By the time you come to your GP Registrar year your skills and knowledge base should be well developed and you will be well prepared for the variety and uncertainty of general practice.  Your GP trainer who will also be your educational supervisor will be your guide and mentor throughout this year although your GPTP Programme Director will also be available to help with issues of concern.

The GP Trainers are each appointed and regularly assessed in depth by the London Deanery.  The Bromley Trainers Workshop meets at least four times a year to improve their educational skills, discuss new developments in GP training etc.  Apart from your own GP trainer you will meet other trainers during the year and visiting different practices is encouraged.

Your trainer will organise an individually tailored programme starting with an induction period when you meet the various members of the primary care team at work e.g. Community Midwife, Community Psychiatric Nurse, District Nurses, Pharmacists and the practice team. 

Initially you will be closely supervised and given long appointment times but as you gain confidence and demonstrate competence (when you view your videoed consultations with your trainer during your weekly tutorial time) your appointments will become shorter and you will begin your on-call responsibilities.

Your weekly timetable will include a free time half day, a half day for self directed learning activities (discuss how to use this time to best advantage with your trainer) and of course the Half Day Release Course on Wednesday afternoons at the Farnborough Education Centre.

You will be responsible for meeting the required work placed based assessments and making sure they are entered appropriately on your e-portfolio.  Your trainer will assist you in completing these assessments where appropriate.

You are expected to gain experience of the Primary Care Trust Out of Hours (EMDOC) service. In your ST3 year you are required to do 12 such sessions.  You will need your OOH’s clinical supervisor to sign your learning records for these 12 sessions and then enter the scanned form onto the e-portfolio. This forms part of the work placed based assessment.

During the year you will have an external review from a Bromley visiting Trainer at around 6 months (see ST3 6 and 11 month training requirements under resource documents for trainees).  The trainer will usually under take a CBD and a COT with you as well as explore how your training is progressing.  This review was pioneered by the Bromley Trainers’ Workshop.  Your activities and skills will be reviewed and helpful advice in writing given about how to best use the remaining six months.  At eleven months you will have an appraisal to prepare you for the annual appraisal that all GPs are expected to undertake.

You will also be helped to understand management issues in the changing scene of British General Practice.  The training practices vary in size, population mix, partner profiles and priorities, premises, computerisation etc so the exact arrangements for the GPR vary.  You are advised strongly to visit any practices you are considering selecting and meet the trainer and current GPR.