The Introductory Course

The introductory course is your introduction to the Regional Teaching programme and the staff who run this programme over the 3 years (or part time equivalent).

It is run over one full day and two half days in August and is a chance to meet your peers as well as the TPDs (training programme directors). You will need to contact your place of work, ideally before you start there, and request study leave, so that you can attend these sessions. They are a valuable start to your GP registrar career.

We will cover the essentials such as the e-portfolio (EP) and explain what all those irritating acronyms like COTs and CBDs mean! We will cover terms of employment and we ask a current registrar to talk about their experience on the DTV programme.

There will be information on how WPBAs are done with top tips on how to organise your EP and how to prepare for the educational supervisors meeting (ESR).

There are also more light hearted sessions such as team building and we also go ten pin bowling with a pizza afterwards on the final day.

The HDR starts in earnest in September and you will have had a chance to meet the other members of your group on the introductory days.
 
Topics covered in ST1:
 

Consultation Skills

Audit

The clinical management curriculum statements:

  • Cardiovascular problems
  • Digestive problems
  • Metabolic problems
  • Neurological problems
  • Respiratory problems
  • ENT
  • Eye Problems
  • Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal problems
  • Skin problems
  • Drug and Alcohol problems

Evidence-Based practice

Care of Acutely Ill People

Ethics and Values Based Practice

GP prescribing

Diagnosis and Strategies / Pitfalls

Gate Keeping, Risk Taking and Tolerating Uncertainty

Death

Teamwork

There will also be plenty of opportunity for the group to determine their own learning needs.

ST1 trainees meet each Wednesday afternoon from 2 pm to 5 pm, they will have a dedicated programme director facilitating each group which will consist of around 14 members. We are very keen to encourage each group to be a dynamic learning unit, supporting each other and very likely forming study groups to help each other through the MRCGP examinations. Your programme director is there to help you and should be a point of contact for any concerns you have regarding your studies. Social activity is encouraged and good functioning groups have been shown to perform better in examinations.

Teaching methods will be a variety of lectures, problem-based learning, small group work and role play. Sometimes we have visiting specialists and often you will be required to teach each other- a useful skill for a career in General Practice