GP-Start Registrar Learning Guide
GP-StartSturt FleurieuTropical Medical TrainingVictoria Felix Medical EducationNorthern Territory General Practice EducationRemote Vocational Training Scheme LtdCoast City Country Training LtdWent West

Foreword

When I first reviewed gp-start Registrar Learning Guide developed by Sturt Fleurieu regional training program I knew that I was reading something quite special as a learning program for registrars and a teaching resource for supervisors. I recognised the package as a highly flexible uncluttered basic general practice training educational tool which could be used as a generic resource throughout all the national regional training programs-metropolitan and rural.

The modules represent an appropriate cross-section of typical GP problems/conditions that meet the important criteria of teaching namely ‘what is common, relevant and significant’. This is not surprising as the program has been developed from the grass roots by a committed team of experienced rural doctors who not only understand the core content of general practice but who have a clear vision of the process of training required for the Australian general practitioner. However the program would be suitable also for the international arena.

A discussion with the authors highlighted that their objectives were to

  • ensure that doctors commencing general practice achieved a solid level of basic knowledge
  • provide a structured learning platform on which to achieve this knowledge
  • develop a format which integrated clinical activity and provided ‘one stop’, up to date reference material
  • provide a core curriculum that reflected the content of general practice
  • provide a supervision support structure for supervisors and practices that would maintain workplace efficiency without compromising registrar learning

An important strategy to reinforce the program’s credibility and validity was to develop it in close consultation with senior experienced general practitioners. This helped to ensure that it was practical and applied and not overly theoretical.
Users of gp-start will appreciate that they have the advantage of a ready made package based on the hard and professional work of a team of GP educators and do not have ‘to rediscover the wheel’. Congratulations to the producers.

 

Prof. John Murtagh

Professor John Murtagh AM, MBBS, MD, B Ed, B Sc