An MRCGP course for trainees in the West Midlands region

I describe a course for trainees in Birmingham and Lichfield in January 1983 to prepare them for the summer examination for membership of the Royal College of General Practitioners. The trainees rated the course highly in both centres, and in particular liked the small group work for the oral examinations. Of 24 trainees who attended, however, only 15 sat and 11 passed the examination. I describe the course content and discuss the possible reasons for the small number of trainees going on to sit the MRCGP examination.