Reflecting on the Implementation of United Kingdom (UK) General Practitioner Training Models in China: Highlights From a Train-the-Trainer Pilot Program.

PURPOSE

The rising number of Chinese general practitioners is placing pressure on the Chinese Health Care system to ensure the quality of training for competent general practitioners (GPs) to meet the significantly increased clinical service demand. To achieve the internationally recognized training standard, this project is collaborating with the most advanced general practitioner training system in UK, which has excellent track record of innovative research for co-designing train-the-trainer program. This program aims to reflect on the effective implementation of innovative training models in the context of Chinese GPs training system, ultimately aiming to improve the trainers' capability in training the future Chinese general practitioners.

METHODS

This study was a cross-sectional survey with an online questionnaire seeking feedback from the GP teachers and trainers who attended the train-the-trainer program featuring co-designed online and offline teaching.

RESULTS

All participants were general practitioners; average age 42.5±5.41 years, including 65% female, 65% consultant general practitioners, 60% general practitioners with PhD, average years of clinical practice being 17.7±6.96, average years of teaching being 6.0±1.41, average hours of teaching weekly being 2.1±0.85, and average number of residents trained being 39.6±51.87. "Webex project (online teaching)" received 70% approval among the participants as "Smart eLearning project (self-online learning and testing)" received 80%. The comparison analysis in demographic and baseline teaching experience between the teacher-dominated group and the student-dominated group found that there were no significant differences in age, gender, professional title, academic qualifications, years of employment, teaching experience, average weekly teaching hours, and the number of residents trained (>0.05). There was significant reduction in the use of "traditional theoretical teaching" after the training (<0.005).

CONCLUSION

The train-the-trainer pilot program has achieved significant outcomes. The changing of teaching philosophy from adult learning perspectives has been highlighted with the progression from a trainer-centered model to a trainee-centered model for training competent general practitioners.