WP on Education update and Seoul preconference

Prof Val Wass, chair of the WONCA Working Party on Medical Education updates us before Korea:

The working party continues to expand with approaching 150 members on the circulation list. I am also delighted that over 50 young doctors have expressed an interest in joining and are in the process of signing up. Work is progressing with the IFMSA to involve medical students – as we strive to move education in family medicine forward it is essential we hear and include their views.

The challenge for me remains twofold:

Firstly, how to engage and serve our members. The circulation list is large. We need more interaction. A common request is for access to education resources. David Keegan from Canada, has volunteered to scope our needs and develop a resource site – we had a useful meeting at the Association for Medical Education in Europe (AMEE). This should be a significant advance.

Secondly, we continue to develop our education standards. Victor Ng champions the CPD standards for Family Medicine Organisations with workshops at WONCA conferences. We are increasingly aware these need to be targeted to local needs. The postgraduate standards, championed by Allyn Walsh, have formed an excellent platform for WONCA accreditation of training programmes. Their worth was exemplified at a recent accreditation visit to the University of Toronto.

Seoul Preconference Workshop

The work on principles and standards for the undergraduate curriculum is progressing. I am fortunate to have a great international group supporting this. We are holding a preconference workshop in Seoul on Wednesday October 17th in the Conference Centre. It is free. All are welcome! Please help us shape the future of Family Medicine.

Photo: WP Education workshops - fun and interactive

Email convenor for more information
Register for Preconference Workshop

Free Access Article of Month

Education for Primary Care are delighted to offer free access for one month to an article from Dr Hugh Alberti  on the “Authentic general practice placements for medical students"

This offers a review of three papers which compound evidence for the significant educational advantage of placing medical students in Family Medicine to learn. A useful addition to his paper in the British Journal of General Practice titled “Exposure of undergraduates to authentic GP teaching and subsequent entry to GP training: a quantitative study of UK medical schools”. This  demonstrates a positive  correlation between time spent  by medical students learning in Family Medicine and their interest in Primary Care as a career . Hugh Alberti et al Br J Gen Pract 2017; 67 (657): e248-e252.
Education for Primary Care: Free Access article