Development and implementation of a national curriculum for postgraduate general practice training

Abstract

In 1994 The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) began a curriculum development project which was to significantly alter its national postgraduate training programme for registrars. This paper reports on an evaluation process which ran in parallel with the curriculum development process and the implementation of the new curriculum. Both qualitative and quantitative approaches were used to collect data from key stakeholders (eg curriculum developers, medical educators, registrars, consumers) involved in developing and/or using the curriculum. The evaluation of the implementation focused on two stakeholder groups, namely the registrars and the GP supervisors. Four lessons were learned from the evaluation. These lessons related to implementation of the curriculum, defining minimum and essential learning, the importance of considering assessment during curriculum development, and having an agreed curriculum framework which project officers could use when working with groups or individuals. As a result of the evaluations and lessons learned, initiatives have been put in place in relation to the further implementation of the curriculum.