Training needs of continuing medical education for gereral practitioners in urban and suburban of Shanghai

Abstract

Objective To assess the continuing medical education (CME) and training needs for gereral practitioners (GPs) in urban and suburb of Shanghai. Methods Gereral practitioners in urban (n=710) and suburb (n=843) of Shanghai attending two municipal training programs were interviewed with self-designed questionnaire during July 2011 to May 2012. Results Urban group included 710 GPs whose mean age were (36.7±6.8) y and 33.0% were male. Suburban group had 843 GPs whose mean age were (36.6±5.1) y and 33.2% were male. The survey showed that 84.6% of urban group and 85.6% of suburban group had attended CME before. There was no statistical difference in the overall satisfaction of CME between two groups (Z=-0.895,P=0.371). The propotion of satisfied and very satisfied was 45.1% and 13.8% in urban groupt, while it was 49.5% and 9.1% in suburb group. The overall satisfaction rates of enhancing basic theories (Z=-2.296, P=0.022) and skills (Z=-2.013, P=0.044) and CME textbooks (Z=-2.819, P=0.005) were higher in suburban group than those in urban group. Both of them agreed that the contents of CME were divorced from reality of practice (60.3% vs. 65.2%, χ2=3.213, P=0.082). The percentages of complain of insufficient training time (19.7% vs. 11.0%,χ2=18.045, P<0.05) and contents (7.5% vs. 4.3%, χ2=5.747, P=0.019), and weak leadership commitment (14.3% vs. 6.5%, χ2=19.95, P<0.05) were higher in suburban group than those in urban group. On the contrary, the delivery of repeated contents (24.8% vs. 34.8%, χ2=15.327, P<0.05) and long training time (16.4% vs. 28.2%, χ2=26.055, P<0.05) were lower in suburban group than those in urban group. Using case study in the teaching was the common choice of both groups (73.3% vs. 78.0%, χ2=0.635, P=0.426). Compared to urban group, suburban group was more likely to choose lecture of theory (63.6% vs. 50.8%, χ2=6.712, P=0.010) rather than problem based learning (43.1% vs. 51.9%,χ2=4.273, P=0.010). Conclusions Both urban and suburban GPs in Shanghai are generally satisfied with the CME programs. There are some discrepancies in training needs of CME between urban and suburben area in Shanghai, indicating that the CMB programs need to be designed according to the needs of trainees in urban or suburb areas. Key words: General practioner; Education, medical, continuing; Needs assessment