Teaching Medical Students

There are many opportunities for GPs to become involved with teaching undergraduate medical students from the University of Southampton at their surgeries, from helping first and second years get to grips with the basics of history taking and examination in the small group Medicine in Practice 1 and 2 courses, to one-to-one teaching of students in years 3, 4 and final year. There are also opportunities available to take part in small group seminar teaching at the University from time to time. 

The attributes of a good teacher are very similar to the attributes of a good GP, and certainly there are many parallels which may be drawn between the supportive and therapeutic relationship formed between a doctor and a patient and that which forms between a teacher and a student - the chances are excellent that, even with little or no teaching experience, a keen GP will make a great teacher. However, the University Department of Primary Medical Care offers regular staff development workshops to interested GPs who would like to come along and learn new skills, share best practice and meet other GP teachers - a popular course is the New GP Teachers workshop which runs several times a year and is required to be undertaken by all GPs new to teaching Southampton Undergraduates.

Do visit the workshops and courses page of the website where you can review GP Teaching development courses and apply.  Funding is available to reimburse GPs towards time and travel expenses for attendance. The undergraduate medical curriculum is undergoing huge changes at present, and it is particularly pleasing that Primary Care features more prominently now in Southampton than ever before. We currently have a variety of placements from 2 to 8 week attachments which vary from full-time to 6 sessions a week, these vary according to year and programme being studied. Payments are made to the practices for delivering the teaching approximate £900-£1000 for a full time 2 week final year placement equivalent.

If you are interested in finding out more about teaching students, or you would like to attend a staff development event, please do not hesitate to contact me, Dr. Deborah Rose, Director of Primary Medical Care Education via email.