All entries for Friday 20 November 2015

Being introduced to general practice

Along with all other Phase II students, my clinical partner and I spent a day last week being introduced to general practice by spending some time floating around the GP surgery to which we had been assigned. This introduction involved shadowing various professionals around our allocated practice and trying to get a handle on what each of them does.

Although I had seen GP surgeries from the patient’s perspective a fair number of times, being on the other side was very eye opening. It certainly changed my perspective about what GPs and their colleagues do and how complex running a practice can be behind the scenes. Needless to say, there’s a lot more going on there than meets the eye.

Most of the visits I’ve ever had to a GP surgery have been of the quick, ten-minute, in-and-out kind: I describe my problem to the doctor, and he or she gives me advice, a prescription or a letter. But of course there is much more to it, and our introduction showed us a little more of how complex that is.

We spent some time observing the receptionists (a missing member of staff for any number of reasons can mean that they’re really run off their feet – especially in the morning), got an introduction from the dispensary nurse (our practice also functions as a pharmacy because it’s so rural), shadowed each of the nurse practitioners for an hour or so apiece and even had a view from the waiting room – and all of this was before lunch!

There is a common misconception that GPs only deal with coughs and colds, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. We saw all sorts of minor procedures, including cleaning and redressing of wounds, taking bloods, vaccinations and lots of other things which aren’t really complex enough to warrant a hospital visit – plus, the nearest hospital was ten miles away, which is s significant distance for the less-mobile among us.

During lunch, my clinical partner and I each followed a different doctor on their home visits, and then we each observed about two dozen consultations apiece in the afternoon. The presenting complaints were as varied as can be imagined – and there was not a single cough or cold among them! If you like variety, thinking quickly and the surprise of not knowing what condition the next patient will present with, then general practice might just be up your street.

In the New Year, spending time at the GP surgery will form a key element of our core clinical education – we will be there at least once a week for each of the thirty weeks of the CCE segment. I’m already looking forward to it. The professionals in the office were very welcoming, the practice is run very efficiently and the idea of completing this portion of my education is very exciting.

John

Megan Earle : 20 Nov 2015 14:56 |  Tags: Gp John Mbchb Student Warwick Wms |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem