Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP) and Association of University Departments of General Practice in Ireland (AUDGPI) call for urgent action on the funding and development of undergraduate General Practice placements to help address the ongoing GP workforce crisis.
The joint call for action seeks a more formal and structured collaboration between the ICGP Specialist Training Programme and the Medical Schools Departments of General Practice.
A new report, entitled "Medical Student to General Practitioner- an Urgent Call to Action" has been published today (Saturday 04 March) at the 2023 AUDGPI ICGP Joint Annual Scientific Meeting in the University of Galway.
Against the background of a growing GP workforce crisis, this report highlights the low visibility of General Practice at undergraduate level in the country's Medical Schools, makes recommendations to promote General Practice as a positive career choice, and proposes a clinical academic training pathway in General Practice.
Mr. Fintan Foy, Chief Executive Officer of the ICGP, said: "The ICGP knows that not enough graduates of Irish medical schools select general practice as a career, which leaves our long-term workforce planning in a highly vulnerable position. This joint report with the AUDGPI sets out 14 recommendations to change that."
Dr. Maureen Kelly, Lead Author & Associate Professor, School of Medicine, University of Galway, said: "We need to develop and implement a national funding model that supports the hosting and delivery of undergraduate general practice placements for medical students in all medical schools. The report is a forward-thinking and ambitious approach to GP education. It emphasises the importance of viewing GP education as a continuum."
The Report was launched on the 2nd day of the AUDGPI ICGP Joint Annual Scientific Meeting in Galway.
ISSUED BY: Aileen O'Meara, Communications Consultant, Irish College of General Practitioners. Tel. 01 2542984 / 087 2239830.
Email: ICGP.news@gmail.com
PHOTOS available on request. MEDIA INTERVIEWS available on request.