Bradford VTS — Header Scheme 06
BVTS Learning Hub BVTS YTube SearchMedicina BVTS Patron PLAB-2 Mailing List Contact Us
Bradford VTS The GP Training website for everyone, not just Bradford Created by Dr Ramesh Mehay (est. 2002)
GP Trainer | Bradford VTS

Bradford VTS · Educators

GP Trainer

Because the best teachers never stop being students. (Even when their trainees are watching them struggle with the printer.)

For Trainees, Trainers & TPDs Knowledge not found elsewhere High-impact learning in minutes

Last updated: April 2026

This page is your development hub as a GP trainer. Whether you are freshly approved, well-established, or wondering whether you still love it — there is something here for you. GP training is one of the most rewarding roles in medicine. But like any craft, it needs constant nurturing. This page exists to help you do exactly that.

📥 Downloads

Handouts, tools, and resources — ready when you need them.

📁 Trainer Development Tools

Self-rating scales, MSF tools, teaching style questionnaires, and more — to help you reflect and grow.

path: TRAINER DEVELOPMENT TOOLS

📁 Improve Training Ideas

Practical ideas and toolkits for taking your GP training up a notch.

path: IMPROVE TRAINING IDEAS

🌐 Web Resources

A hand-picked mix of official guidance and real-world GP training resources. Because sometimes the best pearls are not hiding in the official documents.

Official & Regulatory

RCGP — Information for Supervisors & Trainers RCGP — GP Specialty Training Guidance GMC — Promoting Excellence Standards COPMeD — Gold Guide

Educational Development

Essential GP Training Book (Dr Mehay) Scaling the Heights — GP Educator Courses Bradford VTS — Educational Theory (full) Bradford VTS — Trainer's Toolkit

Deanery & Training Scheme Resources

Yorkshire & Humber — New Trainers Scotland Deanery — Trainer Development KSS Deanery — Becoming an Educational Supervisor North West — 3-Step GP Trainer Journey

Journals & Research

Education for Primary Care Journal British Journal of General Practice (BJGP) MedEdPublish — Open Access Medical Education MDU — GP Trainer Medico-Legal Resources

💡 Why Become a GP Trainer?

3
Years of training to shape one GP's entire career
∞
Patients who benefit when a trainee becomes a great GP
1
Great trainer can shape dozens of trainees over a career

GP training is one of medicine's greatest multipliers. When you spend time and effort teaching one doctor well, you are indirectly improving the care of every patient they will ever see — sometimes thousands of people over a full career. That is a remarkable thing.

But beyond the impact on others, most trainers will tell you that teaching keeps their own clinical thinking sharp. Explaining why you do what you do forces you to examine your own reasoning. And sitting with a trainee's fresh eyes on a problem often makes you see it differently yourself.

✔ What research shows: Practices that teach tend to have better clinical outcomes. Training keeps teams reflective, questioning, and up to date.
💛 What trainers say: "I came into it for the trainees. I stayed in it for myself." Many trainers say teaching is what keeps them loving general practice.

🗺️ The GP Trainer Journey

From wanting to teach to becoming an established Educational Supervisor — the typical pathway.

STEP 1 Expression of Interest Contact your local TPD STEP 2 Clinical Supervisor (CS) Course + approval STEP 3 Educational Supervisor (ES) Extended course + full approval STEP 4 Active Training Ongoing CPD + workshops STEP 5 Reapproval Cycle Typically every 3–5 years STEP 6 Grow & Specialise TPD, GP Tutor, Educator lead The journey never really ends — it just gets richer.
ℹ️ Important (2025 update): From 19 June 2025, the GMC no longer requires formal reapproval of trainers every five years as a minimum. Many deaneries are moving to annual affirmation processes instead. Always check with your local deanery for current requirements in your region.

CS vs ES — What's the Difference?

Role What you do Which trainees
Clinical Supervisor (CS) Oversees day-to-day clinical work; focused on clinical competence and safety Usually ST1 and ST2 doctors in training
Educational Supervisor (ES) Oversees the whole training programme; educational relationship, ePortfolio, ARCP, ESR; tutorials and personal development ST1, ST2, and ST3; responsible for the full 3-year journey for some trainees

🏛️ The 7 Pillars of Great GP Training

What separates a good trainer from a great one? Research and trainee experience consistently point to these seven qualities.

