The recruitment and training crisis in community paediatrics: what do registrars think?

OBJECTIVE

There is currently a crisis in the recruitment of trainees into community paediatrics. Focus groups were conducted to explore the views of paediatric specialist registrars about this crisis.

DESIGN

A total of 18 registrars participated in two focus groups. Data were analysed qualitatively by content analysis.

RESULTS

The overriding theme was the poor status and image of community compared with acute paediatrics. This existed at five levels, which could be arranged from a 'macro' structural level down to a 'micro' individual level. These were: the hospital/community divide, issues related to training, practical experience, the influence of role models, and personal factors.

CONCLUSIONS

We identified several specific implications for community paediatric training. However, the deep divide between acute and community paediatrics, as perceived by registrars, is unlikely to change unless training programmes are designed to produce paediatricians suited to the needs of future child health services rather than existing models of acute and community paediatricians.