General practitioners (GP) play a key role in children's medical care in France. Maternal and Child Protection Services (MCP) provide preventive pediatric care and may host GP interns during their curriculum. The purpose of this research is to cross stakeholders' viewpoints on MCP internships.

In 2019, a declarative cross-sectional survey was conducted in metropolitan France among GP, MCP and departments of general practice (DGP) in medical schools. Data was collected concerning the organization, contents and pediatric expected results of GP internships in MCP.

Questionnaires completed by 286 GP, 77 MCP and 16 DGP were collected. GP describe a non-standardized internship practice in terms of duration, the type of supervision, the medical acts carried out and the tools provided. Their answers, however, show a clear consensus on the skill in screening/prevention acts development (significantly higher for internships based on four-day weeks), on the support for parenthood, and on the awareness of the child's living environment and of the various professionals in the health, psychological and educational field. These skill acquisitions are incomplete in child protection, and insufficient in the management of acute pathologies. Links between DCP and MCP appear poor.

Internships in MCP provide GPs with significant experience in prevention and daily pediatrics, but they require a better coordination between DGP and MCP and the construction of joint internships especially with hospital pediatrics.