Evaluation of a general practice registrar training post in public health in rural New South Wales

Background: General practitioners have an expanding public health role in Australia. Improved training is recommended to optimise this involvement. An advanced post for GP registrars in population health was piloted in rural New South Wales. Methods: A reference group with experience in general practice and public health education advised on the development of the post, curriculum and qualitative evaluation framework. A part time GP registrar was employed within the local Division of General Practice and public health unit. Results: Effective collaboration between stakeholders promoted teaching, research and practice in population health within a rural area. The registrar developed skills in project design, data analysis and report writing during this training post. Conclusion: This pilot demonstrates the feasibility of public health training for a GP registrar within a rural area. Projects in health promotion benefited from the input of a GP registrar among other stakeholders.