Getting There

This may all seem a little daunting; however it is your trainer’s job to help you to achieve your objectives. Teaching and clinical timetables vary from practice to practice, and you should ensure that you have an up to date version to hand.

 Practices take a learner centred approach to registrar teaching.  In plain English this means that each registrar gets to decide the best way of attaining their educational objectives.  Much teaching in general practice revolves around the 1:1 subject based tutorial with your trainer, but a variety of other teaching methods are available:

       Shared surgeries (with one of you observing, whilst the other consults)

       Videotaping surgeries

       Problem case analysis (you select cases that you have found tricky, for discussion)

       Random case analysis (your trainer randomly selects cases that you have been involved with for discussion

 Think:  What are the teaching methods that you have found most helpful in the past?  How might this affect your approach to learning primary care?

You will obviously supplement this with private reading and study in your own time, and during quiet periods of the working day.

Tip:  You will find long gaps during most days when the other doctors are immersed in paperwork, meetings etc.  At this stage you should take this as an opportunity for private study, possibly linked to patients that you have recently seen, or learning needs that you have identified.

You will undoubtedly be subjected to an “educational needs assessment” during your first few weeks in practice.  You and your trainer will select a range of assessment tools (MCQs, checklists etc) to attempt to determine you clinical strengths and weaknesses.  By working these out, time can be saved by targeting teaching at your weak areas, rather than just reiterating what you already know.

If you are interested in finding out more about such assessment methods review section 10 in the Wessex GP Registrar’s Learning Diary.