Should GP specialty trainees teach? Contrasting views from GP specialty trainees and their trainers

Educational curricula in the UK suggest medical students, junior and senior doctors should all be willing and able to contribute to teaching.1-3 A number of personal benefits to practitioners who are involved in teaching have been reported, such as intellectual stimulus, enjoyment and personal learning.4,5 It would be expected that general practice trainees (GPSTs) are actively involved in learning and teaching yet anecdotal evidence suggests this is not yet occurring widely in general practice prior to completion of training. Traditionally, UK primary care sites were small and their capacity to support education was limited. However, with changes occurring in the workforce as primary care providers become larger institutions their size enables them to support a growing number of learners from undergraduate and postgraduate health care in the community setting.