CeMENT: evaluation of a regional development programme integrating hospital and general practice clinical teaching for medical undergraduates

Objectives To determine the feasibility and effectiveness of shared hospital and general practice clinical teaching for medical undergraduates. Design A multifaceted approach employing quantitative and qualitative techniques. Setting All medical schools in North Thames Region. Subjects Students, GP tutors and hospital specialists. Results The model was successfully adopted in a broad range of clinical specialties in all of the participating medical schools, resulting in a doubling of the involvement of general practice in clinical teaching. Participating students provided an overwhelmingly positive evaluation of the attachments and there was a clear perception of benefit amongst the participating GPs. However, the views of the participating hospital clinicians were less positive and the true nature and extent of the educational impact proved difficult to assess. Conclusions This model of collaborative clinical teaching between hospital and general practice can be implemented in accordance with the project's key aims, but the enthusiastic involvement of hospital clinicians may be difficult to secure.