How Western Australian registrars choose training practices.

BACKGROUND While general practice registrars receive advice on how to choose a training practice, little is known about what underlies their decision. METHOD A questionnaire was sent to all registrars in Western Australian General Practice Education and Training practices seeking information about the choice of their practice. RESULTS Most registrars reported that they had chosen their practice. The supervisor was most commonly the person spoken to before the practice was chosen. DISCUSSION The supervisor's personality was an important influence on choice and the practice manager was an important contact for registrars who were parents, presumably to arrange a part time attachment. Those who reported speaking to the supervisor also reported that they subsequently received greater remuneration. Registrars from a rural background chose more often to have all their training in a rural area.