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Guide: Best practice supervision of medical students in general practice

General practice placements are central to medical students’ clinical learning, professional identity, and career development, with GP supervisors playing a key role in shaping these experiences. The supervisor role is multifaceted, spanning clinical, educational, and personal domains within a respectful educational alliance. This guide outlines the core responsibilities and practical approaches needed to create a safe, effective, and supportive learning environment for students in general practice.

For convenience, you can read through this resource here, or use the pdf tools at the top of the document to download and / or print the file. 

Date reviewed: 05 May 2026

Please note that while reasonable care is taken to provide accurate information at the time of creation, we frequently update content and links as needed. If you identify any inconsistencies or broken links, please let us know by email.

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Guide: The transition to general practice: Supporting new GP/RG registrars

The move from hospital training into community-based general practice is a universal but often difficult transition for registrars, involving shifts in clinical scope, uncertainty, autonomy, and professional identity. These challenges can impact both wellbeing and early performance. This guide outlines practical strategies GP supervisors can use to provide structured support and facilitate a safe, confident transition into practice.

For convenience, you can read through this resource here, or use the pdf tools at the top of the document to download and / or print the file. 

Date reviewed: 19 July 2026

Please note that while reasonable care is taken to provide accurate information at the time of creation, we frequently update content and links as needed. If you identify any inconsistencies or broken links, please let us know by email.

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Teaching Plan: Continuity of care

For convenience, you can read through this resource here, or use the pdf tools at the top of the document to download and / or print the file. 

Date reviewed: 19 July 2026

Please note that while reasonable care is taken to provide accurate information at the time of creation, we frequently update content and links as needed. If you identify any inconsistencies or broken links, please let us know by email.

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Teaching Plan: Complexity in general practice

For convenience, you can read through this resource here, or use the pdf tools at the top of the document to download and / or print the file. 

Date reviewed: 19 July 2026

Please note that while reasonable care is taken to provide accurate information at the time of creation, we frequently update content and links as needed. If you identify any inconsistencies or broken links, please let us know by email.

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Topical Teaching

Saving Supervisors Time with Smart Resources! 

Health Awareness Days

We’ve paired GPSA resources with key health awareness days to help simplify your planning and enhance your teaching sessions with registrars. 

Use these resources to create engaging, topical sessions that cover a wide range of subjects. Whether you’re working with medical students or registrars, these tools will help you deliver relevant, impactful lessons.

Save time on planning and make your teaching more efficient today! Check out our Health Awareness Day resources now! 

Date reviewed: 19 July 2026

Please note that while reasonable care is taken to provide accurate information at the time of creation, we frequently update content and links as needed. If you identify any inconsistencies or broken links, please let us know by email.

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Teaching Plan: Long-acting reversible contraception (LARC)

This teaching plan has been developed to assist GP supervisors in guiding general practice registrars through the essential knowledge and clinical competencies related to Long-Acting Reversible Contraception.

For convenience, you can read through this resource here, or use the pdf tools at the top of the document to download and / or print the file. 

Date reviewed: 19 July 2026

Please note that while reasonable care is taken to provide accurate information at the time of creation, we frequently update content and links as needed. If you identify any inconsistencies or broken links, please let us know by email.

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Teaching Plan: Early Medical Abortion (EMA)

This teaching plan is designed to support GP supervisors in delivering structured, evidence-based education on Early Medical Abortion (EMA) to general practice registrars. EMA is an important aspect of reproductive healthcare, and with the increasing availability of medical abortion services in general practice, it is essential that registrars develop the confidence, knowledge, and skills to provide safe, patient-centered care in this area.

For convenience, you can read through this resource here, or use the pdf tools at the top of the document to download and / or print the file. 

Date reviewed: 19 July 2026

Please note that while reasonable care is taken to provide accurate information at the time of creation, we frequently update content and links as needed. If you identify any inconsistencies or broken links, please let us know by email.

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How to: Support Best Practice Use of AI Scribes

This GPSA resource, How to Support Best Practice Use of AI Scribes, provides a practical framework to guide supervisors and registrars in the safe and effective use of AI-powered clinical documentation tools in general practice. Using an ‘Ask, Assess, Advise’ model, it addresses the opportunities and risks associated with AI scribes, including legal, ethical, and educational considerations.


Date reviewed: 19 July 2026

Please note that while reasonable care is taken to provide accurate information at the time of creation, we frequently update content and links as needed. If you identify any inconsistencies or broken links, please let us know by email.

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FAQ: How to Teach a Procedural Skill

Why is it important to teach procedural skills in general practice?

Procedural skills are an essential part of general practice, particularly in rural and remote settings. Teaching these skills helps maintain a broader scope of care, supports registrar confidence, and ensures patient access to timely procedures.

What is the difference between teaching procedural and other skills?

The major difference between a procedural skill and a communication (or interview) skill is that it is assigned to “muscle memory” and does not require conscious thought except at key steps. Because of this, supervisors often have difficulty identifying how they learnt a procedural skill in order to teach it to others regardless of how expert they are at that particular procedure.

What are the three key stages of learning motor skills?

Fitz and Posner identified three key stages of learning motor skills:

  • Cognitive – when movements are being learnt they are slow and clumsy due to being consciously controlled.
  • Associative stage – some of the movements are automatic and fluid but others require executive oversight and are slow and jerky.
  • Autonomous stage – Fluid, accurate and fast movements.

