Practice research. The course organiser.

Abstract

In 1965 one of us sent a questionnaire to all 142 trainee general practitioners in England and Wales.' In 1980 we made a survey of all 175 course organisers in England and Wales who are now arranging courses for over 2000 trainees?such has been the growth of vocational training for general practice over the past 15 years. Course organisers have been in existence since the early 1970s and arc paid at the same rate as are trainers in general practice but cannot be paid in addition for having a trainee in their practice. They arc appointed by the regional general practice advisory subcommittees of university regional postgraduate committees. Their main function is to run half-day or whole-day release courses that are attended usually weekly during university terms by trainees. Some also select trainers and trainees, organise trainer workshops, and assess training. At a conference in 1980, attended by almost half of the course organisers in Britain, it became clear that course organisers in each of the 15 regions in England and Wales perform many different functions, and we decided to survey all course organisers to find out their patterns of work and their opinions.