Experience of undergraduates from three London dental schools and trainers from the south east of England on interviews for vocational training in 1996.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the current perceptions, motivations and expectations of trainers and vocational dental practitioners (VDPs) of vocational training (VT) interviews.

DESIGN

Questionnaire based study.

SETTING

General practice study carried out in 1996.

SUBJECTS

Undergraduates from three London dental schools and vocational trainers from south-east England.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Perceptions, motivation and experiences were assessed by a questionnaire.

RESULTS

111 questionnaires were posted to trainers with 72 (65%) returned. 108 (70%) were returned from the dental schools after 155 were posted. Graduates employed in hospital training posts, armed forces and community dentistry were eliminated from the results. Most trainers (74%) had previous experience of VT and 89% of trainers thought that a CV was important for their choice of VDPs. However, only 11% of trainers sought references before interviewing. 34% of VDPs preferred jobs close to their dental school but 75% considered location to be vital to their choice. 67% of VDPs made 10 or more applications and 57% visited 10 or more practices for interviews. 78% of VDPs considered that either genderism or racism was likely to or possibly influenced the trainers choice. However, the converse was not true, 62% of trainers considered it unlikely that the VDPs were influenced by their gender or race.

CONCLUSIONS

Trainers and VDPs have different perceptions concerning the protocol of interviews for VT.