Benefits for General Practitioners hosting medical students

Clinical Placements are an integral part of a medical student’s curriculum.  These placements are essential to prepare work-ready graduates.  There are several key benefits of hosting medical students for both the GP and student. 

Some of these include: 

• A multidisciplinary, holistic healthcare setting for the student  
• Work integrated learning 
• Exposure to undifferentiated presentations 
• Refinement of diagnostic skills and an improved understanding of preventive care 
• Chronic disease management 
• Mental health and population health 

Research suggests that when students have a sense of responsibility and accountability, such as being able to see patients independently, their motivation is heightened, and learning experiences are more effective.  

GPs who host medical students from the GCPHN Medical Student Clinical Placements program find it not only rewarding but key to: 

• Creating a greater awareness of general practice as both a lifestyle and a career for medical students  
• Connecting medical students to the general practice community  
• Offering medical students a forum to provide critical feedback on student’s issues relating to general practice, not only now but in the future 
• Providing a network for medical students interested in general practice to optimise exposure to general practice 

To find out more about a GP’s perspective on hosting medical students please visit: https://vimeo.com/838543219/9c888987c1?share=copy

Benefits for Medical Students on clinical placement in general practice

GP Clinical Placements for medical students provide students the opportunity to work in real healthcare settings, under the supervision of qualified General Practitioners. The aim is to give students hands-on experience and exposure to real patient care, allowing them to apply their theoretical knowledge in a practical setting and develop essential clinical skills. Clinical placements in general practice are crucial for building competence and confidence in future healthcare practitioners. 

In Australia, a general practitioner (GP) plays a critical role in the healthcare system, serving as the first point of contact for most patients seeking medical care. Clinical placements provide the student with learning and observing the following responsibilities that GPs provide: 

1. Diagnosing and treating common medical conditions: GPs are trained to diagnose and manage a broad spectrum of health issues, from minor illnesses to chronic diseases.
2. Preventive care: GPs focus on preventive medicine, promoting healthy lifestyles, and providing vaccinations, screenings, and health education to prevent illnesses.
3. Referrals and coordination: If a patient requires specialised care, the GP will make referrals to appropriate specialists and coordinate the patient’s overall healthcare.
4. Chronic disease management: GPs play a vital role in managing chronic conditions like diabetes, asthma, hypertension, and more, providing ongoing care and monitoring.
5. Mental health support: GPs are often the first line of support for patients with mental health concerns, offering initial assessment, treatment, or referrals to mental health professionals.
6. Family planning and reproductive health: GPs provide family planning services, including contraception, reproductive health advice, and antenatal care.
7. Minor procedures: GPs may perform minor surgical procedures and other medical treatments in their clinics.
8. Continuity of care: GPs maintain long-term relationships with their patients, providing continuity of care and personalized attention.

To find out more about a student’s perspective on clinical placements please visit: 

 https://vimeo.com/822859953/a5b531f772?share=copy 

General Practitioner responsibilities for medical students on placement

A GP supervisor takes on the role of providing guidance, mentorship, and hands-on training to the student during their GP clinical placement.  

The GP supervisor’s responsibilities vary based upon the student cohort.  Specific training guidelines are provided to the GP prior to hosting a medical student. These are included in practice documentation sent to the GP.  The responsibilities of a GP hosting a medical student may include: 

1. Supervision and Teaching: The GP supervisor oversees the medical student’s activities, ensuring they are exposed to a variety of clinical cases and experiences (dependent on cohort). They provide instruction, explain medical concepts, and answer the student’s questions.
2. Clinical Training: Dependent on the cohort, the supervisor allows the medical student to participate in patient consultations under their guidance. This may involve taking patient histories, conducting physical examinations, and discussing treatment plans.
3. Feedback and Assessment: The GP supervisor regularly assesses the medical student’s performance, providing constructive feedback to help them improve their clinical skills and knowledge.
4. Professional Development: The supervisor helps the student set learning objectives and encourages them to engage in self-directed learning to enhance their medical knowledge.
5. Exposure to Various Cases: Dependent on the cohort, the GP supervisor strives to offer the medical student exposure to a diverse range of medical cases and conditions to broaden their clinical experience.
6. Ethical and Professional Conduct: The supervisor instils the importance of ethical and professional behaviour in the medical student and serves as a role model in their interactions with patients and colleagues.
7. Patient Safety: The GP supervisor ensures that patient safety is a top priority, guiding the student on appropriate patient care and management.
8. Time Management: The supervisor helps the medical student develop effective time management skills to balance patient care, learning, and other responsibilities.
9. Team Collaboration: The GP supervisor involves the medical student in interprofessional team meetings and discussions to understand the collaborative nature of healthcare.
10. Support and Encouragement: The supervisor offers support and encouragement to the medical student, creating a positive learning environment where the student feels comfortable asking questions and seeking guidance.

By providing a well-rounded and supportive learning experience, the GP supervisor plays a crucial role in shaping the medical student’s future as a competent and compassionate healthcare professional. 