7 PILLARS OF GREAT GP TRAINING RELATIONSHIP FEEDBACK REFLECTION LEARNING NEEDS SAFE SPACE FLEXIBILITY SELF-DEVELOPMENT
01
The Relationship

Great training lives or dies in the trainer–trainee relationship. Trust, honesty, and psychological safety come before any educational technique.

02
Timely, Specific Feedback

Feedback is the single most powerful educational tool available to you. Not vague praise — concrete, specific, actionable feedback given soon after observation.

03
Reflection as a Habit

Great trainers model reflection, not just require it. When a trainee sees you reflect on your own work honestly, they learn more than any tutorial can teach.

04
Learning Needs First

Adult learning works best when it starts from genuine need. Identify what the trainee actually needs — not just what you feel like teaching that week.

05
A Psychologically Safe Space

Trainees learn fastest when they feel safe to make mistakes, ask "stupid" questions, and be honest. Creating that environment is your most important job.

06
Flexibility & Range

Not every trainee learns the same way. The best trainers have a wide repertoire — they adapt their style, their pace, and their approach to the individual in front of them.

07
Your Own Development — Never Stop

The best trainers are perpetual learners. They read, they attend workshops, they reflect on their own teaching, they seek feedback. A trainer who has stopped developing is, by definition, no longer at the frontier of good practice.

🔬 What the Latest Research Says

Your educational philosophy probably formed years ago. Good trainers revisit it regularly.

No matter how good an educator you are, it is important not to rest on your laurels. Our beliefs about teaching often come from deeply embedded assumptions — things we were taught, or things that seemed to work. But educational research moves on, and some things we believed turn out not to hold up on closer examination.

❌ What research has now challenged

  • 🚫 Learning styles — the latest research says learning styles probably don't exist and, even if they do, they do not matter in terms of teaching. VAK (visual, auditory, kinaesthetic) almost certainly does not work as a reliable framework for individuals. Matching teaching style to "learning style" wastes energy. Concentrate on something that makes a real difference instead. See Bradford VTS page.
  • 🚫 One-size tutorial formats — a fixed weekly tutorial structure regardless of trainee need is now seen as less effective than needs-led, responsive teaching.
  • 🚫 Pure Socratic teaching without scaffolding — asking questions repeatedly without any guidance can produce anxiety rather than learning, especially in newer trainees.

✅ What research consistently supports

  • ✔ Retrieval practice — being tested on material (even imperfectly) embeds it far better than re-reading does. Use quizzes, case-based discussions, and oral questioning.
  • ✔ Spaced repetition — returning to the same topic across multiple sessions is far more effective than covering it once in depth.
  • ✔ Specific, timely feedback — the earlier and more specific the feedback, the more powerful its effect on performance.
  • ✔ Psychological safety — learners in psychologically safe environments take more risks, make more mistakes, and learn faster. This is your most impactful tool.
🔮 Trainer insight: Research also consistently shows that teaching practices have better clinical outcomes than non-teaching practices. Training does not distract from good patient care — it enriches it. Your training role is not a burden on your practice quality; it is a driver of it.

🌱 What Should I Be Developing?

That is a genuinely difficult question — and a deliberately honest one. We do not know you personally. You know yourself far better than any website does. What matters is that you pause long enough to ask it.

The short answer: start with what you know would make a difference. Not what would look good on a reapproval form. Not the thing that is easiest to tick off. The thing that, when you imagine doing it well, would actually change how you feel in a tutorial or a supervision meeting.

Trainer Development Teaching Skills Feedback WPBA & Assessment Comms Teaching Reflection Educational Theory Trainer Wellbeing Leadership & Roles Trainer Development

Which segment of this wheel are you neglecting right now?

