Preregistration house officers in general practice: review of evidence.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the strengths and weaknesses of the national and local schemes for preregistration house officers to spend four months in general practice, to identify any added value from such placements, and to examine the impact on career choices.


METHODS
Review of all studies that reported on placements of preregistration house officers in general practice.


METHODS
19 accounts of preregistration house officers' experience in general practice, ranging from single case reports to a national evaluation study, in a variety of locations in Scotland and England.


METHODS
Views of 180 preregistration house officers, 45 general practitioner trainers, and 105 consultant trainers.


METHODS
Main findings or themes weighted according to number of studies reporting them and weighted for sample size.


RESULTS
The studies were unanimous about the educational benefits of the placements. The additional learning included communication skills, social and psychological factors in illness, patient centred consultations, broadening of knowledge base, and dealing with uncertainty about diagnosis and referral.


CONCLUSIONS
Despite the reported benefits and recommendations of the scheme, it is not expanding. General practitioner trainers reported additional supervision that was unremunerated. The reforms of the senior house officer grade may resolve this problem by offering the placements to senior house officers, who require less supervision.
University of Newcastle upon Tyne, Postgraduate Institute for Medicine and Dentistry, Newcastle upon Tyne NE4 2AB.
Jan
J
Illing
Tim
T
Van Zwanenberg
William F
WF
Cunningham
George
G
Taylor
Cath
C
O'Halloran
Richard
R
Prescott
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002321:Career Choice; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate / Q000458:organization & administration; D005194:Family Practice / Q000193:education* / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital / Q000193:education*; D015397:Program Evaluation; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods; D013997:Time Factors; D006113:United Kingdom