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GP Registrars and F2 Doctors

 

GP Speciality Trainees (GPSTs)

After completing their two Foundation Years post-medical school, doctors choose their career path. Those opting for General Practice apply through a national selection process to secure a GP training position with Health Education England (HEE).

 

These training programmes consist of hospital and general practice placements. Typically, doctors spend 12 to 18 months in hospital settings and 18 to 24 months in General Practice. The training years are referred to as General Practice Speciality Training 1 (GPST1), GPST2, and GPST3. The general term used to describe trainees in these programmes is "GP Registrar," covering GPST1, GPST2, and GPST3 levels.

General Practice placements occur at various stages of the programme, but the final year (GPST3) is always a full year in General Practice at a single surgery.

GPSTs at Widcombe Surgery

At Widcombe Surgery, GP Registrars have chosen General Practice as their career path and are in different stages of their three-year training programme. They work under the supervision of our experienced GPs, who provide guidance and support in clinical care. Each GPST also has an Educational Supervisor (ES), a qualified educator responsible for their training progress, mentorship, and assessments.

To progress in their training, GPSTs must demonstrate competency in various areas of medical practice. Their ES regularly assesses them, sometimes by observing consultations or reviewing recorded sessions (with patient consent). These recordings are strictly confidential and used solely for assessment purposes.

To qualify as a General Practitioner, GPSTs must complete the Membership of the Royal College of General Practitioners (MRCGP) assessments. These include workplace-based assessments, an applied knowledge exam, and a clinical and communication skills assessment in a simulated surgery setting. In this final test, GPST3s conduct a full surgery with actor-patients while Royal College examiners assess their performance.

So, if you meet a GP trainee at Widcombe Surgery, they are fully registered doctors on their journey to becoming fully qualified GPs. Feel free to ask about their training experience—they will appreciate your interest!

 

F2 Doctors

Widcombe provides placements for doctors undertaking their Foundation Training Programme, but what exactly is a Foundation Year 2 (F2) Trainee?

  • When a doctor completes medical school, they embark on a two year foundation training programme. They are a qualified doctor, but only have a provisional registration with the General Medical Council.
  • During the first year (F1) they gain 12 months clinical experience as a doctor in a hospital setting where they undertake 3 different placements, for example in general medicine, surgery or mental health.
  • Doctors who successfully completed the F1 are granted full registration with the GMC and move automatically into Foundation Year 2 (F2).
    F2 consists of a further 3 placements – one of which is with a GP surgery, where they gain experience of primary care, under the close supervision of an experienced GP.
  • On successful completion of F2 the doctor is able to apply for speciality training programmes, to pursue a chosen career path – like General Practice.
  • So the F2 you may encounter in Widcombe will have been qualified for more than a year, but less than two and be on a four month placement with the surgery, working under the close supervision of one of the regular GPs.
    The length of slots tend to be longer to allow them time to come ask for advice, seek clarifications or indeed check on the appropriate procedure to conduct a task in the community setting.