General practitioner training pathways in Tasmania: A qualitative study on the experiences, enablers and barriers.

Background and objectives: General practitioner (GP) recruitment strategies have been explored in previous research and are vital to workforce development. This study explores factors that influence engagement with Tasmanian GP training pathways and hence GP workforce recruitment and supply.

Method: Eighteen interviews investigated the experiences of Tasmanian GP trainees, supervisors and trainee support personnel to explore enablers and barriers to training engagement.

Results: Factors influencing training engagement included aspects of trainees' personal lives, professional career-related factors and elements of training support. Personal aspects included family dynamics, health and finances. Professional factors included perceptions of GP careers, remuneration and stigma. Training support factors related to complex interactions between the trainee and the training organisation, supervisors, medical educators, practices and peers.

Discussion: Personal aspects are non-modifiable; however, professional factors and training support features can be targeted to foster engagement with GP training pathways. Considering training as a complex system is helpful in translating this evidence into practice.