GMC urges trainers to share their views from the frontline
23 March 2016
More than 45,000 senior doctors responsible for developing the next generation of consultants and GPs in the UK are being invited to share their views on the medical education provided by their organisations.
The General Medical Council (GMC) wants to hear from those on the education frontline, as part of a new UK-wide survey of those who train doctors, open from 22 March.
The survey will run alongside the GMC’s annual survey of the 60,000 doctors undergoing postgraduate training, which has been running for more than 10 years and also launched yesterday. Between them the surveys will help to provide a comprehensive picture of postgraduate medical training across the UK.
The 45,000 doctors, who are in recognised roles as trainers, will be asked for their feedback on the learning environment and culture, the governance of education, the support for educators and the development of curricula and assessments.
The responses will help identify examples of best practice, as well as any organisations that need to improve the quality of support they give to those who train doctors.
Professor Terence Stephenson, Chair of the GMC, said:
’Healthcare in the UK is under increasing pressure, and we know this has an impact on the quality of training received by doctors. Those who train the next generation of senior doctors play a vital role in shaping the future of our healthcare system – a role that too often is overlooked and undervalued – it is crucial they are given the time and the resources to perform it effectively.
‘We hope that trainers across the UK will take this opportunity to share their experiences and give us and others with responsibilities in this area a fresh perspective on medical education and training.’
The GMC regulates all stages of a doctor’s training and professional development in the UK, promoting high standards and ensuring medical education and training reflect the needs of patients, doctors in training and the health service as a whole.
It recently introduced new education and training standards emphasising the importance of supporting trainers, and of providing a supportive learning environment, contributing to the delivery of good medical education and training.
The national survey of trainers, and the survey of doctors in training is open until Wednesday 4 May. http://www.gmc-uk.org/education/surveys.asp