GPTT already has elements of a surgical skill program ie 2 day STITCH workshop and a visiting surgeon, Prof Sankar Sinha, coaching “in practice” experience. This needs to be built on to provide a more comprehensive teaching and assessment program.
We plan to have 2 levels of training in GP
surgery:
1. Basic surgery training for all GP registrars
2. Advanced surgical training for GP registrars in ACRRM or undertaking an ARSP in surgery

The objectives of our revised surgical skills training program are as follows:

1. For all GP registrars to be competent at the 6 essential surgical procedures (acute wound, chronic wound, excision of skin lesion, punch biopsy, removal of superficial lump and ingrown toe nail)

2. For at least one GP supervisor in each teaching practice to be competent to teach and assess competence of the essential 6 surgical procedures

3. For the practice visiting surgical trainers to be of suitable standard to teach and assess the relevant surgical procedures

4. For some GP registrars with an interest in surgery to be given opportunities to pursue a 6 or 12 month Advanced Rural Skills Post in Surgery and/or complete the ACRRM Curriculum in surgery.

The structure will be:
• Workshops:
a) 2 day STITCH workshop in May
each year,
b) 3 hour skills workshop integrated
within another GPTT workshop
• Individual learning plan - self-assessment with ME input - can nominate a minimum of 1 skill being taught by visiting surgical coach
• 1 day (per year) GP supervisors
workshop – train the trainer
• 1 day (per year) Medical Educators
workshop – visitor training
• In-practice coaching by visiting
surgical trainers – for practices with
more than one registrar
• Log book for ACRRM registrars
• On line learning developed on
GPRime
• Simulation lab at GPTT for those GP registrars who need remediation

We hope that GP supervisors and medical educators will embrace this program and assist in raising the level of surgical skills amongst our GP registrars.