CENTRE FOR PRIMARY HEALTH CARE STUDIES School of Health and Social Studies
General Enquiries 02476 572950 Research Network 02476 572905 Postgraduate Courses 02476 524625 Warwick Diabetes Care 02476 572958
Fax 02476 528375
Centre Director Professor Jeremy Dale
Centre email: PHCS@warwick.ac.uk
Academic Training Scheme GP Registrar, University of Warwick
Possible Registrar Extension: 6-12 months.
6 sessions in Coventry training practice, of which one session is the half-day VTS. This half-day can be used for study leave in relation to a university or GP course or on the half-day release.
4 sessions based at the Centre for Primary Health Care Studies, University of Warwick, to gain skills in medical education with a particular focus on medical undergraduate teaching at the Warwick site of the Leicester Warwick Medical School (LWMS). There would be encouragement to gain the University qualification: Postgraduate Award (PGA) in Medical Education during the 6 or 12 month post. Opportunity would be available to attend medical education training courses / workshops in relation teaching medical undergraduates and to co-tutor seminars in communication skills and teach on the clinical methods course for medical undergraduates. At the end of the post, the registrar would be eligible to apply for a part-time lecturership in general practice and pursue a career in academic general practice whilst working in a local practice.
If you are interested for a post in August, please contact:
Dr Rodger Charlton,
Senior Lecturer in Continuing Professional Development,
Centre for Primary Health Care Studies,
University of Warwick,
Coventry CV4 7AL.
Tel: 02476 573855
(Email: rodger.charlton@warwick.ac.uk)
WARWICK
20 April 2001
Warwick Academic Training Scheme (WATS)
Further to the letter I sent you about the WATS scheme a few weeks ago, you may be interested in the attached article that was published in this week's BMJ. This was written by our current group of academic registrars.
I'd be grateful if you could bring this article to the attention of any registrars in your scheme interested in gaining academic training, and look forward to hearing from any that would like more information about the scheme at Warwick.
Many thanks
Yours sincerely
Jeremy Dale
Professor of Primary Care
THE UNIVERSITY OF WARWICK, COVENTRY, CV4 7AL, UK
BMJ2001;322:S2-7291 ( 14 April )
Career focus
A year as academic general practitioner registrars
General practice is changing. Traditionally, vocationally trained genera) practitioners were required to be well rounded family doctors with an emphasis on good consultation skills, sound medical knowledge, and a caring attitude. Research was not a priority.
This is in sharp contrast to the current culture in the NHS. There is now a political will to create a primary care led NHS that guarantees competence and high standards of patient care and uses evidence based practice. However, the evidence base for much of general practice is weak. Few general practitioners have well developed academic skills or higher degrees,
I making the new complexities of modern general practice a daunting prospect. The government's strategy of developing research capacity through primary care networks is meant to increase the number of general practitioners involved in academic activities.'The pioneering London academic training scheme (LATS) was started in the mid-1990s with the aim of training general practitioners in academia in addition to securing recruitment and retention- in a time when decreasing numbers of general practitioner registrars were committed to a career in general practice.' Similar academic general practitioner training schemes, such as the Warwick academic training scheme ( WATS), are now available in other parts of the country and are usually attached to university departments of general practice and primary care. In this article we describe our experiences of WATS.
The scheme, still in its first year, is an opportunity for general practitioner registrars to expand their vocational training. Employment is usually for one year after summative assessment, and the aim is to develop academic skills alongside continuing general practitioner training. The scheme is a partnership between the Centre for Primary Health Care Studies at the University of Warwick and the West Midlands Postgraduate GP Education Unit. It is funded by the Medical and Dental Education levy .
Entering the unknown territory of academia from the background of general practice training is a rather mystifying and yet inspiring experience. A vast amount of new information faces the would be academic.
From the outset we were encouraged to formulate and develop our own research ideas. This is not an easy task. Sound knowledge of evidence based practice and critical appraisal skills are essential before conducting any research. The centre's academic staff have a vital role in providing guidance and support. Tutorials, courses, and regular supervision from senior academics have helped us to understand the basic principles of research and set up studies applicable to primary care. However, there is nothing like hands on experience to enhance the learning process-which is just as well as it is the bulk of the academic day.
Apart from understanding the mechanics of setting up a research study, there are many other important areas of learning .
We spend four general practice sessions a week in local approved training practices. The trainers provide educational support through case discussions and regular tutorials. This is an opportunity to keep our clinical skills alive and for "fine tuning" what we learned during our 12 months of vocational training, while also making our first steps to gain research experience.
Our contract does not include an out of hours commitment, and we are free of the hurdles of summative assessment, allowing more time to develop new skills. Study (cave is available to attend courses and relevant hospital clinics. This is a good time to introduce a personal development plan and to start an individual learning portfolio. This should be a useful skill in the future when facing all the challenges of revalidation.
