THE LONDON-ACADEMIC-TRAINING-SCHEME (LATS) - AN EVALUATION

Background. A recognition of the inability of vocational training sche mes (VTS) to teach all the skills needed for modern general practice, and the increasing unwillingness of vocationally trained doctors to co mmit to GP principal posts, has led to the promotion and piloting of p ost-VTS educational schemes. The London Academic Training Scheme (LATS ) is a year's attachment to a University Department of General Practic e in London, comprising seven academic and three clinical sessions. Ob jective. We aimed to carry out an evaluation of the first 2 years of t he LATS from the perspectives of the registrar, their departmental sup ervisor and the practice. Methods. Data were collected by questionnair es, interviews and focus groups, at the beginning, during and at the e nd of the scheme. Results. Results are available up to the midway poin t of the second (1996) intake. The registrars achieved confidence and success in research, with six publications in peer-referenced journals from the first cohort so far. Eight of this cohort were working in in ner London 6 months later, seven in academic posts. The overwhelming c areer intention of the second cohort midway is to work in academic gen eral practice in London. The registrars enjoyed their teaching opportu nities and increased their confidence but would have liked more traini ng and more time for teaching. All the supervisors identified positive effects on their departments, but some found the time commitment and the process of supervision challenging. Two out of the dozen practices involved with the first cohort had reservations about the attachment. The rest cited benefits in clinical care, involvement in research and time for their own development. Conclusion. The scheme fulfilled its immediate aims and is addressing the recruitment and retention of GPs in the inner city. Continuing follow-up is planned.