ICGP General Practice Training Programme Overview

The training cycle spans a total of 4 years, broken down as follows:

Year 1 & 2 (BST - Basic Specialist Training) - Senior House Officer Role:

• Hospital-based rotations in posts including but not limited to:

• Paediatrics

• A&E (Accident & Emergency)

• Psychiatry

• Obstetrics & Gynaecology

• General Medicine

• Medicine of the Elderly

• During this phase, trainees will also benefit from a half-day of teaching each week, facilitated directly by the training scheme.

Year 3 & 4 (HST - Higher Specialist Training) - GP Registrar Role:

• The primary setting for this training phase is in supervised general practices.

• Each trainee is assigned a designated GP trainer to guide their learning.

• Training is experiential in nature, evolving from supervised practice to competent, independent unsupervised practice by its conclusion.

• Trainees dedicate one day each week for focused teaching and reflection.

• In the fourth year, there's flexibility for trainees to pursue areas of special interest, further tailoring their learning and experience.

During GP Training, there are two primary exams (MICGP Exams)

CKT (Clinical Knowledge Test): This is an online test comprising 200 questions where candidates select the single best answer from the options provided.

CCT (Clinical Competency Test): This test involves performing several simulated consultations with mock patients to assess clinical competency.

• Achieving both CSCST and MICGP Examinations qualifies a candidate for the Specialist Register in the Division of General Practice.

• There exists a Recognition of Prior Learning Pathway (RPL) which can potentially shorten the duration of the training based on prior relevant experience or education.

Question:

What do you know about GP Training in Ireland?

Guidance for candidates:

When addressing this question, it's essential to:

• Highlight key points about the GP Training Programme.

• Structure your response coherently

• Progressing from the general overview to specific details.

• Utilize the information provided above to construct an answer that is both comprehensive and concise.

Sample Answer: Read it and try to explain in your own words.

• Certainly, that's an insightful question. I appreciate the opportunity to discuss this, as I've extensively reviewed the ICGP website in preparation for this interview. In Ireland, the GP Training Programme is managed by the ICGP. The program comprises a 4-year training cycle. The first two years, known as Basic Specialist Training (BST), see trainees working as Senior House Officers. During this period, they rotate across different hospital-based posts, encompassing areas such as Paediatrics, A&E, Psychiatry, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, and Medicine of the Elderly. An important feature of this phase is a half-day of dedicated teaching each week, facilitated by the training scheme.

• The subsequent two years constitute the Higher Specialist Training (HST) phase. Here, trainees assume the role of GP Registrars and predominantly train within supervised general practices, under the guidance of nominated GP trainers. The emphasis during this phase is on experiential learning, helping trainees transition from supervised scenarios to independent practice. They also dedicate two hours weekly for structured teaching.

• It's noteworthy that the fourth year offers flexibility for trainees to explore areas of special interest. On successful completion of their training and after clearing the requisite examinations, specifically the CSCST and MICGP, candidates qualify for the Specialist Register in the Division of General Practice. The ICGP also provides a Recognition of Prior Learning Pathway (RPL), potentially shortening the training duration for those with suitable prior experience. Overall, if you ask me! this is the best training programme which train you as independent General Practitioner.

In the provided example the candidate effectively initiated the scenario with a compelling opening statement and concluded with a strong closing sentence. This approach will enable the assessor to evaluate you more effectively, setting you apart from other candidates.