The objective assessment of general practitioners' educational needs: an under-researched area?

A systematic literature review of the educational needs assessment of general practitioners (GPs) is described. A total of 36 studies, based on the subject of educational needs in primary care, were identified. The methods of searching and the difficulties in identifying papers on the chosen subject are discussed. Although there is an extensive literature on the reporting of the perception of GPs' learning needs, there have been relatively few studies describing their objective evaluation. Seventeen papers on this subject are described, and it was found that questionnaires and structured interviews were the most usual method adopted. There is a case for developing and evaluating a wider range of methods for assessing educational needs in primary care, particularly if the move towards portfolio-based learning is to gain momentum.