Practical Prompts to Help You Decide

Not sure where to begin? Try one of these prompts:

  • → Look through the WEBLINKS list below. Is there anything that made you think "I should really know more about that"?
  • → Look at the Quick Links buttons above — is there anything there that excites you?
  • → Review the TRAINER DEVELOPMENT TOOLS above. Pick one self-assessment tool and be honest with it.
  • → Look at the IMPROVE TRAINING IDEAS section — again at the top of this page.
  • → Perhaps there is a course you'd like to go on. See what your Deanery or GP School provides.
  • → When was the last time you went to your local Trainers' Workshop or 2-day conference? Why not think about going — choose one with content that interests you.
  • → Think about external courses outside your region — or consider Scaling the Heights.
  • → Think about your last three tutorials. What went well? What felt flat? That flatness is often your learning need.
  • → Ask a trusted colleague — or your TPD — what they think your biggest development area is. (Brace yourself.)
  • → Think about the last piece of feedback a trainee gave you. Did anything sting just a little? That is usually the signal.
There is a plethora of opportunities and options. The key is choosing something that genuinely excites you at this moment — not what looks good on paper.
💛 Remember: These incremental steps of development do not need to be massive leaps. A workshop here, a new tutorial technique there, an article read over a coffee. It all compounds over time. There is no finish line — just a richer, more skilled version of you.

Wider Development Options to Consider

Within your scheme

  • ✔ Attend your local Trainers' Workshop
  • ✔ Engage with Half Day Release teaching
  • ✔ Co-facilitate a GP School session
  • ✔ Become involved in trainee ARCP panels
  • ✔ Get involved in practice approval visits

Beyond your scheme

  • ✔ Attend the Trainers' Developmental Conference (TDC)
  • ✔ Consider a PG Certificate in Medical Education
  • ✔ Try Scaling the Heights — national GP educator courses
  • ✔ Explore becoming a TPD or GP tutor
  • ✔ Read and reflect on a medical education article

🎬 Training the Trainer Videos

14 videos, grouped into 3 modules. Watch gradually — let the ideas soak in before moving on.

Here are 14 videos grouped into 3 modules for you to work through at your own pace. Do not watch them all at once — the aim is absorption, not consumption. Watch a couple, reflect on them, see how the ideas connect to what you already do, and then come back for more.

These videos were not made specifically for GP trainers, but the key messages and principles translate directly. They may well spark insights about your own teaching style that a more formal GP training video would not.

📽️ The videos are embedded within the Bradford VTS Learning Circle. Visit the BVTS YouTube page to access them.
🎥
Module 1

Foundations of teaching — core educational principles that underpin everything else.

🎥
Module 2

Communication and facilitation — how to have better educational conversations.

🎥
Module 3

Advanced techniques — deeper tools for experienced trainers looking to develop further.

🏛️ Trainers' Workshops & Conferences

Some of the best professional development happens in a room with fellow trainers.

What are Trainers' Workshops? +

Nearly every GP training scheme in the UK runs Trainers' Workshops. They are designed specifically for GP trainers — not for trainees, and not for the public. The world of GP training changes constantly, and trainers need dedicated space to keep up to date, build skills, and practise new educational approaches.

Most schemes run 6–12 workshops per year. If yours does not — speak with your TPD about setting one up collaboratively. The key word here is collaboratively. Trainers' workshops should be run and driven by the trainers themselves. If the agenda is always set by the TPDs, it often ends up being their agenda — not yours.

💛 Tip: If you have not been to a Trainers' Workshop in a while, just go to one. Even if you feel you have nothing particular to learn right now. The informal conversations are often worth more than the formal content.
The 2-Day Trainers' Developmental Conference (TDC) — also known as Trainers' Time Out (TTO) +

In Bradford, we run something called the 2-Day Residential Trainers' Developmental Conference (TDC). This is separate from — and in addition to — the regular Trainers' Workshops. It runs every year in November. The residential element is optional, and we fund the dinner and accommodation ourselves, because we believe it is that important.

The formal programme covers identified learning needs. But the residential part — the meals, the evenings, the informal conversations — delivers something that no taught session can: the hidden curriculum of professional connection.

Many schemes run something similar, sometimes called the Trainers' Time Out (TTO). It might be one day and non-residential. If your scheme does not have anything like this, consider being the person who starts it. You will not regret it.

