UNIT OVERVIEW

Unit Title

 GP ASSISTANTSHIP

Year

5 (Final Year)

Length

 Nine weeks
Days  Monday to Friday (9 Sessions) throughout the six weeks
Wednesday PM - Half Day for Sport
First working day of Week 1 involves Central Teaching at the College - Intro Day
Last working day of Week 6 involves Central Teaching at the College - Closing Day 
Module Aims

By the end of the 9 weeks students should be thinking and acting like a generalist: be able to assess undifferentiated acute and chronic presentations and negotiate a safe management plan with the majority of patients – always with supervision.

Learning in Practice (Practice lead) 

Intro session and induction including ‘We must talk about Covid’ semi structured discussion to review and resettle into GP placements
Regular Student Surgery sessions with feedback (3 – 4 per week): combining virtual and face-to-face patient contact

Backroom practice work – Chronic Disease Reviews, Administrative work, Medication reviews and prescribing, Covid and QOF follow-up Professionalshadowing–sittinginwithGPormembersoftheMDTandassisting. One GP-based Tutorial session per week - approximately 90 to 120 mins in length Working as part of the Practice Team - attending appropriate meetings, learning from various team members

Self-Directed Learning sessions (2 per week) - to allow time for assessment work and general learning


Additional Learning (Central Medical School Led) 

Introductory Day – orientation to GP placements including remote consulting and risk management

Core Cases: on-line fortnightly – clinical scenarios (including catching up on Year 4 work) and applied ethics from Year 5 supported virtually by central tutors
Virtual Hospice Morning - St Joseph's Hospice, date to be confirmed at start of block Closing Day - Ethics Lecture and Workshops (Online) & Mock OSCE session (or Virtual OSCE)


Assessment 

Two MiniCEXs - one during Week 1 and one to be completed before Week 8 Patient feedback forms – to be done by Week 5
Midway Assessment at Week 5 – to include review of 1 x MiniCEX and Patient feedback forms.

Patient Case and Reflection on Professional Practice Principles
Complex Chronic Care Plan
Practice Project (in pairs)
Significant Event Analysis – written up & discussed as part of SEA meeting in practice Assessment of Professional Attitude and Conduct Form (For students on shorter or split placements see details under assessment section)

Overall Tutor Assessment of Performance


Dates in practice 

There are two centrally based Plenary Days on the first Monday and the last Friday of the nine-week placement. Details of these 'Intro' and 'Closing' Days are available on QMPlus.
Otherwise students are required to attend their Practice every day except for Wednesday afternoons, which is the School’s protected sports time. There may be flexibility and this can be negotiated between the Tutor and the Student. Time away from the practice will be required for the virtual hospice placement, central teaching, DATE, Breaking Bad News and 2-weekly 1-2-hour tutorials.


1 For students on two three-week placements see details under assessment section