Arrangements that allow general practice trainees to provide longitudinal care for patients

Objectives: To delineate the arrangements that allow vocational trainees in general practice to provide longitudinal care for patients. Methods: A brief questionnaire was sent to representatives of all member-nations of the European Academy of Teachers in General Practice (EURACT) in December 1995. Results: Representatives of 23 of the 26 membernations returned completed questionnaires. Thirteen reported that typical trainees spend 12 or more consecutive months partly or entirely in a longitudinalcare setting. In 16 countries, some patients recognise trainees as their longitudinal-care physicians. All 16 report arrangements to inform patients of their relationships with trainees and to assure that patients see their trainee-physicians at most encounters. Common barriers to allowing trainees to provide longitudinal care include short duration of trainee stay and resistance by either patients or trainees. Conclusions: In many vocational programmes of EURACT nations, GP trainees function as longitudinal-care physicians for some patients. These arrangements, and a number of associated curricula that are discussed, are critical to the preparation of trainees for careers as general practitioners.