The Peninsula School of Primary Care offers a range of exciting scholarships that enable GPSTs to develop additional skills in leadership, education, public health or research during their time in ST3.

Scholarships are designed to develop talent, promote excellence and support future career aspirations by providing a range of additional opportunities. The development of additional knowledge and skills will help equip scholars for future roles in GP practices, primary care networks (PCNs), medical education, universities, integrated care systems, and the wider NHS as a whole. There is an expectation that scholars will use their skills and experiences to help disseminate excellence across the local GP training scheme, and across the south west Schools of Primary Care including via a regional network of scholars. 

 

Successful candidates are appointed during ST2 to a 13* month rather than 12-month ST3 year. This allows an additional 20 working days within ST3 to develop additional expertise. The Public Health scholarship is longer, and requires a 3 month extension (15 months rather than 12 months as an ST3).

 

Location

For posts linked to an individual patch, GPSTs will need to be based in that patch to be considered for the role. Some travel is expected to attend events at the deanery or a work base away from a trainee’s local practice. There is no additional money available to fund the travel requirements of the scholarships outside the deanery area.

 

Eligibility

We welcome applications from GPSTs due to CCT (as per their e-portfolio at the time the application window is open) between 1st April 2024 - 31st March 2025, whether full time or less than full time.

If your CCT date is after April 2025 then you will be eligible to apply for a scholarship in spring 2024. If you are concerned that you will not be eligible to apply for a scholarship post during your training due to your CCT dates, then please contact us to discuss this.

 

Funding and additional training time

Those successfully appointed to scholar roles will extend their period as a GPST in ST3 by one calendar month i.e. extending ST3 to 13 months full time equivalent. Public health scholarships are extended by 3 months, to make a 15 month full time equivalent programme.

 See Additional Training Requirements and Guidelines.

 

Support and mentoring

Either the local patch team, a senior member of the SoPC or a local expert in the field, will provide mentoring to each scholar.

Mentors will help support scholars in their role, however it is also important scholars have well developed organisational/time management skills and have the ability to be self-directed in order to get the most out of their scholarship role

All mentors should:

  • Be in regular contact (e.g. every 1-2 months) to ensure the scholar is well supported.
  • Help the scholar to plan and develop a relevant project over their ST3 year.
  • Support the scholar to overcome blocks to progress in their project.
  • Ensure that they have a short PDP for their scholar time, which the scholar should load onto their portfolio.
  • Encourage and support networking, learning and development opportunities for the scholar.
  • Be an advocate for the scholar and the programme in general.
  • Give regular (e.g. 3-4 monthly) feedback on progress and next steps.
  • Challenge the scholar towards excellence - be it by writing a poster or journal article, or presenting at a conference - help them aim high!

For those scholars on a 1-month extension, it would expected for the mentor to write an educator note in their ePortfolio prior to the final ARCP.
For those scholars on a 3-month extension, a formal CSR must be completed.

Additionally, if there are any concerns about a DiT's performance or with the programme, these should be fed back to the GP school as soon as they arise.

 

Projects and presentations

Scholars will be expected to undertake a project during their time and this will be presented at the final review meeting. They will be expected to write a final report and also articles of their experience for the website and publication. Poster and/or presentations at suitable conferences will be encouraged and supported.

Project work will be directed by the scholar’s mentor and should develop specific initiatives within Severn. Such project work will be designed and supported to help the post holder develop experience in:

  • Planning, delivering and evaluating the project
  • Problem analysis
  • Team working
  • Project management
  • Critical review of success and failure
  • Preparation of report for the Patch or relevant APDs

 

Available Scholarships (For Peninsula GPST3 DiTs)

(Post Numbers Flexible - see Job description)

 

GP ST3 (Patch) Education or Leadership Scholarship Programme

 10 Posts; two per patch

1 month extension

GP ST3 Central Leadership Scholarship Programme

 1 Post

1 month extension

GP ST3 Cornwall Public Health Scholarship Programme

 1 Post; Cornwall location 

3 month extension

GP ST3 Research Scholarship Programme

 2 Posts 

1 month extension