An analysis of the evaluation by fourth year students of their clinical attachment learning experience in general practitioners' offices was conducted. There was a statistically significant trend towards improved ratings for six items between the 1986-87 and 1993-94 academic years. Increasingly more students rated very highly the attachment experience and felt it gave them the opportunity to practise and enhanced their learning in the physical examination of a patient, in understanding a patient's health problems in relation to the family and community, in educating the patient, in defining and solving a patient's problems, and gave an insight into the realities of general practice. The improvement in ratings was greatest after the 1990-91 academic year. This could be attributed to the introduction of the practice of sending student feedback to the tutors and the development and implementation of a checklist of tasks which students were expected to perform in the clinic setting.