Training pre-registration house officers in general practice: Strategies, needs and barriers

This paper presents an overview of the findings of a recent interview-based research project that examined the educational experiences of trainers who have been part of the Wessex four-month general practice pre-registration house officer (GP-PRHO) placement scheme. The objectives of the research project were to: gain better insight into the educational needs and experiences of GP-PRHOs from the perspective of the trainers explore how trainers meet the needs of this group of learners uncover barriers to participation experienced by Wessex trainers. The data revealed the strategies used to manage PRHO learning in general practice, how PRHOs developed and changed over the four months, and the three 'barriers' to participation encountered by trainers, all of which are discussed in the context of previous research.