Tips for GP trainees working in general medicine

Abstract

During your GP training you will spend time as a medical SHO, a period that may daunt you. Ward rounds can be long and patients may be complex, have multiple problems, and often be seriously unwell. Remember you are part of a team and people are there to help you. The majority of the skills that you need will have already been developed during your foundation years, and the idea is to expose you to common conditions that you will encounter during your career as a GP. You will also learn leadership and management skills. As the firm SHO, it’s your job to ensure the ward round is smooth and that things get done. Lead and look after your house officers — they will probably come to you first with any problems. Try and remember what it was like when you first arrived from medical school. An area in which you can make a real difference to your patients’ care is communication — this rotation is, alas, an opportunity to practice your breaking-bad-news skills. It is also good training in explaining procedures, diagnosis, and management, all of which are common fodder of the clinical skills assessment. No-one expects you to make a diagnosis of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, but simply to develop your skills as a clinician, and become confident in differentiating the sick from the well. Make the most of your general medicine placement: ask questions and absorb as many pearls of wisdom from the consultants as you can. 1. It’s all about the history. …