Testing the water: A GP vocational training scheme rotation in community medicine

Abstract

Trainees in Communi ty Medicine enter the specialty from a variety of backgrounds, having spent a variable period in training posts in hospital medicine and/or general practice. Overall, it has been suggested that 25% of trainees come from a general practice background. ~ Whilst there are now some schemes to enable young doctors who feel committed to a career in Community Medicine to enter the specialty after completing their pre-registration house jobs, 2 there would appear to be limited scope for the ambivalent or the moderately interested to 'test the water' during early post-registration training. Furthermore, whilst there is little doubt that the quality of undergraduate academic training has improved over the past 5 years, it is often difficult for students to become involved in the day to day work of a busy district Depar tment of Community Medicine and gain a feel for the true nature of the work involved. This is particularly relevant when considering the current manpower levels in the specialty and the need to recruit more young aspirants. The tendency to channel medical graduates into vocational training programmes at an early stage in their postgraduate career makes it all the more important to ensure that potential recruits are neither overlooked nor directed into other specialties before they have had a chance to consider a future in Community Medicine.