GP interest in teaching junior doctors - Does practice location, size and infrastructure matter?

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• General Practice Training

Background:

• Increasing Australian medical graduates necessitate new general practice training rotations.
• Understanding factors influencing GP teacher willingness to host junior doctors is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between general practice characteristics and GP teachers' interest in hosting junior doctor rotations.
• To identify key factors influencing the recruitment of junior doctors into general practice training.

Main Methods:

• A survey was distributed to GP teachers of registrars and medical students in the Australian Capital Territory and southeast New South Wales.
• Analysis focused on practice characteristics: rural location, size, and infrastructure.

Main Results:

• Rural location and practice infrastructure did not significantly impact willingness to host junior doctors.
• Medium-sized practices showed less interest in hosting junior doctors compared to small or large practices.

Conclusions:

• Rural setting and teaching room infrastructure are not significant barriers to junior doctor recruitment.
• Medium practice size is a key factor in reduced teacher interest, warranting further investigation.