An experiment in training in child care for general practitioners

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Paediatric Training
• General Practice

Background:

• Widely agreed educational objectives exist for general practitioner training.
• A significant shortage of hospital-based paediatric posts is evident, particularly in Scotland.
• Training general practitioners within their future practice setting offers distinct advantages.

Purpose of the Study:

• To address the shortage of paediatric training opportunities for general practitioners.
• To develop a novel training program integrating general practice and community paediatrics.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of this enhanced training model.

Main Methods:

• Initiated 10 new six-month paediatric training posts, additional to the standard trainee year.
• Structured the program with three months in general practice and three months of systematic teaching.
• Collaborated with the Edinburgh School of Community Paediatrics for curriculum delivery.
• Implemented pre-course and post-course assessments to measure learning outcomes.

Main Results:

• The program successfully provided integrated paediatric training for general practice trainees.
• The curriculum combined practical general practice experience with specialized community paediatrics education.
• Assessment data will be used to evaluate the learning achieved by participants.

Conclusions:

• The new training posts offer a viable solution to paediatric training shortages for general practitioners.
• Integrating training within general practice settings enhances relevance and applicability.
• This model provides a framework for evaluating the effectiveness of community-based paediatric education.