Challenges General Practitioners Face in Pursuing Postgraduate Training at Primary and Secondary Healthcare Centres in Punjab, Pakistan

Background: Primary healthcare is the foundation of any effective healthcare system. Postgraduate training in family medicine is important, but in Pakistan, we face various challenges and barriers to its implementation. Objectives: This study aims to explore the barriers faced by general practitioners (GPs) working in the public sector at primary and secondary healthcare centers in pursuing postgraduate training. It also examines the association of these challenges with social and administrative factors. Methods: This five-month cross-sectional study involved 1,037 randomly selected medical officers from public health facilities in Punjab, excluding tertiary hospitals and private practitioners. Data were collected via a pre-tested, mailed questionnaire covering demographics, training needs, and job challenges, with an 80% response rate. Analysis was conducted using SPSS 24 with descriptive statistics for frequency and percentage calculations. Results: The study found that out of 1,037 doctors, 93% (n = 964) had no post-graduation. A significant number of doctors consider the lack of leave as a barrier, while 49.2% (n = 375) identify the lack of computer facilities, and 47.4% (n = 369) report the unavailability of the internet as a barrier to their post-graduation training. Conclusion: Barriers to post-graduation training in family medicine can be resolved by flexible blended online and live training programs improving technical support and addressing manageable job issues. After providing opportunities Government should make post-graduate programs compulsory for better care of patients