Experiences with self-assessment and peer review among general practitioners in The Netherlands

The relation between peer review and postgraduate training proved to be complex. Involvement occurred by way of three projects (PI, PII, and PIII) involving 1,200 general practitioners by directed or self-motivated assessment. The simple assumption that the discovery by audit of knowledge, skills of attitude gaps, automatically lead to appropriate training, proved to be untrue. Experience learned that auditing itself is an educational process which links up with the individual needs of the participants. More study, research and experience is needed with regard to the interrelationship between peer review and postgraduate training, but both are essential and integral elements of the striving for excellence and quality.