Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To determine the characteristics of Family Medicine mentors' care and teaching work. DESIGN: Transversal, observational study. SETTING: Teaching Health Centres in Valencia province, Spain. PARTICIPANTS: Ninety-one accredited mentors with third-year residents. MAIN MEASUREMENTS: Self-administered questionnaire collecting general data of mentors, characteristics of their care work, organisation of consultations between mentor and residents, teaching dedication, satisfaction and motivation, and proposals for improvement. RESULTS: Sixty-six per cent of the questionnaires sent out were analysed. Mentors had an average 7.1 years experience and 43.2 consultations/day. They devoted 4.4 hours a week solely to teaching, which 68.8% judged insufficient. 24% of mentors did a consultation at the same time as the resident. The satisfaction and motivation levels were high, with more advantages than disadvantages cited. CONCLUSIONS: On the whole, organisational strategies ensuring residents' autonomy were used. Mentors were satisfied and motivated, even though they thought the time devoted was insufficient.