Medical Education

GPs can get involved in teaching both undergraduate and post graduate medical students. They can also assist in the training of practice nurses, practice based pharmacists and physician associates. 

Undergraduate Medical Education

 

The GP Sub Deanery launched in December 2024. It is committed to supporting and developing General Practitioners through strategic leadership, robust governance, and continuous improvement and innovation. The establishment of the Sub Deanery represents a tangible opportunity to support primary care undergraduate education and on an equal footing with the Sub Deaneries in HSC Trusts. Find out more at https://gpsubdeanery.co.uk/

Their goals include :-

  • Promoting Excellence - Ensure high and consistent standards of medical education within Northern Ireland General Practice.

  • Collaborative Development - Work alongside NI GP Clinical Placement Alliance (QUB/UU/Dept of Health) colleagues and other stakeholders to develop agreed standards, tools, and processes for quality assurance in clinical placements.

  • Recruitment and Co-ordination - Work towards building capacity to collate and co-ordinate the recruitment of clinical placements across the four FSU localities to meet the demands of both medical schools.

  • Induction and Support - Provide induction and support for new GP tutors and practices, and ongoing professional development for current teaching practices.

  • Quality Monitoring - Develop approaches to monitor and assure the quality of undergraduate medical education across Northern Ireland General Practice.

  • Encouraging Involvement - Encourage all GP practices in Northern Ireland to become involved in teaching undergraduate medical students.

  • Promoting General Practice - Encourage medical students to consider General Practice as a career through positive exposure and mentorship.


 

Queens University Belfast (QUB) offers a 5 year MBBS programme and the Medical School introduced a new C25 curriculum in 2020. Students are spending more time than ever learning in primary care (approx 25%). There is a website for all GPs involved in medical student teaching for Queen's University Belfast which includes a range of educational resources. You can find more information on the QUBGP website


 

Ulster University School of Medicine offers a 4 year graduate entry medical MBBS programme. A priority for this programme is to address the ongoing workforce shortage across the medical profession in Northern Ireland; specifically in General Practice, with approximately 30% of the curriculum being primary care-based. They aim to offer students GP role models and provide a positive and authentic experience of primary care for medical students.

They are keen to hear from GPs who would be interested in partnering with them to become a placement practice (no prior experience of teaching is needed). There are a wide range of opportunities from delivering teaching sessions to hosting students for block attachments, to longitudinal year-long clerkships. 

For more information please contact the GP Placement Lead, Dr Sian-Lee Ewan at  sl.ewan@ulster.ac.uk

 
 

Postgraduate Medical Education

Many GPs combine both undergraduate and post graduate teaching.

To be involved in Post graduate training , a GP practice needs to apply to become a NIMDTA Training practice. If approved, they can be involved in training both GP Specialty trainees and Foundation doctors on GP placement in F2.

The first step is to apply to become a GP Trainer. This involves completion of the Learning and Teaching Course, which is usually held each year over a series of dates. A practice visit is completed for every new practice by NIMDTA GP staff.

For more information on the NIMDTA website, click here.

NIMDTA employs a number of Training Programme Directors (TPDs) from across NI. These GPs are usually GP Trainers (but not exclusively) and have a range of roles. These include delivery of education to GP trainees at local level, support for GP trainers in their locality, planning regional training events and involvement in practice visits as part of quality assurance. These jobs are advertised on jobs.hscni.net

 
 
GP Career Stories
Laurence Dorman
Laurence Dorman

I am the 4th generation of GPs in my family and growing up my Father’s practice joined onto his surgery. Watching him and witnessing his kindness made me want to become a GP.

Be inquisitive! As a locum I kept a book of “interesting patients” with their details (best done anonymously now) but it enabled me to look them up to see how their care developed and if some of my earlier decisions were accurate. Always look to improve on your networking! Previously, “networking” had a bad reputation but it is very important if you have particular interests you wish to pursue and want advice from other colleagues to help you with them.

Paul Molloy
Paul Molloy

I became a GP because I honestly liked a bit of everything but not too much of any one thing. I always liked the idea of practicing in my locality, where I grew up, with people I knew. I would say I’m a Derry man first and Irish second, so the idea of giving back to my community always appealed to me.

Throughout my early career in GP, I was always very interested in developing my clinical skills. I think it’s a good idea for the first 5 years as a GP to just focus on the job, getting to know your patients and the mechanics of the role.

I find students exhilarating. They make you think about your own day to day practice and keep you on your toes.

Christopher Dorman
Christopher Dorman

Christopher shares his experience of moving from sessional work to partnership. He is also involed in both under grad and post grad education and has recently moved into a leadership role at Federation level.