Why a 2-day residential makes such a difference:

  • ✔ Two days allows depth — not just surface-level training provided by the 2–3h workshops
  • ✔ The residential helps people connect and form links with other trainers — more so than is possible in a short workshop
  • ✔ New trainers get to meet established ones and develop deeper connections
  • ✔ You get to know your TPDs on a more personal level
  • ✔ "Pick and mix" agenda — space for creativity, rest, and fun; an afternoon can be spent outdoors enjoying the natural environment whilst conversing with colleagues
  • ✔ You can put on a variety of workshops for trainers to pick and choose from
  • ✔ Evening social time delivers the hidden curriculum and the social curriculum — bonds formed that continue after the conference
  • ✔ Almost everyone reports feeling recharged afterwards — and the love for GP training rekindled
The cost of staying over is often a taxable allowance — which means it is far less expensive than it sounds. The educational gains strongly outweigh the costs.

✅ Trainer Reapproval

Reapproval is the process by which your status as a GP trainer is periodically reviewed and renewed. It is not a test — it is a structured conversation about your development and the quality of training you provide.

The requirements and timelines for reapproval vary across deaneries. From 2025 onwards, the GMC has moved away from a mandatory 5-yearly formal reapproval minimum — many deaneries are now moving to annual affirmation models. Always check with your local deanery for the current process in your region.

ℹ️ Bradford VTS Reapproval Page: For everything you need — forms, timelines, what to prepare, and what to expect — see the dedicated GP Trainer Reapproval page.

What Does Reapproval Usually Cover?

AreaWhat reviewers look for
Educational CPD Evidence that you have engaged with educational development — workshops, courses, reading
Trainee feedback Feedback from current or recent trainees about the quality of supervision and support
ePortfolio engagement Evidence of timely, thoughtful engagement with the trainee's 14Fish ePortfolio
Assessment quality Quality of completed WPBAs — are they specific, developmental, and timely?
PDP Your own Personal Development Plan as a trainer — what you planned and what you achieved
Trainer workshop attendance Regular engagement with local Trainers' Workshops (typically minimum 3 sessions per year)
💛 Reapproval tip: Reapproval rarely catches people out who have been genuinely engaged in training. If you have been turning up, thinking carefully about your tutorials, engaging with your ePortfolio in a meaningful way, and attending workshops — you will be fine. It is only a stressful process if you have been going through the motions.

🌿 When the Spark Fades — Renewal & Wellbeing

Every great trainer has moments of doubt. Here's how to tell the difference between burnout and a temporary dip — and what to do about it.

We all start off with a strong desire to train. In our early years, it is a steep and exciting learning curve. But many of us, after 5–7 years, find ourselves resting on our laurels. The trainees have been positive, the reapprovals have gone smoothly, and life has quietly got busier with other things. GP training starts to feel a little dry — a box to tick rather than a source of energy.

This is normal. And it is not the end. But it is a signal worth taking seriously.

⚠️ Signs you may be in a temporary dip

  • • Tutorials feel like a chore rather than something you look forward to
  • • You have not attended a Trainers' Workshop for more than 6 months
  • • You are doing the same tutorials you did 3 years ago
  • • Your work–life balance has become genuinely unmanageable
  • • You are thinking about whether to stop training

✅ What tends to rekindle the spark

  • → Going to a workshop — even one you feel lukewarm about going to
  • → Meeting a fellow trainer for coffee and a real conversation
  • → Trying a new teaching technique with a current trainee
  • → Attending the TDC or TTO residential event
  • → Talking honestly to your TPD about how you are feeling
🟣 Before you hang up your hat: Be careful of prematurely leaving something that genuinely nourishes your professional life. Some GP trainers have been doing this for 15+ years and still find it as rewarding as day one. Other things may be muddying the water. A conversation with a trusted colleague — or your TPD — over a coffee is often all it takes to find the right perspective.

💎 Insider Wisdom — What Trainees Actually Say

These insights come from real trainee experiences across UK GP training — gathered from training communities, forum discussions, and published trainee accounts. Only advice that aligns with RCGP guidance and UK GP educator standards has been included.

