The Oxford District three year GP training programme is made up of eighteen months in hospital posts and eighteen months in general practice (one placement of six months and one of one year).
The GP attachments are spent in different training practices, to maximise the potential of the educational experience. This gives trainees the chance to work with different patient populations and, ideally, different sizes of practice, and also allows St1s and St2s to build up relationships with practices and teams, and to integrate their secondary and primary care learning objectives.
Practicalities
Hospital posts will be administered and paid via Medical Personnel in the Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals Trust (ORHT).
During the ST1 and ST2 GP placements, trainees are employed and paid by the practice, with the same terms and conditions as an ST3 registrar. See the BMA model contract.
Teaching
Throughout the first two years of the scheme there is a fortnightly three-hour learning set for those in St1 and St2, run as separate groups faciltated by the programme directors. These sessions aim to focus on the interface between primary and secondary care and are usually based on case discussions. The learning set also provides a forum for trainees to feed back about their hospital posts and GP practices and share practical advice with peers. In the ST3 year, Tuesdays are protected teaching time. This is predominantly structured teaching but some afternoons are for learner-led study in small groups.
Opportunities for less than full-time training
Please contact us for further details. (See contacts page)
Academic programme
This is a national scheme of clinical fellowships. Please see the GP recruitment site for details.
ST3 FAQs
1. What paperwork do I need to have filled in before I start work?
You need to have:
applied to be on the Performers List (via Thames Valley Primary Care Authority)
arranged medical indemnity for general practice (which will be reimbursed)
undertaken a CRB check if you have not had one locally within the past 3 years
obtained a training number from the Oxford Deanery
2. Will I get a car allowance? What about my pay supplement?
The car allowance has been replaced by travel expenses. The pay supplement has decreased to 50%.
3.What are the components of nMRCGP?
nMRCGP has three components:
CSA – clinical skills assessment – effectively a simulated surgery of 12 patients, held in Croydon in Jan, May, Sept, and Nov-Dec – this last date is solely for those whose training has been extended. You cannot sit it until you have been in practice for 6/12 minimum.
AKT – applied knowledge test – an MCQ that you can sit at a number of centres (152) where the theory component of the driving test is undertaken. Dates are 7 May 09, 29 Oct 09. Apply via the e-portfolio and you will then be sent further details as to how to book your slot by means of a telephone reservation system.
WPBA – work place based assessment – this is accessed via the e-portfolio and consists of a developmental review of your progress including numerous interim assessments such as observations of your consultations (COT), discussions of cases (CBD) and multi-source feedback (MSF) and patient satisfaction questionnaires (PSQ)
5. How do I apply for certification?
There are 2 routes to certification in the UK. If you have undertaken a conventional GP training scheme then you should apply via the RCGP for a CCT (certificate of completion of training). If you have created your own scheme, where not all jobs had prospective approval for GP training, then you need to apply to PMETB via Article 11. You can apply via Article 11 up to 6/12 before the completion of your training and you are best advised to do so early as they are taking some time to process applications.
6. Who is my educational supervisor?
For your ST3 (GPR) year, your GP trainer is also your educational supervisor and will have access to your e-portfolio.
7. What is my educational allowance? How do I apply for it?
You are entitled to £550 educational allowance. How you spend it is up to you (provided you can justify the educational benefit of the proposed course) but you would be well advised to consider certain courses such as Family Planning which are excellent value for money. To apply you need to obtain a form from www.oxford-pgmde.co.uk (follow Courses link) and get it signed by one of the PDs before returning it to the Triangle.
8. How does the Day Release Course (DRC) run?
The DRC consists of a variety of days at both District and County level. District days start at 9.30am at the Education Centre at the JR and run until between 4 and 4.30pm. Some of the afternoon sessions will consist of self-directed learning groups. County days start at and are approximately once a month – they alternate between Oxford and Banbury postgraduate centres. Please do share the programme with your trainers.
9. What is my study leave entitlement?
In addition to your DRC you are entitled to a further 5 days discretionary study leave from your practice. Hopefully you should not be expected to use these to fulfil non Tuesday components of Deanery or District arranged courses as we give you back to your practices in lieu of this whenever there is a 5th Tuesday.
