Opportunities to be involved
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.
General Practitioners across NSW are involved in delivering this curriculum through the following educational activities:
- Phase 1 Preceptors
- Phase 3 Preceptors
- Phase 1 and phase 3 Case Based Learning tutors
- Regional Academic Leaders
- Clinical Skills tutors
- RCA project supervisors
- Objective Structured Clinical Exam (OSCE), examiners
- Medical School Admission interviews
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.