Innovations in residency education: examples from general practice in the United Kingdom.

There are many similarities in the practice styles and residency training of family physicians in the United States and general practitioners in the United Kingdom. However, three important components of general practice training in the United Kingdom are not well developed in U.S. residencies. These are the final office-based training year, the summative assessment of the trainee, and region-wide educational courses. Each of these innovations offer advantages for efficient training and evaluation and is a potential model for strengthening family practice and other residencies in the United States.