The best trainers are not the most impressive clinicians in the room. They are the ones who made their trainees feel safe to grow.
What Makes a Trainer Genuinely Loved — From Trainee Experience Great Trainer Makes you feel safe to fail Gives honest, specific feedback Teaches by example Asks about wellbeing too Admits their own mistakes Listens before they advise Knows the trainee as a person
💡 What trainees notice — the small things that make a big difference +

Ask a trainee what made their trainer great, and they rarely mention clinical knowledge first. Here is what they consistently say:

💚 Things trainees remember warmly
  • ✔ "She always checked how I was doing before we started the tutorial"
  • ✔ "He admitted he wasn't sure about something and looked it up with me"
  • ✔ "She remembered what I'd told her the week before — it made me feel seen"
  • ✔ "He never made me feel stupid for not knowing something"
  • ✔ "The tutorial always felt like it was about me, not a fixed agenda"
⚠️ Things trainees find difficult
  • • Trainers who only teach what they find interesting
  • • Feedback that is vague — "that was good" or "try harder" tells you nothing useful
  • • Being questioned without being taught — Socratic method alone can feel like a test rather than teaching
  • • Tutorials that feel rushed or that clearly took two minutes to prepare
  • • A trainer who is always right — trainees learn most when they see their trainer think through uncertainty
🎭 The different types of trainer — and how trainees experience each one +

Research and trainee accounts consistently describe different trainer styles. None is entirely right or wrong — but understanding your own default style helps you adapt for each individual trainee.

Trainer Type What this looks like What trainees say Watch out for
The Traditionalist Structures all learning; sets the agenda; curates cases and complexity carefully "Clear structure, I always knew what we were doing" — works well for ST1s and structured learners Can feel controlling; trainee's own learning needs may get missed
The Humanist Hands control to the trainee; makes suggestions; rarely directs "I loved the freedom" (ST3s) or "I wasn't sure what was expected of me" (ST1s) Newer trainees need more scaffolding — this style can leave them adrift
The Reflective Coach Asks questions more than answers; promotes self-directed insight; uses debrief skillfully "They helped me figure it out myself — the learning really stuck" Must still provide some structure; pure Socratic questioning without any scaffolding causes anxiety
The Mentor Invests deeply in the person, not just the competencies; advises on careers and life "They shaped the kind of GP I wanted to become" Boundaries — the mentor role should complement, not replace, educational supervision
💛 The key insight: Most trainees need all four of these at different points in training. The best trainers move fluidly between styles depending on the trainee's stage, learning needs, and wellbeing on that particular day.
⏱️ Appointment times — a common point of friction between trainers and trainees +

One of the most frequently discussed tensions in GP training is appointment length — and when to reduce it. This matters enormously to trainees, and the way it is handled sends a strong message about whether the trainer is on the trainee's side.

ℹ️ Official guidance (NHSE/COGPED/BMA 2024): ST1s generally start at 30-minute appointments, reducing in stages to 15 minutes by the end of the post. ST3s generally start at 15–20 minutes, reducing to 10 minutes (or the practice rate if longer) by the end. Appointment length should always be adjusted based on the individual trainee's capabilities — not on a rigid timetable.
Appointment Length Guide (indicative — always adjust to individual trainee) ST1 GP post ST2 GP post ST3 early ST3 late Start: 30 min → end: 15 min Varies by needs — typically 20 min 15–20 min 10 min target Always discuss appointment shortening openly with the trainee. Acknowledge the anxiety it causes. Never reduce without a conversation. Source: BMA/COGPED Guide to the Training Week 2024
💚 What trainees appreciate: Being warned well in advance. Being asked how they feel about the change. Being told they can step back if they need to — most trainees say they never actually needed to, but knowing they could made all the difference.
📚 Tutorials — what trainees actually want from them (and what feels like a waste of time) +

Tutorials are the most regular formal teaching contact between trainer and trainee. They can be transformative — or they can feel like an obligatory hour of not-quite-useful conversation. The difference often comes down to a few specific things.

✅ Tutorials that land well

  • Start from the trainee's agenda — what did they find hard this week?
  • Use real cases from their own surgeries — concrete beats abstract every time
  • Include some activity — role-play, video review, problem-solving — not just talking
  • Leave with a clear action — one thing to try before next week
  • Feel prepared — even 10 minutes of prep from the trainer is palpable

⚠️ Tutorials that fall flat

  • Ran purely from the trainer's agenda regardless of what the trainee needs
  • Topic chosen because the trainer loves it — not because the trainee needs it
  • An hour of general discussion with no clear learning outcome
  • Always at the same time, same format, same feel — predictability dulls engagement
  • Rushed at the end because clinic over-ran — tutorials need protected time
🟣 A useful rule of thumb: If the trainee could have predicted everything you were going to say before they walked in, the tutorial probably did not teach them anything new. Start from where they are, not where your lesson plan says they should be.
📋 The 14Fish ePortfolio — how to make it a learning tool, not a tick-box exercise +

The 14Fish ePortfolio is the central record of the trainee's development across three years. As a trainer, you are expected to review it regularly, respond to log entries, and use it as the basis for Educational Supervisor Reviews (ESRs). Done well, it becomes a genuine reflective tool. Done poorly, it becomes a shared administrative burden that neither of you enjoys.

