All trainees must keep a log book and College Tutors will need to review this to check that the clinical experience has been as intended. Defining attainment objectives allows clinical assessment of whether they are met. Trainees undertake a large amount of clinical work without direct supervision. It is a responsibility of teachers to ensure that their allocated work matches their skills. The combination of structured training with clinical assessment can provide managers with reassurance that trainees are not undertaking inappropriate work.
Testing is also important in order that problems with learning can be identified.
Ultimately it will provide the basis for the objective element of annual review of trainees prior to renewal of their contracts. This form of structured training requires the co-operation of the trainee. It makes new demands upon them and erodes some of their freedoms. There is real concern that this may delay the development of independence and professionalism. We believe however that by defining the required learning precisely the trainee will be able more easily to see where his or her individual interests lie and that this will be an encouragement to professionalism.