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How well are general practice trainees prepared for paediatric prescribing?
Author(s) -
Isa N. M.,
Taylor Michael W.,
Helms Peter J.,
McLay James S.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
british journal of clinical pharmacology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.216
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1365-2125
pISSN - 0306-5251
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2125.2008.03341.x
Subject(s) - medicine , family medicine , general practice , vocational education , pediatrics , psychology , pedagogy
WHAT IS ALREADY KNOWN ABOUT THIS SUBJECT • Children make up a significant proportion of a general practitioner's (GP's) prescribing workload. • The realisation that children cannot be assumed to be little adults and may require specialized prescribing and therapeutic knowledge is relatively recent. • Off‐label medicines, which have been associated with an increased frequency of adverse drug reactions, are commonly prescribed by GPs to children. WHAT THIS STUDY ADDS • The majority of GP trainees believe that their undergraduate and postgraduate training in paediatric therapeutics is insufficient for their coming requirements in primary care. • Approximately one‐third of GP trainees do not undertake any paediatrics training prior to starting work as a GP. • Off‐label and unlicensed prescribing are the most poorly covered areas of paediatric therapeutics in universities/university hospitals. • Those trainees who do undergo paediatric training during their vocational years report increased paediatric prescribing confidence. AIMS AND METHODOLOGY We invited 232 General Practice Trainees to complete an on‐line questionnaire to assess how they rated their training for the task of paediatric prescribing and therapeutics in the community. RESULTS Of the 166 (71%) respondents who completed the questionnaire, 26.5% recalled specific teaching about paediatric prescribing and 59.6% covering one or more relevant topic during their undergraduate years. Undertaking a paediatric post during vocational training was associated with greater prescribing confidence ( P < 0.001); however, 35% of respondents were not intending to undertake such a post. CONCLUSION This study suggests that many GP trainees perceive their paediatric prescribing training as inadequate.