Junior International Committee

The current projects of the education and training group are centred on developing and advocating for global health within the GP curriculum and providing learning opportunities for AiTs and First 5s in global health.

Our recent activities have include:

Global Health Road shows: We have organised a series of educational events in the North West and Mersey, and Vale of Trent Faculty, covering topics such migrant healthcare and fever in the returning traveller.

GP A Global Specialty: One Day Symposium: Organised since 2017 opportunity to network, and attend talks and workshops on global health relevant to general practice.

Training: We run training and workshops at RCGP, WONCA and JIC conferences.

GP Curriculum: We advocate to get global health onto the GP curriculum and are working to get an evidence based value of this, having recently undertaken a survey of GP trainers views on global health teaching.

Leadership and development training package - we are developing this with the aim to get experienced mentors linked to trainees and First 5s working in global health. For more information please contact: educationandtrainingjic@gmail.com

Useful references

Incorporating Global Health and International Experience into Your Career. InnovAiT: The RCGP Journal for Associates in Training August 2012 

International out of programme experience (OOPE): is it worthwhile? Educ Prim Care. September 2013

Time to go global: a consultation on global health competencies for postgraduate doctors. International Health. 2016

The exchange team assists in organising clinical observational placements for UK-based GP trainees and First5 GPs who are RCGP members to observe general practice/family medicine abroad, as well as non-UK based First5 family doctors visiting the UK.

These are:

Erasmus+ exchanges - these are 2-week placements open to UK-based AiTs (all years) and FIRST5s within 1 year CCT who are active members of the RCGP to learn about general practice in another European country. There are currently 9 countries involved. Exchanges from the UK are facilitated with EU funding in the form of Erasmus+ [PDF] grants.

Hippokrates exchanges - these are 1 - 2 week self-funded placements open to all AiTs and all First5s to learn about general practice in another European country.

Conference exchanges - short exchanges where participants spend a minimum of a day in general practice prior to attending the host country's general practice conference. The 2016 international GP exchange appeal has now been launched. To donate please see: international GP exchange appeal

FM360 exchanges - set up in the same way as Hippokrates exchanges but generally last 4 weeks and involve countries beyond Europe. To visit the UK there is currently an 18-month waiting list.

Hosting exchanges - GPs at any career stage can act as hosts for visiting international colleagues. This is a fascinating experience which will strengthen your organisational, communication and leadership skills (whilst being an interesting addition to your CV). In addition, it will make you question your own practice and lead to new improvements and innovations. This can be reflected on in portfolios for training or appraisal.

For more information on all exchanges contact exchangejic@gmail.com. For Erasmus+ specific queries, contact erasmusplus@rcgp.org.uk.

To register your interest in an exchange, please complete this online form.

If you are interested in being a host, please complete this online form.

The JIC research group is particularly keen to develop academic primary care both nationally and internationally. We are involved in the following: 

Annual Junior Researcher Award – this award aims to promote early career GPs and trainees who include research skills with patient carer as a career. The JIC research group are responsible for choosing the UK candidate for this prestigious award on an annual basis. 

Collaborations - We have previously established a ResearchGate group in conjunction with the Vasco Da Gama Movement as a forum to share research backgrounds and ideas. We are also in contact with the Society of Academic Primary Care’s Specialist Interest Group for primary care in resource-poor countries. 

Exchange Surveys – In collaboration with the Exchange team, we have developed a pre- and post-exchange survey for trainees/First5’s who will be experiencing these exchange programmes with the aim of increasing the pool of evidence, which highlights the increasing benefits of exchange programmes for early career GPs. 

Out of Programme Exchange Toolkit – we are in the process of developing an overseas research and audit toolkit for people going on OOPEs. 

Qualitative Study of Exchange Reports – Similar to the exchange surveys and wishing to increase the pool of evidence in support of exchange programmes, we are in the process of analysing post-exchange reports with the aim of identifying common themes amongst those who have been on exchange programmes. 

Research Group Mailing List – We aim to disseminate news of research opportunities from abroad to trainees and First5s who are part of this mailing list. 

We continue to welcome ideas, collaborations and general enquiries from trainees and First5s with similar interests. Please contact: researchgroupjic@gmail.com

For a list of JIC publications please see here.

The Beyond Europe group is a dynamic facet of the JIC that places great value in the benefits of global collaborations and international networks. Current projects include:

Bwindi Community Hospital in Uganda – each year we place a GP and AiT to this rural hospital in a sustainable project set up with the RCGP. The aim is to provide an innovative volunteer opportunity, which incorporates elements of service provision, teaching, quality and improvement and research, with its foundations in an African hospital, which is well known for its focus on primary care. Find more information about the Bwindi Community Hospital, Uganda, volunteer recruitment programme and other international opportunities. 

Research into the value and logistics of international medical work. 

International exchanges – there have been several successful exchanges to Japan. Most recently in 2017 a group of UK members undertook GP exchanges to Japan to shadow a family medicine doctor and attend their primary care annual conference.

Read the reports from their time in Japan: 

Dr Hideki Tsunoda [PDF]

Dr Keita Kondo [PDF]

Dr Ken Watanabe [PDF]

Twinning – we are currently developing twinning projects between practices in the UK with primary care facilities beyond Europe to give health workers in both settings a chance to share experiences and help each other in an equal and equitable way. Find details of our latest twinning project between the UK and Ghana on our Facebook page.

Building links – we work to build stronger links between the RCGP and other international organisations (including MSF). 

Online resource – we are working to create an online resource of international experiences and information for GP trainees and GPs hoping to work abroad.

If you would like information on any of our projects or want to help and get involved, please contact: beyondeuropejic@gmail.com

Useful links

Partnering with Japan: the power of international exchange. InnovAiT: The RCGP Journal for Associates in Training. 18 February 2014.

The image team is mainly involved in trying to promote the JICs activities and support the other groups to advertise and provide information about their projects. Our current activities include

Website: A good resource point to find out about the JIC, how to get involved and global health opportunities and information.

Social Media: Join our Google Group, Facebook and twitter groups to hear more.

RCGP Annual conference: An excellent quality conference with International sessions. We hope to meet you at the conference to build networks, discuss global health work and share common interests.

WONCA Europe Conferences: Come with the JIC team to learn about and meet European family medicine doctors.

If you need further information or want to get involved please contact: imagegroupjic@gmail.com

Useful Links

AiT Starter Guide

Facebook 

Google Group