What do Wessex general practitioners think about the structure of hospital vocational training?
BMJ 1994; 308 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.308.6940.1337 (Published 21 May 1994) Cite this as: BMJ 1994;308:1337
- P Littlea
- a Nightingale Surgery, Romsey, Hampshire Department of Primary Suegery, Care, University of Southampton, Aldermoor Health Centre, Southampton SO 16 5ST
- Correspondence to: Dr
- Accepted 28 March 1994
Abstract
Objectives: To assess the views of general practitioners about the structure and content of hospital vocational training and its relation to the training year.
Design: Postal questionnaire.
Setting: Wessex, England.
Subjects: General practitioner trainees undertaking practice training year (n=144), courseorganisers (n=22), and a random sample of two thirds of trainers (n=135).
Results: Questionnaires were returned from 86% (260): 84% of trainees (121), 92% of trainers (124), and 68% of course organisers (15). Most respondents in all groups (84.3%, 95% confidence interval 79.7% to 88.8%) wanted more jobs lasting two and three months to allow a greater range of hospital specialities to be experienced and some of the training year to be carried out before hospital jobs (66.3%, 60.4% to 72.1%). Most hospital specialties were rated at least 6 out of 10 as “useful” for general practice training. A substantial minority of training posts did not have regular weekly teaching (166/541;30.7%, 26.8% to 34.6%) and had no half day (224/541; 41.4%, 37.3% to 45.6%), and over half gave no study leave (293/541; 54.2%, 50.0% to 58.4%).
Conclusions: The structure of hospital training should be reviewed as it does not reflect the views of most trainees, course organisers, or trainers. Individual posts need closer supervision to ensure the availability of basic training requirements. More trainees should be allowed to spend a short time in the general practice before hospital rotations and to choose a greater range of shorter jobs.
Footnotes
- Accepted 28 March 1994