We currently help with the training of medical students (either from the university of Dundee or as part of SCOTGEM), foundation year 2 doctors and GP trainees. Foundation doctors are fully qualified doctors who have spent at least a year in hospital. GP trainees fully qualified, more senior doctors who have spent several years working in a hospital environment.Training is a long-established tradition here in CDMG and we are well regarded within the medical training community. Having trainees and senior medical students join us for a few months (FY2 are with us for 4 months) or a few years (GPSTs can be with us for up to 4yrs) is joy as these young people always bring a breath of fresh air and enthusiasm with them. In short, we are a better surgery for having them with us.

You may be offered an appointment with any of our doctors in training or asked if they can sit in and observe the consultation with your usual doctor. You may also be asked for permission for your consultation to be recorded, with the video used as part of their assessment process. Although these requests can seem strange, they are of enormous educational value and enhance the trainees’ skills significantly.  If you would rather not see a trainee please just let us know when you are booking an appointment.

All trainees are carefully supervised by one of the GP partners each day. In the earlier years of training, they will likely feel more comfortable discussing each patient with this partner. Although these appointments will take slightly longer than seeing one of the usual partners, you will benefit from the collective thinking of the trainee and the supervising partner. Essentially two heads are always better than one. It also means that a GP partner is familiar with your condition and able to ‘take up the reins’ should you decide you would rather see a partner at future appointments or if the trainees moves on.

At the end of each day, trainees have dedicated time with their trainer partner (Dr Morton for the medical students, Dr Martin and Dr Van Zanten for the GP trainees and Dr Scott for the FY2’s). This is a time of learning, facilitating discussion about all the patients consulted during the day. If a trainee doesn’t discuss your case with a partner during your appointment, it will be reviewed during this evening meeting. Occasionally the reviewing partner will suggest different management plans and you may receive a call from the trainee to explain the changes. This won’t happen often, but represents the learning path the trainees are taking.

We are always grateful for feedback on our performance, both positive and negative. If you feel a trainee has performed exceptionally well, or not as well as you are happy with, please let us know. Feedback from you is how we all learn and not to be underestimated. In a way, you will be helping with their training. However, if you feel very dissatisfied and don’t think general feedback is enough, our usual complaints procedure should be followed (details can be found on the website).

All our training partners have under taken rigorous training in the art of educating. Like all GP training practices we are accredited by NHS education for Scotland and undergo regular training inspection visits in addition to regular training updates (both locally and at a national level).

We occasionally hear comments such as “you never see the same doctor twice”. This really is to do with our appointment system which aims to offer you the next available appointment. If you would rather see (or not) a specific doctor (trainee or partner), talk with the receptionist and they will try to accommodate your request as best possible. However, this may mean you need to wait a bit longer for an appointment. Clearly at the moment due to the pandemic all appointments are working differently but we can still try to accommodate your preference were possible.

We hope this makes how we operate CDMG as a training practice clearer. None of this is possible without your support and we thank you sincerely for helping us shape the doctors of the future and for supporting your NHS.