General practice placements for pre-registration junior doctors: adding value to intern education and training

OBJECTIVE: To examine pre-registration junior doctors' perceptions of the value of a general practice term in their training program. DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Semi-structured interviews, in five teaching hospitals in South Australia in 2005, with 20 pre-registration junior doctors (interns) who had completed a general practice term and at least one core term of intern training. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Comparisons between general practice and teaching hospital core training terms with respect to the domains of junior doctor education. RESULTS: Interns perceived general practice and teaching hospital terms to be complementary in their overall training program. The general practice term provided them with knowledge and skills they would not have acquired in the teaching hospital terms alone. One-on-one consulting, initiating patient management, and the opportunity to practise a range of practical and procedural skills were seen to be of particular value. CONCLUSIONS: The general practice and teaching hospital terms both contribute to the training of interns, offering contrasting environments and experiences which enhance interns' professional and personal growth. General practice terms should be considered for inclusion in intern training programs across Australia.