Elizabeth Brown and colleagues have pointed out significant differences across the European Union in GP-training and in family medicine (FM) teaching.1 GP-training and the choice of general practice as a profession depend, to a large extent, on the level of FM teaching at undergraduate level. Only if we teach FM at this stage, can we introduce all of them to this discipline as framed by the European Definition. Only if we introduce students for a short clerkship in the practices, will we get new doctors who are really willing to train as GPs. Also, all doctors, whatever their final speciality, will understand the place of FM in the healthcare system.
As the EURACT Basic Medical Education Committee, we produced and presented research on FM undergraduate teaching in Europe,2,3 using a Delphi study to determine a minimal curriculum.
The length of the FM/general practice clerkships/undergraduate programmes range from 1 to 12 weeks in different countries, and among different universities in a single country. Inter-country and intra-country variations are seen not only in the length of the programme but also in its content. Since there is no uniform curriculum for FM/general practice across Europe, the aim of this study was to create and suggest one.
The Delphi method was used among the national representatives (n = 40) in the EURACT Council. A total of 25 responses were obtained on the first round (62.5% response rate). The 375 themes suggested were then reduced by the researchers to a list of 87. This list was sent again by email. On the second round, 27 responses were obtained (67.5% response rate). A final list was generated after ranking. The third round closed the final 15-item list. ‘Final tuning’ voting was performed during the council meeting to ensure maximal consensus.
This list could be used in the future for the development of a uniform undergraduate curriculum for FM/general practice across Europe, to promote its development in countries at a lower academic level in FM, and to achieve the reputed uniformity required for high levels of teaching for better free movement of future doctors across the labour market.
Footnotes
Please contact the Journal office for the 15-item list at journal{at}rcgp.org.uk
- © British Journal of General Practice, January 2011