Mid Leinster Specialist Training Programme in General Practice

TRAINING SCHEME PROSPECTUS 2012

CONTACT DETAILS

Directions: See a map of the area

Unit 8A, Burlington Business Park, Sragh Road, Tullamore, Co Offaly
Tel 057 9370653
E Mail: carolinem.farrell@hse.ie or carmel.reid@hse.ie

Joint Acting Directors: Dr Declan Brennan (Naas) & Ms Maria Leahy (Tullamore)
Director of Research: Mr Nicholas Fenlon
Co-Director: Dr Fergus O Kelly (Naas)

OPEN EVENING

Date: 30 November 2011
Time: 5.30pm
Venue: Conference Room 1 & 2, Unit 8A Burlington Business Park, Sragh Road, Tullamore

The first two years of the four year programme involve hospital rotations at SHO grade, and the third and fourth years at a training practice placement.

HOSPITAL COMPONENT

The programme offers hospital rotations for its trainees, which will include emergency medicine, general medicine, medicine for the elderly, paediatrics, psychiatry, obstetrics & gynaecology and ENT.

GENERAL PRACTICE - EARLY EXPOSURE

During the first and second years, the trainee spends one week every six months in a general practice training post. This allows for early experience in general practice and includes exposure to the primary care team and other services in the community setting.

GENERAL PRACTICE - THIRD & FOURTH YEAR

During the third and fourth years, each GP registrar is placed in a general practice under the supervision of a general practitioner trainer.

SPECIAL SKILLS

The programme has developed a skills programme for Fourth Year registrars which currently includes placements in dermatology, minor surgery, ophthalmology, palliative care, STIs, ENT, gynaecology, psychiatry, diabetes and rheumatology.

THE RELEASE COURSE

A day release course is provided for all trainees during the academic year. Day release is an integral part of the programme and learning generally occurs through small group work. The aim of day release is to relate day to day work in the hospital phase of the training to general practice and maximises the learning opportunities presented by the hospital and general practice.

A learner-centred approach is favoured to encourage participation in identifying both the individual and group needs in the areas of professional and personal development. Day release takes place on Wednesday for Tullamore-based trainees and Thursday for Naas-based trainees.

ASSESSMENT

Continuous assessment applies equally to all personnel, posts and activities within the programme. Self-assessment is encouraged throughout the programme with a view to fostering this activity as a life-long practice.

RESEARCH

An essential component of any academic discipline is that it is capable of sustaining research into its own area of expertise. This is now a necessary part of satisfactory completion of general practice training, as specified by the Irish College of General Practitioners.

Each trainee is therefore encouraged and aided in completing a project during the programme under the supervision of a named member of the programme directing team. This project is entered for the Dr Jessica Laundon Memorial Prize for Audit and Research in General Practice which is awarded annually. Poster presentations are also developed from this research by the registrars.

ACCREDITATION

This training programme is accredited by the ICGP. It also has the National Standards Authority of Ireland ISO 9002/2000 Quality Standard and is accredited annually. It is the only training programme in the country to have achieved this standard.