AUGUST 2013 - New Zealand Doctor

RNZCGP Review of the delivery of general practice vocational training August 2013Future training• more technologically savvy and more comfortable using online self-service channels and usingsocial media to interact with their peers;• comfortable with on-the-job, team-based learning and learning in a small group environment;• location immobile and expect that they can work and train in locations that are in close proximityof each other, or use technology to ‘close the distance’;• frequently changing their place of work, practice environment and/or their role within theirpractice;• able to make their own choices about their work and training locations and hours; and• providing a higher level of care within the community.The GP teachers of the future are likely to:• be aging, meaning for the next 10 years the age gap between the GP registrar and the GPteacher will grow. By 2020 there may be a shortage of GP teachers/supervisors as GPs retire;• have greater demands on their time, as a shortage of GPs will require GPs to manage a greaternumber of patients;• be increasingly female, as male teachers/supervisors retire. Depending on the number of femaleGPs who work part-time, the pool of potential teachers/supervisors may be further reduced, or theavailability of these teachers/supervisors may be reduced;• share teaching/supervision responsibilities with others; and• demand greater professional development.The GP practices of the future are likely to:• be owned by a group of professionals, who may, or may not, be doctors;• employ a wider range and larger number of healthcare professionals, including doctors;• provide better opportunities for peer review and support;• have reduced on-call and after hours work; and• deliver higher scope procedures.The College has developed forward-looking propositions which it believes will ensure that the GPtraining programme is fit for purpose for the GP of the future. These are outlined below.Pre-vocation trainingIn New Zealand, PGY1 and PGY2 training is completed in a hospital without any, or minimal, inputfrom or contact with GPs or the College. On the other hand, PGY1/2 interns are interacting withspecialists on a daily basis and seeing, or hearing about, the ‘cutting edge’ developments beingmade.18