Trainees' experiences of a four-year programme for specialty training in general practice

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• General Practice Training
• Healthcare Workforce Development

Background:

• The UK Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) advocated for a four-year general practice training program.
• The first Scottish cohort completed a four-year program in 2012, coinciding with the UK-wide extension.
• Evaluating trainee experiences is crucial for refining general practice education.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the experiences of general practice trainees in the initial four-year Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) cohorts (2012 and 2013).
• To determine how well the training program prepared trainees for independent general practice.
• To investigate the progression of clinical confidence in key curriculum areas over the training period.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional online questionnaire survey was administered to trainees.
• The survey included open-ended questions for detailed qualitative feedback.
• Response rates were 40% for the 2012 cohort and 92% for the 2013 cohort.

Main Results:

• Trainees reported high perceived clinical confidence in areas like cancer management (94%) and paediatrics (94%).
• Confidence was lower in non-clinical domains, including GP partnership (57%), practice management (68%), and leadership (65%).
• Specific community-based skills, such as public health (63%) and support for the long-term unemployed (33%), also showed lower confidence levels.

Conclusions:

• General practice training appears effective in building confidence in core clinical areas.
• There is a need to enhance training in non-clinical and community-based skills essential for modern general practice.
• Findings will inform the development of integrated, community-based training models for future general practitioners.