Student Development Fund

In order to achieve our aim we must support and empower our members who are responsible for the delivery of so much fantastic student engagement activity. With time and dedication, we will ensure your donation and support will go an incredibly long way to enabling the College to support the GPs of tomorrow, through enhancing access to educational and careers-related opportunities in general practice. 

In recent times GP Societies have evolved considerably and now exist in 30 medical schools in the UK. The College has in excess of 1,000 students across the UK engaging with their local GPSoc.

The RCGP is working to mobilise these student groups and support the creation of vibrant and engaging student-led networks, campaigns, events and activities.

The Student Development Fund will enable us to do this, benefiting medical students and GP Societies alike.

With funds we raise we will support students and invite applications for funding from GP societies, and those who aspire to become a GPs. We want to nurture those aspirations until they can become a reality, providing the best insight and start to life as a GP.

Students have the ability to shape the future of both general practice and psychiatry, especially at a time when both medical professions face significant challenges. More than ever we need to promote both specialities as future careers, encouraging all students, of all forms, to choose an exciting and rewarding career.

Our ability to inspire the GPs of tomorrow will be determined by our ability to successfully nurture positive student dispositions towards both general practice and the RCGP.

Recent research carried out by the Royal College of Psychiatrists into the attitudes towards  specialisms within medical school, discovered that both psychiatry and general practice suffer from the most severe stigma and badmouthing of all those in question. Students from 13 medical schools ranked medical specialties according to the level of badmouthing, and answered questions on their experience of specialty bashing. Psychiatry and general practice attracted the greatest number of negative comments, which were made by academic staff, doctors and students. 

Not only is such negativity impacting upon the attitudes, behaviours and perceptions of students towards such medical careers, it has been found to directly impact their career choices, 27% of students change their career choice as a direct result of bashing and a further 25.5% stated they were more likely to change their specialty choice.

As a result of the RCPysch’s research both Royal Colleges have come together to discuss how best they can collaborate to combat such profession denigration. Our work isn’t about censorship, there is nothing worse than creating a learning environment where people are afraid to speak their mind. We wish to create the ideal educational environment in which students can learn and practice without bias and prejudice, with the opportunity to approach and experience all medical specialties with an open mind and the ability to make informed and educated career decisions that are in their best interests. 

“The surge in the number of GP Society conferences over the past six months is a sure sign of progress in the promotion of general practice within universities and a real tribute to the RCGP's hard work in supporting these societies. Facilitating collaboration between GP Societies in the coming years will help to create a powerful and inspired student network across the UK.” Alice James, University of Bristol, GP Soc. President 2015/16.

RCGP's newly created Student Engagement Strategy aims to inspire future leaders of general practice; to attract, engage and educate our future workforce. Collaboration is key if we are to raise the profile and future vision of general practice and this is where the support and generosity of our members comes in.