VTS training - a personal account
Tom Waterfall – GP ST3 Chagford
Outline
• My VTS
• Who’s who?
• What do we do?
• E-portfolio
• Diplomas/Courses
• Registrar year
• Tips
• Extracurricular activities
• Questions

My VTS - Torbay
• 3 months GP
• 3 months ENT
• 6 months Cardiology/Medicine
• 6 months Dermatology/Rheumatology
• 6 months Paediatrics
• 12 months GP reg

Who’s who
• GP trainers/educators
– Educational programme, support, friendly and impartial

• Educational supervisor
– Long term relationship, e-portfolio, career planning

• Clinical supervisors
– Short term, performance, varying degrees of interest

• VTS group
– Peers, friends, future colleagues

What do we do?
• Play school
– VTS days/afternoons,
– GP educators and VTS group

• Launch days
– Everyone from the deanery

• Residential
– . . . . !

• Day job

E-portfolio
• Regular learning log entries
– Reflective practice
• Regular CEX’s and CBD’s
– Don’t save them up!
• Build up a skills log
• Uploading files
– Web pages, photos

Diplomas/Courses
– e.g. DRCOG, DCH, DFSRH, Minor surgery, STIF course . . . .
• Consider early if relevant
• Only if interests you
• Would affect everyday practice
• Study leave
• Don’t stress/ Plenty of time/ Not compulsory

Registrar year
• Which practice?
– Choice? People/staff, rural, urban, practice manager
• 7 sessions in GP practice
– Seeing patients, own clinics.
• 1 session joint clinic
• 1 session VTS
• 1 session personal study
• 12 out of hours sessions

Registrar year - Exams
• AKT
– Knowledge based, multiple choice

• CSA
– Clinical, communication skills, £££

• E-portfolio sign off
Tips
• Orientation to GP related problems
– What would I have done?
– Would I have referred?
– What can I learn from this?

• Skills
– e.g. suturing, speculums
– Log book, DOPS (e-portfolio)

Tips
• Get to know your hospital colleagues
– Building bridges

• Clinic experience
– Consultant/SpR teaching

• Speak to peers and trainers for help

Peninsula training

And
• Theatres
• Sailing
• Gardens
• NT houses
• Castles
• Dartington hall
• Museums
• (Plymouth)
• . . . . .
Questions