Courses
The programme directors are keen to ensure that all trainees maximise the educational opportunities that exist throughout the scheme. Courses supplement learning from direct patient care and teaching received during daily work. Look ahead to what you might need to do to meet your learning needs and career aspirations. This will help you to plan and spread your study leave over the 3 years. It would be good to get some courses ‘under your belt’ before ST3 as there is a lot to fit in to that year.
Suggested Courses
It is useful to do the first 3 on the list below before ST3. The others are purely optional as you will get teaching on these subjects in ST3 (even if you don’t get any extra letters or certificates!)
Mayday Hospital offers some very useful free clinical and non clinical courses which contribute to the knowledge, skill and attitudinal base for developing some competences. These are inter-professional learning events and are advertised on the Hospital Intranet. Among them are ECDL computer courses, Diversity and Cultural Awareness and Conflict Management courses.
Family Planning Theory Course
- Child Health Promotion
- Minor Surgery
- Consultation Skills
- Practice Management
- nMRCGP preparation
Where to look for courses
BMJ and on speciality boards around the Hospital
Study Leave
All trainees are allowed 30 days study leave annually. This total is inclusive of the VTS day release programme.
Arrangements for study leave differ for hospital and GP based trainees.
Hospital trainees are allowed 15 days study leave in each 6 month post and are subject to the hospital study leave policy. This policy is available from and administered by the PGMC. Funding for approved study expenses is subject to review but is currently £800 per annum.
You need to apply for approval 6 weeks in advance so that your service commitments may be covered.
In some specialities it is difficult to get study leaves because of rotas and other administrative considerations, but please do still apply. This helps the VTS to monitor and address systemic problems. You are more likely to be successful and be supported by your clinical and education supervisors if you have a well thought out and up to date personal learning plan.
Study leave forms are available from the PGMC.
GP based ST1 and 2 trainees attend the VTS half day release during term time as part of their study leave allowance. Funding for study leave is from the deanery and is less generous than the hospital budget. However you have access to subsidised courses centrally funded by the deanery. Study leave has to be approved by the GP trainer. For trainees in integrated posts this approval must be obtained before hospital clinical supervisors are approached.
ST3 trainees have 28 days of their study leave taken up by the VTS day release programme. They have an additional 7 days for extra activities that are approved by trainers.
Study leave guidance and forms for reimbursement of expenses are available on the London Deanery Website.