Barriers and enablers for implementing general practice training.

BACKGROUND

The Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) curriculum is designed for rural and remote general practice in Australia. We explored the potential for its implementation in the Northern Territory (NT).

METHODS

Forty-two doctors who might teach or study the ACRRM curriculum were interviewed on the predicted barriers to the curriculum, strategies to overcome these barriers and a model for curriculum delivery.

RESULTS

The themes that emerged were: recognition of the ACRRM fellowship, the structure and content of the curriculum, using the curriculum, and delivery of the curriculum. The current curriculum seemed peripheral to the daily activity of general practice registrars and general practice supervisors. Other barriers to registrar learning in the NT were identified.

DISCUSSION

The project outcomes were ways to achieve a better balance of service provision and educational opportunity for general practitioners in training, as well as strategies specific to delivery of the ACRRM curriculum.