I am a GPST2 trainee in a highly organised training programme in south west England that treats trainee doctors with respect and works from a basis of patient-centred holistic care. We regularly consider the underlying issue or hidden agenda that has brought the patient to the consultation, and continue to develop our communication skills in order to elicit this invaluable information. Although this may be perceived as a ‘soft skill’ it is crucial to all types of consultation, hospital or community based. GP training prepares us for competent independent medical practice with a broad knowledge base and clinical skills that transfer beautifully to many environments, particularly those with minimal technology. We are community doctors carrying out 90% of all NHS consultations. This should be celebrated, well supported, and aspired to by junior doctors. General practice is currently the most flexible specialty to train in, making family life much more achievable.
The scope to develop a special interest in fields such as acute medicine, palliative care, and minor surgery should be more widely promoted, with clearer pathways for achieving special interest status. It seems unreasonable to expect Foundation doctors to move into a potentially life-long career having had minimal experience in the field. The current training system is too streamlined and deprives the trainee of the wealth of experience that could be gained from spending more time flexibly rotating through other specialties. A broader training programme that incorporates medicine, emergency medicine, and general practice could encourage more trainees into the speciality and increase the amount of doctors available to work in emergency medicine or general practice.
- © British Journal of General Practice 2015
