The Essex faculty of the Royal College of General Practitioners organized a collaborative study for trainees in Essex between October 1986 and July 1988. Of the trainees in post during the study period, 28 (46%) participated. The study was performed not only as an educational exercise for trainees in their practice year but also to assess the feasibility of collaborative study as a research tool in general practice. The authors feel that facilitating collaborative research is a faculty activity worthy of consideration.