Western Training Programme in General Practice
PROSPECTUS 2012
CONTACT DETAILS
Address: Western Training Programme in General Practice, The Nurses Home, University College Hospital, Galway.
Directions: See a map of the area
Tel: 091 544 253/521 519
Fax: 091 521 519
Email: gptraining.uchg@hse.ie
Programme Director: Dr Genevieve McGuire
Assistant Programme Directors: Ms Anne Marie Regan, Dr Pat Durcan, Dr Eamonn O'Shea, Dr Lynda Keaveney, Dr John McCormack, Dr Maureen Kelly, Dr Marie O'Brien and Dr Barry O'Donovan
INTERVIEW DATE
Wednesday, 29 February 2012
PHILOSOPHY
The aim of the Western Training Programme in General Practice is to prepare doctors for a life in general practice in Ireland. To this end, the programme offers four years of a series of appropriate posts in hospital and general practice, with a weekly Release Programme so that on completion graduates are equipped to embark on a career in general practice. They are also entitled to sit the membership examination of the Irish College of General Practitioners and ultimately gain entry to the specialist register of General Practitioners of the Medical Council of Ireland.
The principles underlying every aspect of the programme are those of adult learning. The Day Release course is learner-centred, problem-based and self-resourced in a small group setting.
A unique feature of this programme is that each participant spends a three-month introductory rotation in general practice at the onset of their four-year training. This experience is highly rated by our participants as it helps them to develop their identity as general practitioners and derive most benefit from their subsequent hospital posts.
STRUCTURE
The Western Training Programme in General Practice offers four years structured training with an intake of 15 trainees per year. New entrants take up post on 1 April each year, commencing with the initial three-month rotation in general practice. This is followed by two years of hospital posts comprising four or six month rotations in A+E, obstetrics and gynaecology, psychiatry, paediatrics, medicine and geriatrics. The remaining twenty-one months are spent in general practice. Each trainee will have an opportunity to spend some portion of training outside Galway city.
NB: Successful candidates at interview in 2012 will begin training in April 2012.
RELEASE COURSE
All trainees spend Tuesday or Wednesday afternoons in Case Discussion, Journal and Topic Presentation. In addition, trainees based in general practice have a morning programme which covers research skills, consultation skills, ENT, ophthalmology, dermatology, therapeutics and practice management. The release course also incorporates a family planning theoretical module for certification purposes. The Day Release programme for Fourth Year trainees focuses on identifying and addressing the individual learning needs of participants through the use of personal learning plans.
A more detailed prospectus is available on request from Aoife, Programme Administrator, at GP Training Office, Nurses Home, University College Hospital, Galway 091 521519 or 091 544253.
Programme Directing Team
Dr Genevieve McGuire, Programme Director, Mobile: 087 4175133, Tel: 061 921054 (Monday pm and Thursday am)
Dr Pat Durcan (Mobile: 087 2566331), Ms Anne Marie Regan, Dr Eamonn O'Shea, Dr Maureen Kelly, Dr John McCormack, Dr Lynda Keaveney, Dr Marie O'Brien and Dr Barry O'Donovan.