Responding to registrars' in-consultation calls for assistance: Practical implications from the ReCeNT project

General practice registrars in Australia are expected to identify and address their knowledge or skills gaps during consultations. The content and frequency of registrars seeking assistance and the factors that influence this have been studied for 84,723 consultations. Term 1 registrars asked their supervisor for help in 11.0% of consultations, but by term 4 this reduced to 1.2% of consultations. Assistance was most often for skin or musculoskeletal conditions, and more often about management than diagnosis.

This article discusses the implications of this information for Australian general practice training.

Registrars asked their supervisors for assistance despite having ready access to electronic information. Practices can anticipate supervisor interruptions approximately every tenth registrar consultation. The greater input required by registrars from supervisors earlier in training should be acknowledged by more flexible standards and payments to practices. A priority for general practice supervisor professional development is how to teach the management of complex patients, dermatology and musculoskeletal medicine.