There are several mandatory requirements that must be met by GP Supervisors and Practices when hosting students.  These include: 

• GPs must be registered as a Specialist GP with AHPRA and advise the program should this situation change such as restrictions/conditions on registration being put in place. 
• The assigned GP supervisor provides the key elements of the placement.  A student can be shared between GPs at the one practice; however, it is ideal for the student to be placed with the same GP throughout the placement.  
• The practice must be accredited against the RACGP guidelines.  
• The practice must be registered for the Practice Incentive Payment (PIP) scheme with Services Australia to allow payment of practices for taking students. 
• Students are NOT permitted to undertake their placement with a family member or partner, in a facility where a family member or partner is employed, or in a facility where the student is employed. 
• Students are NOT permitted to undertake their placement if they are a patient of the GP/Practice and neither party is their partner, or any member of their family. 

When hosting a medical student from the Clinical Placements Program at the GCPHN, the practice manager plays an integral role in facilitating the placement. The Clinical Placements team works closely with the practice manager to provide the required documentation for the placement and support the practice manager throughout the course of the placement. 

IP006 Services Australia Teaching Payment PIP Form GP and Practice Manager Process and Responsibilities 

All medical students attending placement will be provided with a student and university specific certified and populated Services Australia PIP Teaching Payment Form (IP006) pages 2 to 4 to take to placement.  Practice Incentives Program Teaching Payment claim form (IP006) – Services Australia This form will be provided directly to the medical student by the University.  It will include the student’s name, student id number and be certified by the university.  

Each day the student attend’s placement all teaching sessions attended must recorded on page 3 of the form and signed by the GP Supervisor(s). This must be completed for every session attended.  

On completion of the placement, it is very important that the student and the Practice Manager arrange time to meet on the final day of placement and ensure: 

• All teaching sessions are recorded on page 3 of the form and signed by the GP Supervisor (s) 
• Section 13, page 4 of the form is signed by the student  
• The practice delegate completes section 14 of page 4 of the form 
• The student gets photocopy of pages 2 to 4 of the form to provide to the university as proof of placement 
• The practice retains the original pages or submission to Services Australia 

A more detailed compressive step by step guide to medical students on placement can be found here

Prior to the commencement of a medical student undertaking placement all medical students are required to follow these steps: 

• Watch a cohort specific orientation video provided to the student by the GCPHN 
• Contact the practice they have been allocated to two weeks prior to placement to speak to the Practice Manager and:  
  • Identify themselves as a medical student, what University they attend and what cohort they are in 
  • Provide their full name and preferred name 
  • Confirm which GP they have been allocated to 
  • Confirm the dates of their placement and start times 
  • Provide the practice manager or delegate with their contact details 

PIP Teaching Payment Form (IP006) – student responsibility

All medical students attending placement will be provided with a student and university specific certified and populated Services Australia PIP Teaching Payment Form (IP006) pages 2 to 4 to take to placement.  Practice Incentives Program Teaching Payment claim form (IP006) – Services Australia 

This form will be provided directly to the medical student by the University.  It will include the student’s name, student id number and be certified by the university.  

Each day the student attend’s placement all teaching sessions attended must recorded on page 3 of the form and signed by the GP Supervisor(s). This must be completed for every session attended.  

On completion of the placement, it is very important that the student and the Practice Manager arrange time to meet on the final day of placement and ensure: 

• All teaching sessions are recorded on page 3 of the form and signed by the GP Supervisor (s)
• Section 13, page 4 of the form is signed by the student
• The practice delegate completes section 14 of page 4 of the form
• The student gets photocopy of pages 2 to 4 of the form to provide to the university as proof of placement
• The practice retains the original pages or submission to Services Australia 

Introductory clinical placements  

Final Year clinical placements  

Elective, Selective and Specialist Placements  

Bond University, Griffith University, and the Gold Coast Primary Health Network (GCPHN) Clinical Placement Team have been offering clinical placements in general practice to medical students as a core component of their training since 2005.

Feedback has consistently shown that students consider their GP clinical placements to be one of the most enjoyable, useful, and influential experiences of the medical program. These placements are only possible because of the willingness of experienced and enthusiastic general practitioners and their teams.  

We are always interested in meeting new GPs who are interested in becoming educational supervisors and work with each individual clinician and practice to understand their concerns and requirements.  

To join the program and begin hosting students with the GCPHN Clinical Placements program please complete the online form below.

Join the program here

Once our team receives your completed availability form, we will confirm receipt of your interest in hosting students and begin the onboarding process with you.   

To further assist you with hosting students, the clinical placements team and academic leads from Griffith and Bond University provide face to face visits with new and existing practices.  If you would like a us to schedule a visit, please contact our team. 

Useful websites

•  RACGP – Medical students value adding to general practice  
• General Practice Supervision Australia (gpsa.org.au) 
• Academic Titles (griffith.edu.au) 
• Honorary adjunct appointments | Bond University | Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia 

Teaching guides

Teaching payment incentives for hosting medical students

The general practice faculty of Bond and Griffith Universities, in partnership with the GCPHN and GP Training Queensland (GPTQ), hold educational events specifically designed to support GP educational supervisors who host medical students each year.

The events provide excellent networking opportunities, are CPD accredited and are well received by all those that attend.  We strongly recommended that all GPs involved in medical education and who are a part of our program attend at least one of these events each year. 

To find out more about our upcoming GP workshop click here. 

Module 1

Module 2