About us

About us

About Our Training Programme

Buckinghamshire VTS is a popular, innovative and well-regarded VTS in the heart of the home counties. We have a diverse set of training practices: rural, urban and suburban. We are the biggest VTS in the Thames Valley. Trainees in hospital placements will be based in Stoke Mandeville, High Wycombe and Amersham during their rotations. Trainees will meet their GP Educational Supervisor at the start of their scheme, and will develop a close working relationship, culminating in their year (or longer if part-time) working as an ST3 in their Educational Supervisor’s practice.

Trainees choose Bucks because of the proximity to Reading, Oxford and Milton Keynes. We have beautiful countryside – the Chilterns are an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty – and excellent local schools. We have an active and enthusiastic primary care community and the majority of our trainees choose to move to and stay in Buckinghamshire on completion of training.

The VTS attracts high calibre trainees and we have great success rates at AKT and CSA. The programme directors are constantly evaluating the effectiveness and enjoyment of the Tuesday teaching, and we encourage trainee input in the delivery and development of the education programme. During training trainees will have the opportunity to apply to innovative out-of-programme experiences including a year long paid Africa Health Fellowship through the Global Health Exchange. Recent trainees have moved into salaried roles and partnership but also into leadership and managerial roles within out-of-hours GP, GP education, primary care overseas, CCG work and medical politics. We support trainees who wish to combine their GP training with other interests, for example those who have gained experience in other specialities before joining General Practice. Our core focus is on producing well rounded GPs of the future.

Essential to our philosophy is the building of relationships with patients, trainees, trainers and programme directors. We aim to achieve a balance between learning the knowledge required for practising as a GP and the professional skills essential to this role. We look forward to continuing to offer effective and up-to-date GP training and adapting to changes within the profession, in order to develop GPs who are ready for whatever the future holds in primary care. We look forward to you joining us!​