Teaching and Learning overview

There are many different ways in which teaching will be delivered.  The main areas of teaching are:-

• Lectures
• Tutorials
• Seminars
• Patient centred teaching
• Reading
• Personal Reflection

Learning takes place in the practice but also elsewhere.  As an adult learner you are be expected to identify and recognise areas where you are weak and take steps to get on top of the situation.  You are expected to take some of the responsibility to work out how to manage the gaps in your knowledge and skills by yourself.  This may take the form of looking at text books, journals or on-line resources, talking through the problems with your immediate friends and colleagues or asking your clinical seniors for some advice.

GP speciality training

You will need show competence in each of the curriculum areas listed by the RCGP on the ePortfolio.  General Practice has the widest field of learning and knowledge of all the medical specialities.  The RCGP curriculum document defines the skills, knowledge expected of general practitioners completing their training.  It is important you familiarise yourself with this. 

Over the three years you will record your learning on the ePortfolio.  When you document your learning you should link the documentation to curriculum headings.  The ePortfolio forms the basis for your Educational Supervisor to periodically review your development, adjudge with you on the progression of your coverage of the curriculum and identify areas that need more work. 

At the end of your training you are expected to have achieved all the competencies listed.  Your trainer will in the role of Educational Supervisor sign you up as being competent under each of the curriculum headings as when (and if) he sees fit.  Most normally it is expected this will be towards the last few months of your three year training programme.  His opinion will be submitted to the deanery for an overall assessment by the ARCP, Annual Review of Competencies Progression, panel.  Assuming they have a positive impression of your progress through training they will recommend you receive a Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT).

The ePortfolio

The satisfactory completion of your ePortfolio is absolutely crucial to the progress of your training.

This is a web based service run by the RCGPe and it is important you are fully familiar and comfortable with all areas of this web site. 

The ePortfolio is intended, not as a record of teaching events you have brushed against, but as a record of what you have learnt.  Think of it as a diary of your training experiences. 

‘Log Entries’

All training and learning experiences should be recorded on the log.  This includes formal lectures, small group seminars, personal tutorials, patient related teaching, be it by the bedside, in out patients or in practice and personal reading.  Furthermore, if you lead a teaching or training session make sure you document it in the ePortfolio. 

You must explore the web site and you will find a mechanism to link your learning to the topics of the curriculum.

Learning encounters.

Many clinical topics are taught by lectures or from text books but much clinical teaching occurs as a result of personal hands on experience.  This may be for example, taking blood, giving an injection, taking a history or managing a patient through from when they first present to medical services to when they are discharged.  Each time you are about to embark on a planned clinical session look at it to see whether it can be documented by your teacher or supervisor as an assessment on the ePortfolio and make sure, if so, it is completed appropriately.

‘PDP’

The Personal Development Plan is where you can document your own learning needs.  Those areas of medical knowledge and practice where you are aware of gaps in understanding and which you know you need to address should be entered into this section.  On a regular basis you should look back on this section and check that these priority areas have been covered within your learning package.  Simultaneously new areas you have realised need to be raised as learning needs should be documented here.

Progressing through Signing off ePortfolio

There is a rigorous process which must be followed here.  None of the steps in themselves is particularly difficult nor takes very long but is an action that must be followed.

You are advised to read through and become familiar with the documents on:

http://www.rcgp.org.uk/pdf/Trainees%20Guide.pdf

The steps for sign off by all those involved in the ARCP process, including trainers, panel members and trainees, are summarised in the chart on the next page.