Professional Identity Formation in Becoming a GP Trainer – Barriers and Enablers

Problem

Policy promotes students and doctors becoming GPs yet there exists little focus on GP trainers’ recruitment and retention. The aim of this study was to explore barriers and enablers facilitating the professional identity formation of a GP becoming a GP trainer.

Approach

Designed as a qualitative case study within one programme of the Scottish Deanery. Data were collected between January - November 2018 via semi- structured interviews with 16 GP trainers and 79 regulatory and policy documents. Thematic analysis was applied whilst a reflexive stance as a previous GP trainer was maintained.

Findings

Findings indicate GPs become GP trainers through experiences and events transitioning across three predominant identities: ‘Becoming a Doctor’, ‘Becoming a GP’ and ‘Becoming a GP Trainer’. Impediment at any of these stages acts as a barrier. The GP trainer role suggests tendencies for clinicians to be understated in their achievements and abilities. The GP trainer dually enacts and role models that of clinician and teacher; time acts as a significant barrier. The current Scottish Prospective Educational Supervisor Course (SPESC), or previous iterations, is a significant enabler. GP trainer associations with Out of Hours services have changed over time. GP trainer / trainee relationships are essential enablers to a continued GP trainer professional identity.

Consequences

National policy continues to promote medical students and doctors to become GPs, yet little attention is paid to the need to recruit and retain the GP trainers necessary to educate them.

GP trainers’ professional identity is shaped by combinations of external influences, the GP practice, characteristics of oneself, time and the role of the GP trainer alongside their relationship with their GP trainee.

GP trainers are often understated in their excellent abilities to role model clinical activities and teach in tandem; courses such as SPESC are invaluable, as is their practices’ support.

Deanery assistance can be seen as variable in encouraging GP trainer progression, whilst any acknowledgement of RCGP with respect to GP trainers’ professional identity development appears absent.