GP TRAINING

GP training currently involves 3 years of training (ST1-3). From August 2022 the training programme involves one year of hospital posts (ST1), a year of community posts (ST2) and a final year of GP practice (ST3). The year of hospital posts in ST1 is split in 3 x 4-month placements. Hospital posts are available in a wide range of medical and surgical specialities. Community posts that are available include: palliative care, paediatrics, rehabilitation medicine and ophthalmology. There is also now the opportunity to undertake Integrated Training Programmes (ITP) from ST2 which means you split your time each week between a hospital placement and general practice.

There is a compulsory education programme (Vocational Training Scheme teaching) that runs on Wednesday afternoons. It runs for 30 weeks of the year, split across three terms. The teaching programme is based on the GP curriculum developed by the Royal College of General Practitioners.

This is the same curriculum that forms the bases of the MRCGP (the assessment procedure for all GP trainees introduced from August 2007). By the end of the three years, trainees will have to meet all the requirements of the MRCGP in order to obtain your certificate of completion of training (CCT).

In addition, there are optional training opportunities that trainees with a particular interest in a specialty may wish to undertake. These include the diploma of the royal college of obstetricians and gynaecologists, diploma of child heath, diploma of family planning and sexual health, diploma in geriatric medicine and certificate in palliative care.

Ipswich

Ipswich has around 20 GP practices that are linked to the GP training programme. Each practice has 1 or more GP trainers. Trainees will be allocated a programme director as their mentor when they join the scheme in addition to an educational supervisor. Your educational supervisor is a useful source of support during hospital posts and to help keep in touch with primary care, whilst your mentor is there to help with any problems you might have through your training.

Colchester

Colchester has around 10 GP practises that are linked to the GP training programme. Each practice has 1 or more GP trainers. As in Ipswich, trainees will be allocated an educational supervisor who will offer support with career planning throughout training. They will also help you to keep in touch with primary care whilst you are on hospital placement.

I joined the GP training scheme in Colchester due to its proximity to where I live and luckily ended up in a lovely program.

Initially, we were introduced to the Training Programme Directors (TPDs) and were informed about what it is like to be a GP and the opportunities the training program offered us. From then on, we were exposed to a wide range of specialties from ST1, not only in the hospital but also in the community. The introduction of the Integrated training Posts (ITP) program also benefited us as GP trainees, giving us a good knowledge base and ideas of the opportunities available to GPs.

We are encouraged to give feedback at our weekly Vocational Training Scheme (VTS) teaching sessions.

This feedback is discussed regularly and is acted on to keep it trainee centred. Being a Trainee representative, I can see the enthusiasm from the TPDs to constantly keep improving our overall experience in GP training with the focus not only on the exams but the knowledge we would need in our future careers

The scheme covers a wide area and includes people from all walks of life and socioeconomic standing, which as a GP, would be ideal. I would be so bold as to say there is something here for everyone making it a lovely area to live in and a training program I would happily recommend.