Vocational training for general practice has been tremendously successful over the past two decades, but the need became apparent at the beginning of the 1990s for revision of the education of GP trainers already experienced in setting up a training practice, who were demanding a fresh, more detailed consideration of the educational aspects of vocational training.

The authors of Professional Education for General Practice comprise general practitioners from training practices, regional advisers in primary care, and an expert in adult education. They describe the history of vocational training and examine the educational requirements of adult learners, then go on to discuss particular aspects of curriculum design, assessment, teaching methods, trainer-trainee relationships, and evaluation, followed by an appraisal of what changes are needed in training for general practice in the future. Throughout the preparation of the book the authors worked closely with general practice trainers and trainees as well as their educators, thus ensuring that the book is completely appropriate for these groups.

This book is essential for everyone involved in teaching GP trainers as well as for the trainers themselves, and will be of interest to doctors training in primary care.