Objective: To examine different aspects of the teaching health centres (THC) in the province of Barcelona as evaluated by the ex-residents (Exc-R) from general practice and community medicine (GP&CM).
Design: Descriptive study, gathering information by means of a self-administered postal questionnaire, with an addressed reply envelope.
Setting: Barcelona teaching unit (BTU).
Participants: Eighty-one general practitioners whose qualifying years were 1987-89, 1988-90 and 1989-91, and who did their last residents year in the THC of the BTU.
Measurements and main results: There are significant differences (p < 0.05) between the various THC, in terms of: quality of teaching material and library; evaluation of the tutor in terms of attendance of classes and comment on medical histories; and average evaluation of tutor by the Ex-R.
Conclusions: We propose that anonymous evaluations made by residents of their tutors should be generalised and used for, amongst other purposes, maintaining or revoking the accreditations of specific THC or tutors.