RCSI/Dublin North East General Practice Training Programme
TRAINING SCHEME PROSPECTUS 2012
Director: Dr Emma Nelson
Assistant Programme Directors: Dr Caoimhe Ryan, Ms Maeve Royston, Dr Niamh O'Carroll, Dr Siobhan O'Kelly
Programme Administrator: Ms Marian Earle Email: marian.earle@hse.ie
Address: Mercers Medical Centre, Lwr. Stephen St., Dublin 2, Tel: 01 4022302 Email: rcsivts@rcsi.ie
Directions: See a map of the area
OPEN EVENING
The RCSI open evening will be held on Wednesday, 11 January 2012 at Mercers Medical Centre, Stephens St Lower from 6.30pm. Please join us for an opportunity to meet the course staff, and hear a little about this scheme from them and current trainees.
THE INTERVIEWS
The interview process takes place in two stages. If shortlisted, you will be invited to a group interview on Tuesday, 14 February 2012 which lasts approximately 2 - 2½ hours. Applicants will be given a simple task to work through in small groups.
If you are successful at the group interview, you will be invited to a panel interview Tuesday, 28 February. This interview lasts approximately 25 minutes.
MISSION, VISION AND ETHOS
Our mission is to train doctors to become clinically competent general practitioners who will serve the healthcare needs of the people of Ireland. The GP trainee is mentored and encouraged to engage in personal and professional development thus instilling a passion and enthusiasm for general practice.
Our vision is, through excellence in GP training, to train fulfilled, self-aware and motivated GPs who are knowledgeable, skilled and prepared for independent practice. These GPs will provide holistic care to the individual, and provide safe, competent evidence-based care. Our trainees will be committed to meaningful long-term careers in Irish general practice. Graduates of the programme will be respected as colleagues capable of caring for all patients including our own friends and family. They will also be advocates for their patients in the ever changing healthcare and economic environment.
The scheme has been training GPs for 21 years and has been through many changes, including the expansion of numbers, but retains its trainee-centred ethos. All of the programme directing team has extensive experience in small group teaching and general practice education.
STRUCTURE
The first year is spent in hospital posts, followed by six months in general practice, a further year in hospital posts, six months back in general practice, and finally, a full year in a different training practice.
Hospital posts are now all of four-months duration
This is one of the few programmes with an early GP placement and the only one with a six-month early GP placement.
The MICGP exam will normally be completed by the end of Third Year with the final year devoted to developing special interests and skills, and preparing for life-long learning and independent practice.
CURRENT HOSPITAL POSTS:
- Paediatrics (Temple Street or Tallaght)
- Emergency Medicine (St James's or James Connolly Blanchardstown)
- Obstetrics & Gynaecology (Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital Drogheda, Coombe Women's Hospital or Rotunda Hospital Dublin)
- Psychiatry (Tallaght or St Vincent's Fairview)
- General Medicine/Care of the Elderly (James Connolly Blanchardstown or Loughlinstown)
- Option of palliative care, rehabilitative medicine or oncology/palliative care (Our Lady's Hospice, Harold's Cross, St Luke's Hospital or National Rehabilitation Centre, Dun Laoghaire)
At present there are 21 training practices involved in training on the Scheme. Trainers have regular workshops throughout the year.
CURRENT TRAINERS:
- Dr Ian Bothwell (Arklow)
- Dr Kilian McGrogan (Dublin 2)
- Dr Nick Byrne (Wicklow town)
- Dr David Gibney (Ballymun)
- Dr Judith Kavanagh (Dublin 2)
- Dr John Delap (Coolock)
- Dr Richard Ennis (Drumcondra)
- Dr George Roberts (Beaumont)
- Dr John O'Brien (Castleknock)
- Dr Mary Carmel Burke (Glasnevin)
- Dr Neasa McDonagh (Ballymun)
- Dr Conor Maguire (Stepaside)
- Dr Niall Moore (Swords)
- Dr Michael Collins (Kildare town)
- Dr Craig Bishop (Kilcoole, Co. Wicklow)
- Dr Kieran Harkin (Inchicore)
- Dr Richard Aboud (Glasnevin)
- Dr Lia Egan (Greystones)
- Dr Kieran Fulcher (Dunboyne)
- Dr John Murphy (Clondalkin)
Three trainees sit on the steering committee, which oversees the management of the scheme.
LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
- Hospital-based learning: experiential learning, one to one mentoring and working on a multidisciplinary team
- Practice-based learning: experiential learning, one to one mentoring and teaching and working with the Primary Care Team
- Small Group Work on the day release course including shared experience, case-based learning, discussion, role play, feedback, etc.
- Self-directed learning on a personal level and in small groups
- Individual reviews and learning needs analyses
- Use of a learning portfolio and reflective exercises
Each group has a nominated educational supervisor/mentor
SCHEME TEACHING PROGRAMME (Day release course)
Teaching takes place on Wednesdays in the Mercer Medical Centre
When based in hospitals, trainees attend in the afternoon only. Those in general practice attend teaching for the full day.
This provides a forum to pool experiences in teaching posts over the preceding week and to explore a scheduled topic or issue in a focused way.
The teaching format is workshop style in small groups. The model of learning values the input of the learner equal to that of the teacher, rather than the more traditional methods of 'teacher expert/student novice'. Hence, the style of learning in the workshops is interactive and experiential.
We aim to create conditions in which trainees will learn with enthusiasm and enjoyment, and regularly use role-play, video work, arts media such as painting and film, and discussion as aids to learning.
The format of the workshops is small group work, with each year acting as an independent group with a facilitator.
The focus is not only on the content of each group session but also the group process, i.e. exploring and learning from the interactions and dynamics between individuals in a group setting. The formation of an honest and supportive group is integral to this and is facilitated and encouraged from the beginning of First Year.
Special attention is paid to subjects and issues that are not easily accessible through the work experience provided on the programme. The workshops focus on the learning needs of the trainees themselves with an emphasis on personal and professional development.
The module on Consultation skills is a particularly important part of the curriculum, with a focus on the trainee's own videotaped consultations, using the Calgary-Cambridge model of communication skills. Analysis of these video tapes and teaching of these skills is undertaken in a safe small group environment.
The Personal Development module runs throughout the four years. The overall aim of the programme is to enhance the participants' level of self-awareness, thereby improving the quality of their work as general practitioners when dealing with patients. Participants are encouraged within a safe group environment to explore their own experiences and development, and to use this as a platform for awareness and understanding of others. A module on professionalism compliments this.
In Year Two, the trainees will learn the tools required to do a clinical audit while in general practice. This will provide them with the skills required to maintain their lifelong competence as registered practitioners in accordance with Part Two of the Medical Practitioners Act.
In Year Four, the trainee will present a quality initiative to their practice and will do a 'Special Interest' Project, involving more in-depth study or skills acquisition in a particular area of interest.
The programme directors facilitate most of the workshops. However external resource persons and experts are occasionally invited to facilitate a particular workshop. Occasionally, a visit is arranged to a specialist centre or institution of interest. Some workshops are led by the trainees, according to their own learning needs.
Extra activities: In the autumn of each academic year, all trainees and teaching staff partake in a two-day residential workshop away. This comprises workshops and group activities, and helps to introduce new trainees to the scheme and to each other.
We have a twice-yearly social outing, arranged by trainees in December and June.
We hope to see you at our open evening on 11 January 2012