Gpsn first wave scholarship program

Popular Links. About Us. Domestic Students. International Students. Research Degrees. Search the University of Tasmania: Search. Saved Courses. This review seeks to precisely identify the factors influencing medical graduates to undertake General Practice. This narrative review aims to explore the intricate complexities that invade the mind of medical graduates faced with the dilemma of choosing a specialty; in particular, what influences them to choose General Practice.

The aims of this literature review are to highlight the spectrum of factors that play a role in medical students and interns choosing to undertake General Practice, and present medical colleges, recruitment agencies, workforce planners and national organisations with a platform upon which they can correct the imbalances in the medical workforce.

This literature review covered recent literature that has focused on the factors influencing choice of medical specialisation in particular General Practice in Australia. Medical and social science databases were searched for publications from These were then reviewed to only include studies conducted in Australia and concerning Australian medical graduates, which narrowed it down to 25 papers.

In addition, the bibliographies of articles were searched for further relevant publications. Studies referred to in this review vary widely and include both qualitative and quantitative studies. The primary influential factors involved in the selection of a particular specialisation can be separated into intrinsic and extrinsic factors.

Intrinsic factors include age, personality and gender. Individuals have little or no control over such factors. Age is an intrinsic factor that plays a role in the selection of a particular specialty.

The majority of medical students in Australian universities are under the age of One Australian study, that compared the career choices of medical graduates, found that older students were more likely to specialise in a primary care field such as General Practice. In , Harris et al examined the factors influencing the choice of specialty of Australian medical graduates. Personal satisfaction was also linked to choosing General Practice as a specialty. Laurence and Elliot supported this in their study which concluded that personal satisfaction arises from procedural skills, activities involved and patient contact.

Gender has been shown by studies to be a vital influencing factor for Australian medical graduates when choosing General Practice as a speciality. Whilst the responsibilities of raising children have evolved over the past few decades, Prideaux et al found that Australian female medical graduates are more likely to become specialists in General Practice due to child bearing responsibilities and family commitments. Extrinsic factors include stress, work hours, family commitments, lifestyle and mentors.

They are variables that may be controlled. Lifestyle plays the greatest role in influencing medical graduates to choose particular specialties over others. Please indicate which one of the following best describes you?

This approach also gives Registrars the opportunity to take on the role of mentor. Having said this, the selection of Supervisors is at the discretion of RTPs; the training providers are relied upon to select the doctors they feel are most appropriate to supervise the students. Q9 Supervisors. Have you been involved in supervising a medical student before? Q1 Supervisors. How would you rate your overall experience in supervising the First Wave Scholarship student s?

Q3 Supervisors. Do you feel that you established a positive relationship with the First Wave student s? Please provide any general feedback on how you feel the student s went during their clinical placement sessions? Supervisor respondents were asked to provide some general feedback on how they thought their student s went during their clinical placement sessions. Responses generally indicated that students were very enthusiastic, positive and keen to learn.

The Scholarship Program aims to enable a mentoring relationship to develop between Supervisor and student that can continue into the future. Q4 Supervisors. How would you describe the general attitude of the student s allocated to you during the course of their clinical placement sessions with you? Q5 Supervisors. Do you plan to keep in touch with the First Wave student s you supervised? These results, plus some of the unprompted verbatim comments provided at this question suggest that perhaps both student and Supervisor need to be given some formal guidelines for maintaining a mentor-mentee relationship.

This is thus another area that could be looked into by GPRA management as an area for development for the program. I am hoping it will open their eyes to this aspect of the. Q7 Supervisors. If you would be interested in taking part in the program again next year please provide your email address for this purpose? Programs that involve dedicated doctors, as preceptors for medical students, such as the John Flynn Placement Program JFPP have been exceptionally popular with students.

Not only do they offer unique clinical experiences but also extend the privilege to be mentored by a doctor. As a consequence, such opportunities are highly sort after and thus carry an almost tangible prestige. In recent times, interest in General Practice has waned due to a number of factors.

Other factors are products of misinformation- the insinuation that General Practice is less intellectually stimulating, the wider community perception that it is at best a second-rate specialty and that it is not deserving of the same prestige given to other medical specialties. It must instead, extend further to allow medical students to embark upon an experience of General Practice that is both positive and inspiring.

Provide students with information about support programs that may be relevant to their placement. Guarantee students carry appropriate indemnity to cover their GP rotation.

The current climate of medical education is changing. With an increasing number of medical students, it will be necessary to broaden the scope of clinical teaching to include alternative learning environments external to tertiary teaching hospitals. General Practice GP will play a major role in this expansion of medical education. It is imperative therefore that the learning experience in general practice is optimised to match the expectations of medical students, GP clinical teachers and medical schools alike.

The GP Clinical Teacher should: Welcome the student by providing a comprehensive introduction to the practice, its staff and the general running of the practice itself.

This should include a tour of the facility. Introduce the student to the use of information technology, including patient data management software e. Medical Director. Introduce the student to local pathology and radiology systems so they can understand and partake in the referral process. In collaboration with the medical student, determine the level of involvement with patients in the form of: » Observing the GP in consultation » Being observed by the GP whilst consulting with patients » Seeing patients in an individual consulting room » Observing the GP perform procedures and operations » Performing procedures under supervision » A combination of all of the above Where the practice also provides medical support to a local hospital, the facility should be included in the introduction.

Where a GP offers specialist services e. This expansion comes at a time when Australia is facing a decline in the number of medical graduates entering GP. Providing a positive educational experience in GP is essential if the speciality is to attract a greater number of Australian graduates. Optimising GP rotations also offers a tangible way of dealing with clinical capacity issues. Australia will be best placed to deal with an increased number of medical students and a declining general practice workforce if it can offer a comprehensive and robust clinical experience at the undergraduate level.

If we do not act to optimise the GP rotation, we run the risk of compromising the quality of a generalist Australian medical education. To ensure appropriate introduction to the rotation: The Medical School should: Provide an introductory lecture immediately prior to the GP rotation, which addresses several key areas » GP as a specialty — Introduction to General Practice by a General Practioner, which should be dynamic and inspirational in style — A brief overview of GP training pathways — An opportunity to debunk popular myths about GP » Course components and curricular requirements.

Approach their GP rotation in a positive manner, and seek to make the most of all learning opportunities. At the commencement of the rotation, meet with the GP clinical teacher to discuss and formulate key learning objectives for the duration of the rotation with the intention of reviewing these at a later date throughout the rotation. Actively participate in orientation to the practice by meeting the staff.

Seek to understand administrative processes within the practice including billing and referral systems. To ensure the rotation is educationally effective: The Medical School should: Ensure that the GP is adequately briefed on the aims of the placement and feels comfortable and well resourced to meet these goals.

Ascertain the teaching model the facility wishes to employ. The medical school should provide feedback on the model, and offer suggestions towards interactive and stimulating placements.

The GP training program offers all GP registrars an opportunity to pursue a sub-specialty of their choice. Unlike many other specialities, GPs are able to offer holistic continuity of care for their patients, building long-term relationships as they treat patients and their families over their lifespan.

GPTT supports the GP Student Network GPSN , a national student-run organisation using a peer-to-peer marketing model that seeks to foster interest in general practice, and promote it as a specialty of choice.