Are the recommendations being met in the general practice year of vocational training? Trainees' views in the West Midlands region.

Vocational trainees in the West Midlands who were in their general practice year were sent a postal questionnaire to find out whether there were important differences between the criteria for training of the 1986 West Midland postgraduate education committee (based on national recommendations) and the perceptions of the trainees of their current trainers and practices. The response rate was 86.2% (75 out of 87). Sixty four per cent (48) of trainees reported that they received on average less than the recommended minimum of three hours of teaching time a week. They felt that experience was inadequate in paediatric surveillance (62.7%) and preventive medical care (37.3%). Most trainers gave topic teaching (90.7%), and few used role play (5%). Most of the trainees (52%) had not signed a contract, a third did not get help with recommended allowances, and 37% thought that their progress had not been reviewed. Several trainees commented on the excellence of their training practices, and most of the practices appeared to be keeping to the spirit of the recommendations. There are, however, discrepancies between what some trainees feel they receive and what is recommended.