Park Leys Medical Practice

Over 15 years ago the practice took the decision to become involved in the training of new GPs. GP Trainees are fully qualified doctors who wish to become GPs.

In order to become an accredited training practice it is necessary to meet very high clinical and managerial standards and the practice is justifiably proud of its continuing accreditation.

It is crucial that doctors aspiring to be GPs gain experience of the work under the supervision and tutelage of experienced and accredited trainers. The practice is lucky to have two enthusiastic and committed trainers, Dr Ruth Girvan and Dr Jerry Horn, who are wholeheartedly supported by the other partners, GPs and staff.

Equally vital is the support and goodwill of the patients who cooperate with the training programs and allow consultations to be recorded on video for training and assessment purposes.

We would like to thank everyone who takes part in the training of new GPs. Without your support we would not be able to participate in the valuable role of training doctors who wish to become GPs.

There may be up to four trainees working in the practice, staying for four to twelve months, depending on the stage of their Training. Many of our patients will have had consultations with them.

Dr Kiran Sharif and Dr Jonathon Allinson will be with us until August 2012. Dr Junaid Hussain and Dr James Gaywood will leave at the beginning of April 2012.

Dr Kothare, who trained at Park Leys in 2003 joined the practice in May 2005, and is now a partner. Dr Anu Pandian completed her training as registrar with us in February 2007 and Dr Anita Somerset (formerly Dr Joshi), who completed her training here in August 2008, both work in the practice three days per week. Dr Julie Harper, who completed her traing with us in April 2011 is now employed part time by the practice and also works for the Residential Care Home service, based at Park Leys, and funded by the Godiva Commissioning Consortium.

Other doctors, who have completed their training at Park Leys now work at other practices, either as salaried doctors or as partners, providing a high level of healthcare to many patients across Coventry and further a field.

The process of assessing doctors learning to become GPs has undergone significant change over the last two years. Patients will probably have noticed little difference, but the requirement to video consultations has been reduced – to the relief of both trainers and trainees. However, at times, one of the GP Trainers (Drs Horn and Girvan) may observe Trainee consultations, with patients' permission.

We sometimes have medical students in the practice gaining some practical experience of General Practice under the close supervision of one of our GPs. When these students pass their final exams and become doctors they do two foundation years, working in various different departments, before applying for specialist training (eg surgery, general practice). For the last year we have had foundation year doctors (known as F2s) at Park-Leys supported and supervised by Dr Smithers.

To qualify as a GP the Specialist training takes 3 years. 18 months are spent in hospital posts and 18 months in general practice. The years are numbered so ST1 is the first year of specialist training and ST3 is the third and final year of specialist training before qualifying as a GP.

Trainees are continuously assessed during their specialist training by GP Trainers, colleagues and patients. In addition they are required to pass a detailed and challenging multiple choice exam. Consultation skills are assessed by being observed carrying out a surgery under exam conditions using simulated patients (actors).

We hope that most doctors in training will spend some time in general practice, so those who intend to work in hospitals will have some experience of what it is like to care for patients outside a hospital setting and we are happy to facilitate the training of doctors at other stages in their careers, who will not be planning a career in general practice. Over recent years several doctors training to be Palliative Care Consultants have spent time with us. It is recognised that experience and skills obtained during a spell in General Practice will be useful in other areas of medicine and some of the specialised knowledge they have is passed to our GPs.

Training is a two way process and we feel that teaching doctors in training enlivens the practice, helps us keep up to date and gives patients more choice.