Today's Trainees, Tomorrow's Teachers?

Conference: 
2021 SAPC North (virtual)
Talk Code: 
1A.5
Presenter: 
L McHale
Co-authors: 
Dr McHale L, Dr Wood A., Dr Alberti H
Author institutions: 
Newcastle University

Background

Integrated training posts (ITPs) and similar models including the Academic Clinical Fellow (ACF) programme, have been established and incorporated into several GP postgraduate training programmes across the UK, allowing trainees to spend some dedicated time in another speciality or aspect of academia such as education or research. The aim of such posts is to facilitate increased speciality exposure, enable trainees to explore areas of personal interest and promote the role of the academic GP. Whilst these posts have grown in popularity, and are now offered within several UK institutions little is known on how these posts shape future careers.

The Approach

Participants in this study were invited to complete an online survey and are exclusively GPs who undertook an integrated training post  in medical education, or equivalent similar post, between August 2013 and August 2021. Participants were recruited from several centres throughout the country which offer these posts, including Newcastle University, University College London, Imperial College London and Manchester University.

The study aims to explore:

  1. If participants have continued to be actively involved in education in their subsequent training/career?
  2. How has undertaking an education ITP influenced their perspectives on their long term career plans?

 

Findings

The research for this project is ongoing we look forward to being able to share the preliminary results at the Society of Primary Care's 2021 northern conference.

Implications

Integrated training posts are becoming increasingly popular and are one of many strategies helping to attract high quality trainees to GP training programmes. These posts were noted in the Health Education England and Medical Schools Council report, By 'Choice - Not By Chance', as an example of good practice in raising the profile of general practice to students and future doctors. This study will help explore if completing one of these posts as a trainee impacts a doctors future career and their continued involvement in medical education.