A new selection system to recruit general practice registrars: preliminary findings from a validation study.

OBJECTIVE To design and validate a new competency based selection system to recruit general practice registrars, comprising a competency based application form, referees' reports, and an assessment centre. DESIGN Longitudinal predictive validity study and a matched case comparison. SETTING South Yorkshire and East Midlands region, United Kingdom, comprising three deaneries. PARTICIPANTS 46 of 167 doctors were followed up in training after three months in practice, and 20 general practice trainers were selected by using traditional recruitment methods. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Trainer ratings of trainee performance in practice on targeted competencies. RESULTS Performance ratings of targeted competencies at the assessment centre predicted trainer ratings of performance in the job. Furthermore, those trainees recruited through the new competency based process performed significantly better in the job than those recruited through traditional recruitment processes. CONCLUSION A new competency based selection process using assessment centres improves the validity of selection of general practice registrars compared with traditional selection techniques.