Reflections on the integration of virtual GP tutorials to the medical undergraduate curriculum at Glasgow

Abstract

Virtual tutorials were introduced into the Year 3 medical undergraduate curriculum at Glasgow in 2020/21. This model of teaching proved highly successful from tutor and student perspective. A hybrid teaching model, comprising virtual tutorial teaching alongside placement time will be implemented this year. Virtual (videoed) GP patient cases are selected for tutorials each week, linked to other curriculum content in Year 3. Pedagogically, this aligns pathological and clinical learning for our students and enables some consistency of taught GP content. Concomitant clinical placement time complements this learning with actual patient cases. Communication and consultation techniques considered in the virtual tutorials with facilitated tutor discussion are practised on GP placement days, encapsulating the essence of experiential learning. Challenging or unusual patient cases can be selected for teaching from the virtual case repertoire. This provides uniform exposure to clinically important aspects of general practice, and simultaneously enables an increased diversity of patient cases for our students. Logistical advantages of virtual tutorial delivery include its appeal to a different demographic of GP tutor, enabling us to diversify and expand our teaching team. Remote tutorial delivery offers a futureproof adjunct to the traditional practice-based GP teaching models.