Year 5

In Year 5 students undertake a 9 week block placement in primary care. They will have completed finals at the end of Year 4 and will have just returned from an 8 week elective. It is an apprentice style placement as part of  their Preparing for Professional Practice (PPP) course which also includes 9 weeks of both ward based care and acute and critical care. The main focus of the  primary care placement is on the student consulting with patients independently and practising decision making.

Aim of the Placement

To prepare students for working as an F1 doctor by learning in the Primary Care setting.

How the placement works

Students will come in pairs for a 9 week block. They will be out of practice every Wednesday for small group teaching. There are no prescribed teaching themes and the placement can be designed flexibly to meet the individual students’ learning needs. The students will need to be timetabled for 6 sessions in practice. This can be done flexibly over 3 or 4 days. We suggest a minimum of 5 student-led surgeries and one joint surgery each week. The students will also undertake a small project for the practice.

Example timetable for 3 day working week (6 scheduled sessions)

Example timetable for 4 day working week (6 scheduled sessions)

Student led Surgery

Students have their own list and consult in pairs or alone followed by a senior review after each patient.

Joint Surgery

Students consult individually with direct observation and feedback from student colleague and supervisor.  This is also protected time to complete assessments, discuss complex cases and review placement progress.

Assessment

The students need to demonstrate satisfactory attendance and engagement with the placement. The students will also need to complete at least two satisfactory Mini-Cex examinations (observed consultation to the level of an F1 doctor) and two satisfactory case based discussions (except in Block C where they only need to do one Mini-Cex and one CBD due to the earlier sign off date). They will also need to complete their clinical skills handbook and entrustable professional activities (EPAs).

Project

The students will have a minimum of two timetabled hours a week during the lunchtime break to plan and deliver a community based project. They will have a handbook and some central teaching from the university to support this. It would be worth having a couple of ideas of potential projects to discuss with the students on their first day.

Year 5 Teaching Dates

Teaching dates for the current academic year can be found in our CAPC Teaching Brochure 2025/26.

GP5 Frequently asked questions

How many students?

We would like you to take one pair of students per stream.

Will students need their own room?

Yes, we would suggest that  students consult independently in pairs or alone at least 5 sessions a week. We would expect them to have their own list  of patients  to consult prior to a senior  review.

Can more than one GP deliver the teaching?

One GP needs to take responsibility, oversee the teaching and provide continuity. Other GPs and allied health professionals can contribute to teaching. It is hoped that all team members will welcome the students and help to facilitate their learning.

What if I’m away during the 9 weeks?

We appreciate you will have annual leave. Please arrange for a colleague to organise and supervise the students when you are away.

Can I change the timings of the day?

You can arrange this with the students. We appreciate that a standard GP day is longer than an average working day. We are happy for students to start later and finish earlier on some days as long as they complete the minimum number of student led and joint surgeries. 

Who do I contact if I still have queries?

Please contact the Primary Care teaching team: phc-teaching@bristol.ac.uk 

Cluster Based Teaching 

Each week the students attend a "Cluster Based Teaching" session, similar to that done in postgraduate teaching.

Groups of 4-8 students from local practices meet centrally in their academy for one session each week.  This is be facilitated by a GP tutor. The aim of this session would be to give each student an opportunity to learn how different practices work, meet up and discuss issues that have arisen, and be able to share knowledge and experience within the group.‌

Useful links for Year 5 GP Teachers

Contacts