With the increasing demands on today's general practitioners, we found that one more year as acatmic registrars in a protected learning environment has helped to improve our clinical confidence and competence. The post allows you to consolidate already acquired knowledge and bridge the gap between registrar and principal.
Academic general practitioner training schemes enable doctors to undertake research relevant to general practice, encouraging the assessment and application of scientific evidence as well as creating educationally aware clinicians, which encourages commitment to a high standard of general practice. Trainees may develop an interest in undergraduate and postgraduate teaching, audit and clinical governance, or even aspire to become a salaried clinical lecturer. Making your working life more stimulating and rewarding is an important consideration at a time when burnout is common among general practitioners.
An academic registrar post is an ideal opportunity to do a masters degree. This could be the basis for a research fellowship and the route to a post such as a primary care career scientist in the university
system. Research training fellowships are sponsored by various funding bodies but are highly sought after. At present, there are few individuals with excellent research skills at primary care level, and leadership in research and development is in short supply.!As academic registrars, we are still on the first rung of the academic ladder. We have yet to demonstrate our potential, and we are expected to publish our research findings in peer-reviewed journals. We are aware that expectations of us are high, and yet we feel enabled to take up the challenges of combining research and primary care in the new NHS.
• RCGP research leaflets (contact sales department at the college. Tel: 020 7581 3232. Email: info@rcgp.org.uk)
Academic general Practice-a discussion paper
Undertaking higher research degrees. Some practical guidance
• Contact the West Midlands Postgraduate General Practice Education Unit, 27 Highfield Road. Edgbaston B15 3DP (Tel: 0121 456 5600) or your local director of postgraduate general practice education.
l
Additional skills learnt in an academic training scheme
Information technology-We learnt how to search the databases we could access through the university library and the internet. The gaps in our computer skills soon became apparent, but we i are now competent in word processing, computer based presentations, and web searches.
(Tip: It is essential to identify people who are willing to "bail you out" when computers refuse to cooperate)
Ethics-We found applying for ethical approval and attending ethics committee hearings frustrating because of seemingly endless delays and queries during the application process. However, most were usually resolved with patience.
(Tip: Apply for ethical approval as soon as you can, even
if you think you might not need it)Funding issues-We found this a key component of undertaking research. Even small scale research incurs running costs like postage, photocopying, and travel expenses, which can eventually add up to a sizeable bill.
(Tip: Applying to various funding bodies for research grants is a useful exercise and may lead to
welcome financial support)
Communication and problem solving-Research projects are generally carried out by a group of people with different areas of expertise. We found it difficult to arrange regular meetings between busy professionals to develop protocols and to keep our study on course.
(Tip: Good communication skills lead to better results. There is an art in striking the right balance between assertiveness and diplomacy)
Presentation skills-We were slightly nervous at the thought of speaking in front of an academically oriented audience. However, it can raise the profile of the young researcher and the department. Being able to present research findings at local and national research symposiums-is an important skill to learn and an expected pare of the researcher's repertoire.
(Tip: Opportunities to present should be sought and seized)
Time management-We, as enthusiastic research novices, made all sorts of assumptions of what we could achieve and generally did not anticipate difficulties. We found the help of experienced academics invaluable.
(Tip: Research projects .should be planned and reviewed at regular intervals to discuss progress or .stagnation. It is essential to set manageable shore term goals)
The joys and pitfalls of research
Working in an academic department has a different pace and structure compared with the task filled days in a busy surgery. It allows much greater flexibility but runs the risk of failing to keep to time schedules.
Carrying out research is a gradual and continuous process. It takes patience and perseverance. Uncertainties and unexpected setbacks will occur and should be considered part of the natural learning curve during a research project.
To see our own ideas taking shape is exciting. Enthusiasm is important, but it is wise not to expect too much of yourself. It is a long and tortuous journey from formulating the initial study question to the publication of a paper. It can be an emotional rollercoaster.
Wolfram Jatsch, Jo Piercy, Jenny Martin, Tim Deegan.
academic general practitioner registrars, Centre for Primary Health Care Studies, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL
1. Mant D. R&D in primary care. London: Stationery Office, 1997. (National Working Group report.)
2. Department of Health. Research and devclnpment,for aJirst class service. R&D in the new NHS. London: Stationery Office, 2000.
3. Smith F, Fuller J, Hilton S, Freeman G. The London academic training scheme (LATS): an
evaluation. Fam Pract 1998; 15(suppl 1): S40-S44. -=
BMJ 1996; 313: 19-24[Abstract/Full Text.4. Lambert T, Goldacre M, Edwards C, Parkhouse J. Career preferences of doctors qualified in the United Kingdom in 1993.