GP Teaching

Our Annual Teachers Conference returned to campus on Wednesday 15 June 2022 and it was a great joy to see many of our colleagues from the GP community gathered together again.

This year the Undergraduate Primary Care Education Team were delighted to welcome three Imperial College London medical students as keynote speakers . This was the first time we have invited students to be our keynote, and I can firmly say it was a great success! The theme for the day was ‘the stories that connect us’. Students Thivyaa Gangatharan, Hamza Ikhlaq and Hareef Asunramu each shared their own stories of unique and inspiring journeys into medical school and the experiences that have shaped them as medical students. Each spoke movingly about their formative years pre-medical school and the paths that lead them to study medicine. They also beautifully shared their understanding of what belonging means to them within the medical school, and reflected on the relationships and connections that have helped shape their identities as our future doctors. To listen to each ten minute student keynote talk please go to our conference webpage  Annual Teachers Conference 2022 (https://www.imperial.ac.uk/school-public-health/primary-care-and-public-health/teaching/undergrad/atc/2022/)

There were a variety of workshops throughout the day to support GP tutors with CPD. These ranged from ‘Inclusive medical education’ and ‘Integrating sustainable healthcare into the undergraduate medical curriculum’ to workshops in coaching, personalised care and ‘training the workforce with generalist skills’.

We received some excellent feedback from delegates who attended the day: “Really touching to hear the student’s stories and made me think about my own connections. Listening to the student presentations, being able to think about new topics like sustainability and bounce off ideas with colleagues.”

Thank you to all our students, community tutors and faculty who helped make the day such a success.

Read Annual Teachers Conference 2022: The stories that connect us in full

As the COVID-19 pandemic unfolded in early March it became clear that our medical students could form a key role in providing support to local communities via volunteering their services to GP Practices across North West London. The Undergraduate Primary Care Education Team set up an innovative new medical student volunteering scheme which has to date allocated 70 individual students to 45 GP Practices who expressed the need for volunteers to help during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Students from across the MBBS years came forward to be part of the scheme, many of whom were still carrying out their studies and preparing for their end of year exams, but were keen to find the time to devote some hours each week to support GP Practices across North West London.

The medical students undertook a variety of activities whilst in the practices, ranging from manning the practice telephones in reception, processing repeat prescriptions and delivering medications, telephone triage of patients, calling vulnerable and isolated patients plus working with practice based link workers in the community.

The scheme is still running for medical students in years 1-3 who can continue to volunteer until nearer to the start of the new academic year, and we are still finding that new recruits are coming forward to help.

Medical students have commented on how much they have learnt from the experience, how they have felt able to contribute towards the national emergency efforts and importantly how much of an impact they were able to make to the lives of vulnerable and isolated patients during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Read Imperial College School of Medicine – Volunteering in the community in full

The Imperial College student GP Society were awarded the ‘most improved GP society’ award at the annual RCGP Inspire awards 2019.

Additionally the Undergraduate Primary Care Education team were shortlisted for the ‘Outstanding Teaching in General Practice’ award in recognition of the team being one of the UK-leading sites in the development of longitudinal placements, both in GP and integrating primary and secondary care. The team focuses on the delivery and expansion of undergraduate primary care community teaching, harnessing the skills of GP teaching fellows within the team to design and develop innovative new community teaching placements which have impacted positively on the student experience.

These awards celebrate the invaluable contribution of RCGP members and the difference they make to better general practice.

The awards ceremony was held in Liverpool at the iconic Anfield football stadium, and was attended by Dr Nina Dutta, Ms Nadine Engineer and Mr Steve Platt.

Read Royal College of GPs ‘Inspire’ awards in full

As you may already be aware, the MBBS curriculum is currently undergoing a review which involves all years and, excitingly, has an increased focus on teaching in General Practice. The new curriculum will start to roll out from MBBS year 1 in September 2019 (phasing in over the next 6 years) but there are also few changes which are happening in the later clinical years ahead of the process, giving us more opportunity to demonstrate to our students why General Practice is such an amazing teaching environment and such a rich and varied career. Below are some of the opportunities for the community, beginning this coming academic year.

 

Patients, Communities and Healthcare (Year 1) November 2019

PCH is a new, community-based early years course to the Imperial MBBS (replacing FCA).Students will spend 8 Thursdays in a GP Practice over the course of year 1 with a further 8 days in the second year.  Mornings will be spent with students visiting patients in their homes or sitting in GP clinics, with the afternoon back at the Practice for a patient de-brief, followed by a tutorial. There is an opportunity now to sign up to year 1 of the course by contacting n.engineer@imperial.ac.uk

 

F-Zero (Year 6) July 2019

F-Zero is an innovative new course based on the international model of “longitudinal learning” and leads on from our highly successful ICA placement in year 5. F-Zero students will be based in GP, Medicine & Surgery with allocated supervisors in each through the academic year (July to February), taking a meaningful and authentic role in the care of patients across their primary and secondary teams. This coming July 2019, 30 students have self-selected to take part in the course, replacing their traditional Year 6. They will be based at Northwick Park Hospital and a surrounding GP practice that refers into Northwick. There is an opportunity now to sign up to this F-zero course by contacting n.engineer@imperial.ac.uk

 

GPSA (Year 6) July 2019

From July 2019 the ever popular out of London GPSA course will be extended to 4 weeks, recognising the importance of General Practice teaching and learning prior to finals. There is an opportunity now to sign up to this by contacting n.engineer@imperial.ac.uk

 

ENT & Ophthalmology (Year 6)

From July 2019, ENT and Ophthalmology teaching will be delivered in a more integrated way. Rather than discrete blocks, both disciplines will be taught through other relevant specialities. Students, especially those in Year 6, may need additional signposting to practise their ENT and Ophthalmology skills so please be mindful of any learning opportunities that arise in your practice.

 

Other Changes July 2019 (Years 5/6)

Other broader changes outside of General Practice include musculoskeletal medicine moving from year 5 to year 6 and, in exchange, the Specialty Choice Placement will move from year 6 to year 5 and will be increased to 4 weeks. Renal medicine will now be delivered within the 4 week Senior Medicine placement in Year 6 and lastly Emergency Medicine will be extended to 4 weeks in Year 6.

 

There is no doubt that General Practice being front and centre in the above changes to the curriculum is down to your hard work teaching our students to such a high level. For this, we continue to be grateful and look forward to taking these exciting opportunities together. We will stay in touch as other changes roll out in the forthcoming years and if you have any questions on the above on how this may affect your teaching in the practice or getting involved in any of the new courses, please do contact n.engineer@imperial.ac.uk our Faculty Development Manager.

Read Curriculum Review news in full