Your key responsibilities as ES:

  • ✔ Review log entries — not just for completion, but for depth and reflection
  • ✔ Add formative feedback comments — these are educational gold for the trainee
  • ✔ Check WPBA numbers and quality — not just quantity
  • ✔ Flag early if progress is slow — do not wait for the ESR to raise concerns
  • ✔ Write an ESR that is honest, evidence-based, and developmental

What trainees find most helpful from their trainer:

  • → Brief, specific comments on log entries — even two sentences is enough
  • → Pointing out WPBA gaps early, not at the six-month review
  • → Discussing the portfolio in tutorials, not treating it as a separate admin task
  • → Explaining what 'good reflection' actually looks like with a real example
  • → Not disappearing for weeks — timely engagement matters
💛 Practical tip: Set aside 15 minutes every week — rather than a big catch-up once a month — to dip into your trainee's ePortfolio. Small, regular, timely responses are far more useful than a single long review.

🌟 Real-World Trainer Wisdom

Insights gathered from UK GP educators, training communities, and published accounts of GP training experience — cross-checked against RCGP guidance throughout.

"Teaching keeps me younger at heart."

Reported repeatedly by trainers with 10+ years' experience. Trainees' fresh eyes, questions, and enthusiasm prevent the clinical stagnation that catches up with many GPs in their forties.

"When someone is watching you, you can't get stuck in your ways."

Having a trainee in the practice acts like a mirror — it makes you examine your own clinical reasoning, guidelines awareness, and consultation style in a way that solo practice simply does not.

"I learnt as much from them as they did from me."

Almost every experienced trainer says this. Trainees bring new evidence, new guidelines, new perspectives from hospital medicine, and a genuine enthusiasm for learning that is genuinely infectious.

🧭 Giving feedback that actually changes behaviour — what the evidence and experience says +

Feedback is the most powerful tool you have. But vague feedback — however kindly delivered — does not change behaviour. Here is what actually works.

The Effective Feedback Cycle 1. OBSERVE Watch actual performance 2. DESCRIBE What you saw (not what you felt) 3. EXPLORE Trainee's view first — always 4. AGREE One specific action to try Key rules for effective feedback Give it soon after observation • Be specific, not general • Describe behaviour, not character • One priority at a time Start with the trainee's own analysis • Always end with an action, not just an observation What does NOT work: "That was good" or "You could have done better there." These phrases give the trainee nothing to act on. What works: "When the patient mentioned her mum, you moved on quickly. Did you notice her expression change? What do you think she might have been feeling at that point?" — That is a question that teaches, not just evaluates.
💚 Trainer tip from experience: If a trainee seems defensive about feedback, the first question to ask yourself is whether you gave them enough time to self-assess first. When trainees identify the problem themselves, they own it. When you tell them, they sometimes resist it.
🤝 Building the trainer–trainee relationship from Day One +

The quality of the trainer–trainee relationship determines more about learning outcomes than any educational technique you will ever deploy. Research consistently shows this. It is not just a "nice to have" — it is the mechanism through which everything else works.

