Welcome to our page for those of you who are thinking of becoming a trainer (Intending Trainers) or those who have just recently been approved as a GP trainer (New Trainers). New and intending GP trainers often feel a bit apprehensive and anxious about the task they are taking on. All we can say is that your local Training Programme Directors (TPDs) and fellow established trainers will be available for support and help all along the way. You will learn lots of skills that are transferable to other parts of your life. Virtually everyone enjoys being a GP trainer and we are sure you will too.
Intending Trainers
Every scheme has a Training Programme Director (TPD) with lead responsibility for Intending, New and Established GP Trainers.
The TPD for your scheme is: Chris Walsh.
How to become a Trainer/Training Practice
Please contact the TPD lead if you have not already done so. They will guide you through the entire process.
There’s a lot more detailed information on the Yorkshire and Humber pages for New and Intending Trainers – including the pros and cons of GP training.
Becoming a Training Practice
– The HEE GP School sets out the minimum requirements for a practice to become a GP Training practice. You will find these on the main HE GP school’s website.
– Make sure your practice meets these. Even if you are approved as a GP trainer, you cannot be authorised to become a GP Training practice if your surgery does not meet these requirement.
– Your TPD will visit your practice and advise you as to what is required and will guide you.
– Your fellow neighbouring GP training practices can be instrumental sources of help in terms of sharing with you what they have done. This will help you stop ‘re-inventing the wheel’ and make it much easier for you.
Becoming a GP Trainer
– You will need to attend a course for becoming a GP Trainer. You can either attend one of these courses or do a PGCE in Medical Education. The choice is yours.
– The PGCE route might be more educationally satisfying, but it does involve greater input, committement and is generally harder work.
– Your HEE GP school will usually fund these – please check with your local TPD.
– During your time as Intending Trainer, you will also be allocated an GP Trainer Mentor. Again, ask your TPD about who yours will be. You will need to meet up with them on 6 occaisions (each lasting 3-4 hours) to discuss a particular aspect of GP training. They will probably ask you to “borrow” a trainee and video yourself doing some of the core training activities so that they can help you do it even better. Please don’t be anxious about this process. The sessions are meant to be formative and help you in a positive and enjoyable way.
– And finally, you will have interview at the GP school just to make sure you are ready and everything is in order. Again, ask your TPD about the interview and how to prepare for it.
– Every trainer is paid an GP Trainer’s grant – which usually goes to the practice. GP Trainers also receive an annual GP Trainer CPD payment to fund activities to help them maintain or build on GP educational skills.
– It is helpful for you to attend some Half-Day Release sessions and deliver the educational session. The TPDs will be there too to hold your hand. In doing so, you will develop educational skills in no time (and again, you’ll enjoy it too).
New Trainers
– Please remember, there are several sources of help available to you.
1. Your local TPDs;
2. Neighbouring GP Trainers;
3. Your fellow new Trainers and of course; and
4. your previous GP Trainer Mentor.
– You should hopefully feel a bit more confident at doing CBDs and COTs as well as teaching on the consultation and reflective learning log entries. You should also be familiar with the ePortfolio and the fundamentals of Educational Supervision.
– But remember, you don’t need to know everything in one go. You will build on what you already have rapidly over the year. So, enjoy the process and look forward to learning and developing.
– It will be helpful for you to continue to attend some Half-Day Release sessions and deliver the educational session. The TPDs will be there too to hold your hand. In doing so, you will develop educational skills in no time (and again, you’ll enjoy it too).
Educational Workshops and Activities
These are all available on the main GP Trainer’s page. There are a plethora of educational activities and workshops available to you. There are educational events run regularly by your local scheme. On a more regional level there are educational events run by your HEE GP School. Then there are more wider events run by organisations across the UK and other countries. Network with local colleagues through scheme-based activities, with regional colleagues through GP School based activities and with wider Primary Care Educators through some of the national and international conferences and organisations. They are all detailed on the main GP Trainer’s page.
Please follow this link to the main GP Trainer’s page.Educational Resources
Bradford VTS has a whole page devoted to Educational Resources for New and Intending GP Trainers. Click the link below to visit it.
Another great resource is GP-training.net (although it is no longer updated, its resources are useful and many are timeless.
And of course, don’t forget to check out the main pages for all Trainers to see what’s happening on your local GP training scheme.
Main GP Trainers’ Page