Is international travel useful for general practitioners? A survey of international travel scholarships.
BACKGROUND
The Royal College of General Practitioners has offered international travel scholarships for the past decade. Each year a number of general practitioners travel from the UK to work or study assisted by the scheme, while others come to this country for similar purposes.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the value of international scholarships for recipients and others.


METHODS
All those receiving awards in 1988-94 were surveyed by postal questionnaire.


RESULTS
Fifty-one out of 58 award winners (88%) replied. Almost all cited some of a wide variety of personal benefits from international travel, and some established continuing links with colleagues overseas. Many gave examples of useful results for others, both patients and colleagues. Scholarships appear to have made a significant contribution to careers, especially for those based outside Britain.


CONCLUSIONS
Relatively modest travel scholarships were viewed both favourably in hindsight and produced a wide range of benefits to recipients, colleagues, and patients. International travel should probably be considered more widely in career planning.
Holden
J
J
Royal College of General Practitioners, London.
Evans
P
P
D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing; D005194:Family Practice / Q000193:education / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005257:Fellowships and Scholarships; D006801:Humans; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014195:Travel