Is general practice in need of a career structure?

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Abstract
With nearly 1000 vacancies for general practitioners in the United Kingdom in 1998,1 the recruitment problem—exacerbated by early retirement by doctors keen to leave a discipline under pressure—is high on the professional agenda. Recruitment to general practice depends on acceptable and appropriate training. Bain has suggested that role models for the training of general practitioners in Britain are still stuck in a time warp of the 1970s, when the first training scheme started.2 The government, however, has deemed that primary care is to become the steering force of the NHS again. An imbalance exists therefore between the strength needed to steer the NHS and the potential lack of structure in general practice training. #### Summary points Specific training for doctors to become general practitioners was first implemented in the 1970s. The scheme that was finally accepted (the vocational training scheme) comprised two years' experience in a variety of approved senior house officer …