Feedback for general practice trainers: developing and testing a standardised instrument using the importance-quality-score method.
INTRODUCTION: Although general practice vocational training has been mandatory in Germany since 1993, a service philosophy still prevails. To help general practice trainers develop their identity and skills as trainers we developed and tested a standardised instrument. The questionnaire is to be filled in by registrars after their attachment to a given practice and handed to the trainer as personal feedback on the training provided. METHODS: Items were collected by asking experts in the field to name content that should be covered. The resulting items were reduced using the importance-quality method derived from health-related quality of life research. Reliability was tested by registrars rating their training twice 3 weeks apart. They also provided free text comments that were coded and analysed to establish criterion validity. RESULTS: A total of 121 items were collected. Eighty registrars provided importance and quality ratings to reduce these to 43 items. Test-re-test reliability and criterion validity were also established. CONCLUSION: The importance-quality method proved to be useful for item reduction according to the objective of the questionnaire. Instruments evaluating the quality of vocational training must be context-sensitive.