Implementing a reform of postgraduate medical education in Denmark (2004), a pedagogical development function (PDF) which employs clinical associate professors (CAP) was established. To evaluate the impact of the PDF and the CAP, 1,355 questionnaires were mailed to physicians in eastern Denmark: 687 (51%) replied, 114 (17%) expressed knowledge of the PDF and 75 (11%) reported a personal contact to the PDF. The rather low knowledge of the PDF may be due to the CAPs' involvement in several educational functions at the same time which may impede identification of the ''true" efforts of the CAP/PDF.