Building Blocks of a Strong Trainer–Trainee Relationship TRUST — established through consistency, honesty, and genuine interest in the person PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY CLEAR EXPECTATIONS REGULAR CHECK-INS HONEST COMMUNICATION MUTUAL RESPECT GROWTH — for both trainer and trainee

Here are the practical things trainers say made the biggest difference to the relationship, especially in the early weeks:

  • → Do a proper induction — even if you have done it many times before. A thorough two-week induction signals to the trainee that they matter and that you have prepared for them.
  • → Ask about the trainee as a person — their background, their strengths, what they are worried about. Not just what they need to achieve by the end of the post.
  • → Tell them about yourself. What kind of GP are you? What do you find hard? What are you still learning? Mutual disclosure builds connection faster than anything else.
  • → Set the ground rules for tutorials early — who sets the agenda, how feedback will work, how to raise concerns. Trainees who know the rules feel safer.
  • → Show them that their wellbeing matters. The first question of every tutorial does not have to be about competencies. "How's it going?" — and meaning it — is a good place to start.
🚩 Managing a struggling trainee — early warning signs and what to do +

Every trainer will, at some point, have a trainee who is not progressing as expected. The key is early identification and early action — not waiting for an ARCP crisis.

⚠️ Early warning signs

  • ePortfolio significantly behind — not just a few entries, but a pattern
  • Consultation times not reducing as expected
  • Repeated similar concerns from debriefs week after week
  • Withdrawal, low mood, or increased absence
  • Repeated calls for help from the same clinical areas
  • Colleagues at the practice raising informal concerns

✅ What to do

  • Have an honest, kind conversation early — do not wait
  • Distinguish between knowledge gaps, skill gaps, and wellbeing issues — they need different responses
  • Contact your TPD early — they would rather hear from you at week 4 than week 20
  • Document your concerns clearly and contemporaneously
  • Create a clear, supportive action plan with the trainee
  • Remember: the vast majority of trainees with early difficulties, supported well, do fine
🔴 Important: If you ever have concerns about patient safety — not just trainee development — contact your TPD or the deanery immediately. Trainee support and patient safety are not in competition. Both matter. Act early.
🌍 Supporting trainees from international backgrounds (IMGs) +

A significant and growing proportion of UK GP trainees are International Medical Graduates (IMGs). This is an enormous strength for general practice — IMGs bring language skills, cultural breadth, different clinical perspectives, and often tremendous resilience and dedication.

But the transition to UK general practice can be harder for IMGs than for UK graduates, even when the clinical knowledge is excellent. As a trainer, being aware of this makes a real difference.

Common challenges for IMGs — worth exploring early:

  • • The GP consulting style — patient-led, non-directive, less hierarchical than many training systems abroad
  • • NHS systems and terminology — referrals, safeguarding, sick notes, DVLA, benefits letters
  • • Cultural communication differences — directness, silence, consent, somatisation
  • • UK social context — housing, benefits, safeguarding, domestic abuse presentations
  • • Isolation — many IMGs are far from family and social support networks

What helps most — from trainer experience:

  • ✔ Acknowledge explicitly that the UK system is different — this is not a criticism of where they trained
  • ✔ Include specific tutorials on UK-specific topics early (safeguarding, sick notes, referral pathways)
  • ✔ Watch consultations together and explore cultural differences with genuine curiosity, not correction
  • ✔ Check in on their wellbeing and social adjustment regularly — not just clinical progress
  • ✔ Celebrate what they bring — their skills are often exceptional and deserve to be named
🟣 From the research: BJGP evidence suggests GP training experience has a significant influence on whether newly qualified GPs stay in NHS general practice. How a trainee is treated by their trainer shapes not just their skills, but their commitment to the profession. That is a large responsibility — and a remarkable opportunity.

🎧 Recommended: UK GP Educator Podcasts & Audio Resources

These are produced by UK GP training organisations and are specifically designed for Educational Supervisors and GP trainers.

GP TiPS Podcast — NHS Education for Scotland. For GP Educational Supervisors. Episodes on curriculum, SCA, AKT, ARCP, and more. Transcripts available. The Whole Story — NES. Primary care wellbeing, uncertainty, professional development. Excellent for reflective trainers. RCGP SCA Trainer Webinars — Six-monthly live refreshers for trainers on SCA preparation. Access via FishBase once logged in. Bradford VTS Learning Circle — Video teaching resources including the 14-video Train the Trainer series.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

GP training feels a bit stale. I think it's time to leave. +

Every trainer, at some point, has exactly this feeling. It is completely normal. And for some people, yes — moving on is absolutely the right decision for their particular circumstances. After all, some experienced GPs say that every seven years or so, we need to change direction a little.

