulations adopted by the Securities and Exchange
Commission thereunder nor do we admit that we are experts with respect to any
part of such Registration Statement within the meaning of the term "experts" as
used in the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the rules and regulations of
the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder.

April 8, 1998

                                             /s/  BT Alex. Brown

                                             BT Alex. Brown Incorporated

                                             By: /s/ BT Alex. Brown Incorporated
                                                     Authorized Signatory