Identifying GP trainees' priorities in simulation training: a questionnaire to aid course development in Scotland

Simulation has been shown to be an effective method of delivering training in the management of acutely unwell patients. General practitioner (GP) trainees are a group in whom simulation training could contribute to their professional development. This project aimed to explore the potential impact of a simulation course for this group and to ascertain what trainees identified as their main training priorities regarding care of the acutely ill patient. A questionnaire was sent to GP trainees in Scotland to explore opinions on simulation through quantitative confidence scores and used qualitative free-text responses to identify their training priorities. Two-hundred and three GP trainees completed the questionnaire. They reported middle-to-low confidence levels in dealing with acutely unwell patients in the GP practice. Eighty-six per cent felt that simulation would be an effective method to increase confidence. The top five conditions identified as training priorities were: anaphylaxis, acute asthma, acute coronary syndromes, paediatric emergencies and cardiac arrest, and trainees highlighted the challenges specific to the primary care setting. GP trainees in Scotland would value simulation training and have identified their training priorities. These findings will be used to develop a simulation course for GP trainees in Scotland.