Funding of vocational training programmes for general practice/family medicine in Europe

As financial arrangements for vocational training (VT) in general practice/family medicine seemed to differ among European countries, the VT committee of EURACT compiled an overview to permit comparison.

A questionnaire with open and closed questions was e-mailed in March 2006 to representatives of the 34 different countries on the EURACT Council.

Thirty completed questionnaires were returned (88% response rate). The salary of the GP trainee during clinical training in GP/FM is paid by the state on its own or with others in 19 countries (63%), and is the same during community and hospital rotations in 22 countries (73%). The GP trainer gets extra payment for supervision and teaching in only 14 countries (47%). Structured VT programmes are fully or partly financed by the state in 17 countries (57%), with trainees being paid for working hours spent in seminars/coursework in 19 countries (63%). Funding was cited as the commonest challenge and strength regarding VT programmes (cited 20 and 11 times, respectively).

Recommendations made regarding the provision of vocational training across Europe include a structured curriculum supported by adequate funding, the professional recognition of GP trainers, which includes a fair and appropriate salary, and equity of salary for GP trainees.