Pre-registration posts in general practice

Though the UK Medical Act of 1978 made the creation of pre-registration house officer posts in general practice in the UK a serious proposition there have been few attempts to explore the possibility. The absence of agreed educational objectives for the year makes it impossible to conduct the properly evaluated experiments that might assuage existing doubts about the appropriateness of introducing general practice as a setting in an objective way. Experience so far shows that carefully designed schemes are both feasible and worthwhile in the opinion of those involved. The implications for general practice are explored, the need for new educational thinking is discussed and suggestions about criteria for the approval of practices are put forward.