But for many of us, this feeling is not really about training itself. It is a signal from one of three things:

  1. Your work–life balance has become genuinely unmanageable
  2. General practice itself is feeling much busier and harder
  3. You have not really invested in your own development as a trainer for a while — it has become a duty rather than an excitement

All three of these things make GP training feel temporarily dull and draining. But if you were to re-nourish yourself — a workshop, a conference, a conversation with a fellow trainer who energises you — you might find that the original love comes back stronger than ever.

💛 Practical suggestion: Before making any decision, talk to a fellow trainer you respect and trust. Meet them for a coffee. Or speak honestly to your TPD — they are usually excellent listeners. And remember: some of us have been doing this for more than 15 years and still love it every bit as much as day one.
What happens at a Trainers' Workshop? +

Nearly every GP training scheme across the UK runs Trainers' Workshops — half-day or full-day events specifically for GP trainers. They provide a space for updating clinical and educational knowledge, practising new skills, peer discussion, and staying connected to the wider trainer community.

Most schemes run 6–12 workshops per year. The content should be driven by trainers' identified learning needs — not just by whatever the TPDs happen to want to cover. If you feel the agenda is not reflecting what trainers actually want, say so. These events are for you.

💡 Note on attendance: Many deaneries expect trainers to attend a minimum of 3 half-day sessions per year as part of their ongoing commitment to professional development. Check what your local scheme expects as part of the reapproval process.
What is a Postgraduate Certificate in Medical Education (PGCert)? Should I do one? +

A PG Certificate in Medical Education (often called a PGCert, PGCME, or PGCert MedEd) is an academic qualification that takes educational theory and practice further than the standard GP trainer course. It typically takes around 1–2 years part-time and is delivered by universities.

It is not required to become a GP trainer. But many trainers who have done one say it transformed their understanding of how people learn, how to give feedback, how to manage difficult trainee situations, and how to design educational experiences intentionally rather than instinctively.

✔ Consider it if: You want to deepen your educational theory base. You are considering roles like TPD, GP Tutor, or academic GP. You find yourself returning to questions about why things work in teaching — not just what to do.
⚠️ But note: Some deaneries fund this — ask your GP School. And be honest with yourself about whether now is the right time given your other commitments. A half-hearted PGCert is of limited value.
I want to get more involved. What roles are available beyond being a trainer? +

Being an Educational Supervisor (GP Trainer) is just the beginning. There is a whole spectrum of educator roles available to you, depending on your interests and capacity.

RoleWhat it involves
GP Tutor Usually works with the GP School to provide educational support across a patch; often linked to trainee pastoral and performance issues
Training Programme Director (TPD) Manages a GP training programme; recruitment, ARCP, curriculum oversight, scheme-level teaching
Associate Dean / Patch Dean Quality assurance, trainer approval, strategic oversight of a region
GP School roles Many GP Schools have roles in assessment, quality improvement, curriculum development
Academic / Research Primary care academic posts through HEE/NIHR or university — education research, clinical academic work
💛 Start here: Write to your GP School or look on their website for current vacancies. Many of these roles are not formally advertised — expressing an interest directly to your TPD is often the best first step.
I am an IMG (International Medical Graduate) who has recently become a GP trainer. Is there anything I should know? +

Becoming a GP trainer as an IMG is a significant and proud achievement. You bring an enormously valuable perspective — you understand what it feels like to navigate a different training system, to work in an unfamiliar cultural context, and to build professional confidence from scratch. That experience is an educational asset, not a liability.

A few things that can be particularly helpful:

  • Familiarise yourself deeply with the RCGP curriculum and WPBA frameworks — these are the scaffolding of everything your trainees are working towards
  • The Gold Guide (COPMeD) is the regulatory framework for specialty training — it is worth reading, at least the sections most relevant to your role
  • Build links with your TPD early — they are your most important source of local guidance and support
  • Use the Bradford VTS Teaching & Learning pages as a structured development resource — they are written with exactly this kind of situation in mind
🟣 Remember: The best trainers are not the ones with the most prestigious academic background. They are the ones who build genuine relationships with their trainees, give honest and specific feedback, and model lifelong learning themselves. You can do all of those things.

🎯 Take-Home Points

Bradford VTS is a free resource created by Dr Ramesh Mehay and colleagues. Made with ❤ for GP trainees, trainers, and TPDs everywhere.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Scroll to Top