Medicine on the margins. An innovative GP training programme prepares GPs for work with underserved communities

We describe and evaluate the North Dublin City General Practitioner Training Programme (NDCGP), which was designed to educate doctors to work with the underserved. People who are marginalised have poorer health and less access to healthcare than the general population. Furthermore, these groups have significantly lower numbers of GPs per capita of population. Few GP training programmes are located in such communities, despite GPs tending to work in the areas where they trained. An evaluation of NDCGP training programme was conducted by sending a self-administered questionnaire to all graduates of the programme (2013-17). Thirty-seven graduates (88%) responded to the questionnaire. Thirty-six (97%) were either working as GPs in an area of deprivation or their work included services to a marginalised group. These 36 (97%) respondents indicated that continuing to serve deprived communities was in their long-term plans. The training provided trainees with the knowledge, understanding and a specific skill set to equip them to work with the underserved. Through teaching and exposure placements, trainees' confidence and empathy had increased and their prejudice and fear towards underserved patients had decreased. Conclusion: The NDCGP Training Programme achieved its aims. Replication of this model of education should be considered elsewhere.