Qualitative and quantitative research, including RCTs, are necessary; they should be designed to deal with the heterogenous situations and specific characteristics of general practice.

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-Background and purpose: Pre-graduate ambulatory clerkships in medicine have taken many years to become a reality. A 3-month training session was developed over the past two years and the university carried out an evaluation in order to enhance it. The questions pertaining to this research revolved around students' appreciation of the experience and what they learned. Methods: A qualitative study was conducted using the focus group method. It reviewed students' ideas before, immediately after completion and one year after the 3-month training. Results: The results show that students step into a world that is unknown to them and completely different from hospital clerkships. They were delighted to meet patients, to have their own designated teachers and to put into practice what they learned. Yet the wide range of situations and responsibilities seriously concerned them. They discovered that they had to choose how they perform and organize their work. Even though they were satisfied on the whole, they emphasized the practical problems (distance, financial concerns, weariness) in completing a first-rate clerkship. Conclusion: Even if they did not choose to work as general practitioners, they were happy with the opportunity of having a second look at the work of GPs.

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