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General Practice Research and Education Network (GPREN)

General Practice Education

Medical Student Education: The GPAU shapes and assists in the delivery of the General Practice curriculum throughout all 4 phases of the Graduate School of Medicine’s MD program.

Opportunities to be involved 

General Practitioners across NSW are involved in delivering this curriculum through the following educational activities:

Duration: 18 months.

Location: Illawarra and Shoalhaven.

During this time GPs act as preceptors hosting phase 1 students in their practice. This occurs fortnightly, for a minimum three hour session. The student attends for eight sessions over a six month period. The student may shadow the GP and slowly progress to assisting with history taking and examination. Some GPs may prepare in advance for this session arranging particular patients to attend for teaching purposes. Others may utilise a more teaching on the run approach.

Duration: 12 months.

Location: Across NSW.

Students in phase 3 of the UOW program spend twelve months in General Practice undertaking a longitudinal clerkship under the supervision of their GP preceptor. During this time the student spends two days per week in the General Practice. The GP participates in at least two sessions per week of parallel consulting with the student, involving reviewing the patient, identifying learning needs of the student and providing on the run teaching.

Each session is for a minimum of three hours duration. The remainder of time in practice may involve more parallel consulting or opportunistic learning.  More formal teaching sessions may be arranged during the twelve month period in the form of structured tutorials often prepared in advance by the GP after reflecting with the student on learning needs.

There are currently students placed in the following hubs:

  • Illawarra
  • Shoalhaven
  • Milton/Ulladulla
  • Southern Highlands
  • Murrumbidgee
  • Mudgee
  • Broken Hill
  • Grafton/Maclean
  • Lismore/Ballina
  • Forbes.

Duration: Phase 1 - 18 months, Phase 3 – 12 months.

Location: Phase 1 – Illawarra and Shoalhaven, Phase 3- across NSW.

Case Based Learning (CBL) tutorials run fortnightly during phase 1 and weekly during phase 3 with a total of 26 phase 1 tutorials and forty Phase 3 tutorials. The role of the CBL tutor involves pre-reading of the case and resources then facilitation of the tutorial.

Duration: 12 months.

Location: Across NSW.

In most of the Regional Hubs a GP holds the role of the Regional Academic Leader. They ensure the MD program is delivered to the phase 3 students in their region. This may involve, teaching CBL tutorials, coordinating and developing additional teaching activities, liaising with GP preceptors and recruiting new practices, pastoral care for the students and completing quarterly student performance reviews.

Duration: Usually individual sessions.

Location: Across all hubs.

This may involve teaching clinical skills or simulation on campus or in the regional hubs and assessing of clinical skills in clinical competency sessions.

Duration: 12 months.

Location: Across all hubs.

Students in phase 3 of the MD program are required to complete a research project. During this time GPs can act as supervisors offering guidance and assistance with all aspects of the project.

Duration: Individual sessions.

Location: Illawarra and Shoalhaven.

GPs may act as assessors for formative and summative OSCES for phase 1, 2 and 3 students.

GPs may take part in medical school admissions interviews. This is in the form of mini-structured interviews either in person or on-line. A number of candidates are interviewed over a 2-3 hour session.

If you are interested in becoming involved with any of the above activities, please email your expression of interest to gsm-research@uow.edu.au 

RACGP CPD points for teaching medical students

The GPAU has worked with the RACGP to have CPD points pre-approved for some medical education activities. These are outlined below:

  • Phase 1 Preceptor: 8 hours educational activity and 4 hours reviewing performance per 6 months period.
  • Clinical Skills tutor: 1.5 hours educational activity and 0.5 hours reviewing performance per 2 hours teaching session.
  • OSCE Assessor: 4 hours reviewing performance per 4 hours session.
  • Exam Question Writing: 0.5 hours educational activity and 0.5 hours reviewing performance for each hour of activity.
  • Phase 1 and Phase 3 CBL tutor: 2.5 hours educational activity and 0.5 hours reviewing performance per session to a max of 15 hours of each over 12 months period.
  • Phase 3 Preceptor: 15 hours educational activity and 15 hours reviewing performance per 12 months period.
  • RCA Research Supervisor: 5 hours educational activity and 2 hours reviewing performance per 12 months period. 
  • Admissions Interviews: 1 hour of reviewing performance per hour of activity.
  • Student Performance Reviews: 1 hour of reviewing performance per hour of activity.

If you have any queries regarding RACGP CPD points for educational activities then please contact Dr Fiona Williams on fiona_williams@uow.edu.au