What is the first step in teaching a procedural skill?

The breakdown of a procedural skill can be achieved by task analysis in which the supervisor:

  • Visualises the procedure
  • Writes down the key steps
    • Motor skills (what the hands do)
    • Cognitive steps (what the mind must consider)
    • Decision-making points (critical judgments or pitfalls)
  • Reconstructs the task and see if anything is missing

This becomes the foundation for teaching, feedback, and assessment.

A competency checklist lists all the key steps and can be used as an assessment tool. For example,

A modified Peytons method can then be applied to the teaching process which is a advance on the “see one, do one teach one” philosophy often used in medicine.

  • Demonstration. This involves the facilitator demonstrating the skill in real time without any explanation or commentary.
  • Deconstruction. The facilitator performs the procedure again, this time breaking in down into sub-steps and explaining each step.
  • Comprehension. In this step, the facilitator asks the participant to explain the procedure to the facilitator and the facilitator performs the procedure following the participants instructions.
  • Performance. In the final step, the participant performs the procedure on their own without coaching or guidance by the facilitator.
  • Error correction – verbal guidance increases cognitive load but it is important that any errors identified in skills are corrected as they occur
  • Incorporate visual aids, simulation, and checklists where appropriate.

Break the skill into small, digestible components. Avoid overloading registrars with too much feedback at once. Focus on one or two key points per session and offer timely, concise feedback.

Use your task analysis to build a competency checklist. This allows you to:

  • Objectively assess performance
  • Identify knowledge gaps
  • Ensure consistency in teaching and evaluation

Registrars should demonstrate conscious competence before unsupervised practice.

Deliberate practice involves intentional, repetitive performance of a task with immediate feedback and supervision. It’s essential for:

  • Consolidating skills into long-term memory
  • Transitioning to unconscious competence
  • Maintaining procedural confidence over time

Plan regular practice sessions, even after initial competence is achieved.

Explore underlying reasons—cultural, emotional, or confidence-based. Create a safe learning environment, provide non-judgmental debriefing, and consider alternative approaches like:

  • Simulation or models
  • Peer discussion or yarning circles
  • Reframing the procedure’s purpose or patient benefit

Ensure registrars understand the importance of:

  • Informed consent (explain risks/benefits, gain genuine agreement)
  • Respectful communication (put the patient at ease)
  • Post-procedure care (follow-up, aftercare instructions, recall systems)

These non-technical skills are as vital as the procedure itself.

Refresh your skills using:

  • Peer review or mentorship
  • Simulation or workshops
  • High-quality procedural videos (YouTube, vetted medical channels)

It’s okay to learn alongside your registrar—and it models good professional behaviour.

Yes. While often associated with surgical or invasive tasks, any procedural or physical skill—from PR exams to wound care or contraceptive insertion—can and should be taught using a structured, stepwise, patient-centred approach.

  • Task analysis worksheets
  • Checklists based on skill steps
  • DOPS (Direct Observation of Procedural Skills) forms
  • Simulation models
  • Visual aids and diagrams
  • Trusted online video tutorials

Remember: You are unconsciously competent. To teach well, slow down, unpack each step, and build the procedure from the ground up. Be the bridge from “not yet” to “I’ve got this.”

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  • Bosse, H. M., Mohr, J., Buss, B., Krautter, M., Weyrich, P., Herzog, W., Jünger, J., & Nikendei, C. (2015). The benefit of repetitive skills training and frequency of expert feedback in the early acquisition of procedural skills. BMC Medical Education, 15(1), 22–22.
  • Burgess, A., van Diggele, C., Roberts, C., & Mellis, C. (2020). Tips for teaching procedural skills. BMC Medical Education, 20(Suppl 2), 458–458.
  • Dreyfus, S. E., & Dreyfus, H. L. (1980). A five-stage model of the mental activities involved in directed skill acquisition. Distribution 22.
  • Ericsson, K. (2008). Deliberate Practice and Acquisition of Expert Performance: A General Overview. Academic Emergency Medicine, 15(11), 988–994.
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    Peyton JWR (1999). The learning cycle. In: Peyton JWR, editor. Teaching and learning in medical practice. Rickmansworth: Manticore Europe Ltd; p. 13–9.
  • Quinn, A., Falvo, L., Ford, T., Kennedy, S., Kaminsky, J., & Messman, A. (2021). Curated collections for educators: Six key papers on teaching procedural skills. AEM Education and Training, 5(4), e10692-n/a.
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    Silver, I., Taber, S., Talbot, M., & Harris, K. A. (2010). Competency-based medical education: theory to practice. Medical Teacher, 32(8), 638–645.
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Date reviewed: 19 July 2026

Please note that while reasonable care is taken to provide accurate information at the time of creation, we frequently update content and links as needed. If you identify any inconsistencies or broken links, please let us know by email.

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Teaching Plan: Child Mental Health and Wellbeing

For convenience, you can read through this resource here, or use the pdf tools at the top of the document to download and / or print the file.

This teaching plan focuses on the topic of child mental health and wellbeing. The plan is designed to support GP registrars in their work with children aged 0-12 and their families and describes a range of evidence-informed strategies and tools.

 

Date reviewed: 19 July 2026

Please note that while reasonable care is taken to provide accurate information at the time of creation, we frequently update content and links as needed. If you identify any inconsistencies or broken links, please let us know by email.

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