Training Practice

The School of Medicine, Health Policy and practice at the University of East Anglia opened its doors to medical students for the first time in September 2002. Dr Tom Fry and Dr Simon Vavasour are the main practice clinical tutor, responsible for a group of approximately ten students who will visit us once a week during university term time. We teach Year 1 and Year 5 under-graduate students.

Why are we at Attleborough Surgeries involved?

We are enthusiastic about the task of teaching the next generation of doctors. We feel that teaching increases standards and produces a higher quality service for everyone.

What will be happening?

The learning experience at the UEA is very different. Students come to practices like ours from the very beginning. Each week the students will be given a series of ‘learning aims’ around one topic. As well as learning about the theory and science at the university they will come to the surgery for one day to learn about the relevance of that topic in the community. During this time it is also intended that they will learn how to speak to patients, how illness affects people and how primary care organises itself to provide the services we need.

We would like you to be involved

We may ask for your participation in some of the learning activities we organise for our students. This may take several forms. For example:

  • A man may be asked to come to the surgery to discuss with two students last year’s heart attack and how this may have changed his life.
  • A mother may be asked if two students can visit her at home to discuss the effect of her 5 year old child’s hearing problem on his schooling and what help you may have had from people like the ENT clinic and the health visitor.
  • A young woman may see the nurse for her tetanus booster and be asked if she minds if two students watch how the injection is done and how the nurse records the procedure on the computer.

Please note that all involvement with teaching is voluntary. If you are asked to join in but do not wish to take part your decision will be respected and will not affect your care at the surgery in any way.