GP registrars teaching medical students- an untapped resource?

Background: General practice placements are fundamental to undergraduate medical education but there are difficulties in recruiting teaching practices. Developing "near peer teaching" may help. Health Education England & UCL run a programme in general practice (GP) training schemes with Innovative Training Posts in medical education.

Aim: To evaluate GP innovative training posts in undergraduate medical education.

Design And Setting: Focus groups and interviews with GP specialty trainees ("trainees"), medical students & educational stakeholders in London.

Method: A qualitative study exploring stakeholders' perspectives of this initiative. Transcribed interviews were analysed thematically.

Results: We interviewed 26 stakeholders. Students valued trainees' generalist expertise and making explicit areas of medicine. Trainees adopted student-centred approaches, addressing students' assessment agendas, in contrast to senior doctors. Trainees also provided career guidance. Trainees expressed benefits to their development; their identity as learners & educators, and clinical knowledge. Teaching & learning for trainees were inter related; as identified by "to teach something well is to understand it well". Educational leaders were supportive but had to champion such initiatives.

Conclusion: Near peer teaching in general practice is relatively novel. There are strong educational benefits for learners & teachers clearly influenced by the social context of learning. Positive career roles are modelled by trainees.