Training Practice
Vida Healthcare prides itself in being a Training Organisation which helps teach new and upcoming doctors, nurses and administrative staff within the practice, and endeavours to maintain continued learning amongst its permanent staff.
Dr Deol oversees all the junior doctors’ training and has day to day responsibility for the GP trainees. You may find that the trainee doctors sometimes sit in and observing with other doctors whilst they are in training.
All the doctors at Vida Healthcare take part in looking after the junior doctors in training. If you are finding it difficult to get an appointment with your chosen doctor whilst they are supervising the junior doctors, booking in to see one of the trainee doctors will enable you to be reviewed by your own doctor, whilst also helping the trainee doctors in their training process.
We feel that having junior doctors in the practice helps them learn the skills they need to become effective doctors in their future careers. We are always very thankful to our patients who are vitally instrumental in this process.
If you would like more information about our junior doctors, or would like to volunteer to see our medical students and help Vida Healthcare to train the doctors of the future, please speak to a member of our Patient Support Team on reception.
University of Cambridge Medical Students
We teach and mentor Medical Students from the University of Cambridge. They spend the majority of the academic year with us and are mentored by a group of doctors who have trained to be mentors. We teach them in all areas of Primary Care.
Patients are asked if they would like to volunteer to be interviewed by the trainee doctors as this enhances their experience greatly .We are always very grateful to our patients to them for giving up their time to engage in this activity.
University of East Anglia Nursing Students
We are fortunate enough to now train 2nd year Nursing Students from the university of East Anglia. During their time here they gain a better understanding of Primary Care with the help of their mentor.
During their placement the nurses shadow their mentors and others within our nursing team in clinics. The areas which are covered during the placement is vast and include; Cardiovascular Clinics, Respiratory, Diabetes, Immunisations and Triage clinics as well as treatment room.
In addition they also have the opportunity to be within a theatre environment during the cataract procedures held at Gayton Road Health Centre.
We also teach…
Foundation Year 2 doctors (F2 doctors); these are qualified doctors in the second year of their training. Some of these doctors are training to become General Practitioners and some are just getting experience of working in General Practice. They stay with us for 4 months and then move on to their next rotation. Dr Nowers is the doctor responsible for their day to day training.
ST3 GP trainees; these are qualified doctors who want to become GP’s. They stay with us for either 4, 8 or 12 months at a time, and we hope that some of them will consider taking a placement within Vida once they have qualified.
Doctors and Training FAQs
Are all doctors trained to the same professional standard?
Yes.
Can I see a doctor from a different “level” about the same complaint?
Yes, they are all fully qualified doctors.
Can all the doctors prescribe medication?
No – 5th year Cambridge Medical Students are not authorised to prescribe medication, however if medication is required the mentoring doctor will issue the prescription.
Why was the ‘nice’ F2/Registrar doctor only here for a few months?
The F2/Registrar doctors move round different surgeries and the hospital in order to gain experience of different environments and specialties.
Do the trainee doctors specialise in anything?
No, at this point they are gaining experience in General Practice and becoming a GP, however they may choose specialties later in their careers.
Do the trainee / student doctors see patients?
Yes, the medical students interview current patients to gain knowledge and experience with their studies. The F2/Registrar doctors hold clinics at the surgery and are mentored by one of our mentoring doctors.
Can I volunteer to see the medical students and help with their training?
Yes of course! We are always happy to hear from patients wishing to give up their time for our students. If you wish to participate please ask a member of our Patients Support Team for more details.
Why do you have F2/Registrar doctors at the surgery?
These are doctors who are looking to gain more experience in the role. It is a bit like an apprenticeship for fully qualified doctors which we need more of for the future.