| Being a Trainer |
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This area focusses on three aspects of GP Training: Being a Trainer Being a GP trainer is stimulating, interesting and rewarding! Not only do you develop the skills to develop a good GP, but have fun in the process. The Practice will enjoy the GPR's enthusiasm, and their fresh view on things. To become a Trainer you need to:
The first step is to contact your Associate Dean ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) to arrange an informal discussion. If you are not already a Training Practice, we can arrange an informal visit to help prepare. The criteria can be discussed, and the important roles of Practice support and ethos shared. The next step would be to enrol on the Propsective Trainers Course (NESC Courses Centre). This consists of three modules spread over a year. In addition to GP Registrars, F2 Doctors are placed with Trainers, to obtain in depth experience of General Practice and to focus on consulting skills. New Trainers will gain benefit from the second half day module of the F2 Supervisor course. The assessment tools are reviewed and other specific questions answered. To obtain a place please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . It would also be useful to contact your local trainer group convenor at an early stage, to join your local trainer group. The convenors are: Fareham & Gosport - Mike Tenters - 01329 664231 Portsmouth - Tony Tollast - 023 9282 4725 Havant & Emsworth - Mary Wilson Petersfield - Sarah Egelstaff Isle of Wight - Emma Dexter Further information is available on the Wessex GP School NESC website. When you're ready to be approved, send the completed form and paperwork and we can arrange the Approval visit. The Implications Practices enjoy having GPRs, and are proud to be Training Practices. They will have demonstrated commitment to training, and will tend to have high clinical studies. In addition the GPR will have a service commitment, and a Trainers grant provides income. The Trainer will have fun, and enjoy developing a good GP. They will be stimulated, both clinically and educationally, and will enjoy the company of their enthusiastic fellow trainers. Their Practice will become more learner centred, and so more patient centred. The Trainer will need to provide a full half day for formal teaching, and the equivalent in supervising and informal teaching. When the Trainer is away, robust cover will be needed. The Practice will need to be commited to and support training, with a whole Practice teaching ethos. Other Practice members will need to be actively involved, with supervising and teaching. The Trainer will need protected time, and will need an extra weeks study leave. Appointment systems will need to be flexible to allow teaching time, and the GPR will need a room of their own. The Practice employes the GPR when placed in the Practice. At the start of the GPRs attachment they will need much more time and support. Training to be a Trainer New exciting developmenets now include a further two day Booster Course for all New Trainers after their first year of approval, giving a welcome chance to reflect on experience and hone educational skills. Once this process if fully completed the achievement is recognised by a Postgraduate Certificate in Education from the University of Winchester Rachel Elliott describes below her experience of going through this process. "A lot of people think about becoming a Trainer, but the mystique about how to become one often acts as enough of a barrier to stop this process becoming any more than a thought. However, if you are reading this then you have passed that step already so read on, it’s really quite an enjoyable process.
You need to have MRCGP or nMRCGP, and this needs to be current (you have to have paid your subs). The process varies between deaneries but in Wessex the next step is to get in touch with your local Associate Dean to find out when the next course for potential Trainers is being put on, and put your name down for it.
It’s FREE and consists of three 2 day courses held at Chilworth Manor, a very nice hotel just north of Southampton. This course is approved by Winchester University and the qualification you get at the end of it makes up one of the University’s modules which can be put towards further qualifications (e.g. MAs in Education or diplomas). You only need to pass this one module to be a GP Trainer but if you’re inspired by doing some further education you can use it for bigger and better things too! This means that you will also need to register with the University of Winchester and become a part time ‘student’ again (great for cheap cinema tickets and 2 for 1 drinks in local bars!).
Even if you change your mind at the end of the course and decide not to go on with becoming a Trainer it is a fantastic way of meeting like-minded enthusiastic GPs and renewing your love of our speciality.
The course is based on small group work learning and is learner led, so you can find out anything you need to know and also discover what others feel they need to know. You have the chance to practice your teaching skills on real life GP Trainees, show your own video, watch videos of others teaching, and get help with ideas for and writing of your assignment.
Along with attending the course you will need to write an assignment to submit to the University of Winchester. You are allocated Tutors to help you with this and given lots of help with finding appropriate educational references. The subject is your choice and is aimed at being reflective on your time while on the course. To this end you are encouraged to write a reflective diary about each part of the course (so that you don’t forget what you’ve done).
I really enjoyed attending the course. It was a chance to have some time out from the busy life of General Practice and really think about what becoming a Trainer would be like. The people I met were great and the evening meals with all of the other groups taught me a lot in passing too. Recommendations about books to read to help with tricky patients (or even troublesome children) have been fantastic and have helped with every day practice even without taking on a Registrar of my own.
Once the course is complete and you have your university module there is one final hoop to jump through...the practice visit and interview.
For this it is a good idea to have had some practice with a real life Trainee and to have videoed yourself doing this, so you can show it to the visiting committee. They will only want to watch about 10 minutes so find a good bit to show them. It may be that you have videoed a teaching session with a Nurse in the Practice and this would be fine also. Your Practice Manager can help a lot with the paperwork and if you are already working in a Training Practice it is very straightforward. The visit takes two to three hours in all, starting with a tour of the building and including a chance for you to explain why you want to become a Trainer.
It can seem a little intimidating but the panel are on your side and want to make sure that you are ready and able to take on a Trainee for your sake as much as theirs. I found that the visit flew by and the time was up very quickly. Having enthusiastic practice staff to support you is half the battle.
I hope this explains a little of what becoming a Trainer involves. I also had a mentor to guide me through the process and am now part of a local Trainer Group, which I would strongly recommend too.
Good luck."
Dr Rachel Elliott
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