AUGUST 2013 - New Zealand Doctor

RNZCGP Review of the delivery of general practice vocational training August 2013Option 7.2: Modified regional seminar programmeThis is a continuation of the current regional seminar delivery programme with two changes:Removal of GPEP Year 1 large group sessionThe four two-day regional seminars would be retained (i.e. orientation, communications and mockexaminations), but the weekly workshops would be reduced to a half-day per week (or one day perfortnight) focusing on small group learning.This change would reduce the number of seminar hours by approximately 45% but costs would notreduce by a similar magnitude and additional expenditure would be required to develop alternativedelivery mechanisms for speaker content.Increase small group sizeIncreasing the number of registrars in each small group workshop to between five and 10 is an optiondepending on the number of registrars within a region. There would be an educational trade off byhaving larger groups, especially for GPEP Year 1 registrars as the small group is an essential part ofthe entry to general practice and allows for more intensive learning and engagement from individuals.Groups could be combined to form larger GPEP Year 2 and 3 groups and this would ensure aseamless move between the years of GPEP training.Option 7.3: Hub seminar programmeProgramme delivery could occur in four hub locations (Auckland, Waikato, Wellington andChristchurch) through block courses interspersed with regular small group learning.The mix of block courses and small course work would vary across the years of the programme,although it would be possible for GPEP registrars from different years to attend in part, or in full, thesame block course depending on the course content.Block courses would provide a mix of communication and clinical skill workshops, ethics andprofessionalism. Small group learning would allow reflection of practice learning, role plays, casenote reviews, etc. Costs for travel and accommodation would need to be factored in if this optionwere taken.Option 7.4: Clustered small learning groupsCreating small learning groups around a geographic location is an option using clusters of betweensix and 12 registrars.Small group teaching would be provided to the clustered registrars on a regular basis by anindependent ME or in-practice teacher, the rotation of teachers providing registrars with a pool ofmentors, rather than one.As more registrars joined the GPEP programme more clusters would be created. For those registrarsin geographically isolated locations, virtual clusters could be created.While the large majority of teaching for this model would be completed in small groups, the four twodayregional seminars would be retained.37