1. A method of displaying physical data retrieved from an underlying physical database, comprising: providing a database abstraction model defining: (a) a plurality of logical fields each having an access method that specifies at least a method to access the physical data associated with the logical field; and (b) a plurality of model entities, wherein each model entity identifies (i) a set of logical fields each mapping to logically related physical data; and (ii) an identifier in the database used to identify instances of the model entity; wherein, for each model entity, a first logical field of the corresponding set of logical fields includes a timeline attribute defining a timeline for the model entity and wherein a second logical field of the corresponding set of logical fields includes a timeline attribute defining where the physical data associated with the second logical field occurs on the timeline; receiving a request to display data related to an instance of one of the plurality of model entities; retrieving, from the database, physical data corresponding to the set of logical fields for the instance of the model entity; displaying the timeline for the instance, based on the timeline attribute for the first logical field; and displaying an event on the timeline, based on the timeline attribute for the second logical field, wherein the event corresponds to the physical data associated with the second logical field, wherein the timeline attribute for the second logical field specifies that the event comprises a duration type event, and wherein the duration type event is rendered over a segment of the timeline that indicates, relative to the timeline for the instance of the model entity, a period of time when a condition symbolized by the event occurred.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: identifying an instance of a second model entity included in the physical data displayed to the user; and switching to a display of the physical data related to the instance of the second model entity, and rendering, relative to the timeline for the instance of the second model entity, data related to the second model entity on the timeline.