Specialty Training for General Practice in the United Kingdom

This article describes training for general practice (family medicine) in the United Kingdom. Medical graduates now enter a 2-year Foundation Programme before applying for a 3-year specialty training program in general practice. Selection for training is through a competency-based assessment center process. General practice specialty training is orientated around a curriculum founded on the European definition of general practice with exit from training dependent on satisfactory completion of an assessment process comprising a machine-marked applied knowledge test, clinical skills assessment, and workplace-based assessment. Support for trainees during training includes educational and clinical supervision and educational peer support groups but with little support provided in the immediate postqualification period.