The Hallmarks of Excellence
You may not yet have all the hallmarks of excellence for a doctor training to be a general practitioner but we would hope that you have some of them and will encourage and support your personal and professional development towards the remainder!You will need a positive and welcoming response to new ideas and working methods that vocational training exposes you to. You will need qualities of genuine caring for patients, clinical competence, self-awareness and insight into your own motives, needs and feelings and the ability to work in small interactive groups. It is always nice to see a sense of humour, willingness to lend a hand and tolerance of different points of view. Educationally we hope you will work towards self-direction and develop a continued interest in learning. Motivation is clearly important, and enthusiasm, commitment and eagerness to learn will help you get the best out of your vocational training. Learning to achieve a balance between your professional and private life requires a certain amount of personal organisation and is an important strategy for retaining a sense of perspective throughout your life as a general practitioner. You will need to be hard working and conscientious. Communication skills are important both for your work with patients and with colleagues. They may have diminished a little whilst at medical school; we hope to resurrect them during vocational training. Ability for problem solving and critical appraisal is important. Bringing the experience of the wider world outside medicine can add to our qualities as a GP.
The Learning Environment
This should involve mutual planning and shared responsibility for education and training. Adult learners take responsibility for their own learning, use their own experiences, are life-long learners and develop the core knowledge, skills and attitudes they need.
Personal Development Plans (PDP) and Portfolio Learning
This is based upon the principle of tailoring your learning and your educational objectives to your personal and professional needs. A portfolio is simply a way of keeping it all together. It is more than a CV, it is dynamic and tailor-made, documents your experience, changing career objectives and can be a personal summary of your learning events through our vocational training scheme and life in general. It can include diverse events contributing to personal development. In summary, your portfolio might be Personal, Organisational, Resourceful, Training, Fun, Owned, Learning, Interesting, and an Overview.
Certification Requirements
The PMETB is the Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Board. To become a principal in general practice you must have a certificate of completion of training (CCT), article 10 or Statement of Eligibility for Registration (SER), Article 11 and you need the following:
- From your hospital posts a VTR2 form signed by your consultant (and with a hospital stamp) for each SHO post. It is advisable to get these forms signed at the end of each SHO post, i.e. as you go along.
- From your GP registrar year, a VTR1 form signed by your trainer. You will need a separate VTR1 for each period of general practice even if it was the same trainer.
Registrars applying for article 10, should apply to the RCGP Certification Unit (and the PMETB). Registrars applying for article 11, should apply directly to the PMETB. A Statement of Eligibility for Registration can be applied for by doctors, for example, from the armed Forces or those who have undergone part of their training overseas. You will not be able to work in any capacity in general practice until you have completed summative assessment and have obtained a certificate from the PMETB. The following websites contain useful information regarding certification: www.pmetb.org.uk and www.rcgp.org.uk.
Hospital Posts
The hospital component follows the aims and objectives as recommended by the Conference of Royal Colleges and their faculties in the UK. There is a commitment to teaching within each department and support and encouragement towards study for the relevant diplomas, You will enter your two year rotation through a series of hospital posts. The rotations on offer will vary from scheme to scheme but will encompass a choice from the following specialties: Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Paediatrics, General Medicine, Care of the Elderly, Psychiatry, Accident & Emergency.
Special Opportunities
There may be opportunity for additional experience in specialities such as Palliative Care, Rhematogy and Public Health
VTS Half Day Release
This is an established feature of general practice vocational training. For GPRs this on Thursday afternoons and for ST1 , ST2 on Wednesday afternoons in the PGMC. The format and content is yours. This may vary but is usually a mix of guest speakers / hot topics / group work and is SHO / GP registrar centred. It presents an opportunity for peer group support, networking, lessening the feeling of isolation, personal and professional development and group dynamics.
THE NEW MRCGP (nMRCGP)
With effect from August 2007 all those wishing to apply to sit the Membership
Examination of the College will be required to complete a new assessment package comprising three elements:
- Applied Knowledge Test (AKT)
- Clinical Skills Assessment (CSA)
- Workplace Based Assessment (WPBA)
The College has produced a new curriculum for GP training on which the new assessment will be based:
Applied Knowledge Test (AKT)
- Machine marked paper
- 200 items
- Mostly extended matching and single best answer questions
- 3 times per year (February, May, October)
Clinical Skills Assessment (CSA)
- An assessment of a doctor ’s ability to integrate and apply clinical, professional, communication and practical skills appropriate for general practice
- Multiple station OSCE format
Workplace Based Assessment (WPBA)
- Enhanced Trainers Report
- A number of externally moderated assessment tools
