Weekly Teaching Sessions

All trainees participate in mandatory weekly teaching sessions designed to guide them through a range of clinical topics from a deprivation-focused perspective. Our approach emphasizes a comprehensive, patient-centered method, encouraging trainees to consider the full scope of each patient’s needs, not just the immediate conditions presented.

Each session is led by expert guest speakers who share essential knowledge, practical skills, and coping strategies to support a sustainable career in deprived medicine.

Below are examples of previous session topics, along with an interview with our graduate, Dr. Clare Reeder, sharing her experiences with the teaching sessions

Homelessness

LGBTQ+

Psychological medicine

Substance misuse

At the end of each term, Trainees are also given the opportunity to suggest other topics for the following year that they wish to learn and explore.

Wellbeing sessions

We offer two wellbeing sessions per year to help trainees develop effective stress management techniques and build emotional resilience in their work. These sessions are intentionally unconventional, creating a safe space for trainees to decompress and focus on their wellbeing outside the usual work setting. Below are some examples of past wellbeing sessions.

Wellbeing Day - Edale, June 2024

This Wellbeing Day workshop was designed to help trainees develop new techniques and build a toolkit to help them look after themselves.

The workshop was led by Andy Freeman, Founder and Director of Space to Breathe CIC.

Narrative Therapy Workshop, March 2024

This workshop, led by Clinical Psychologist Jen Davies, focused on Narrative Therapy. It was an introduction to what the approach looks like and engaged GPs in discussions about how they could apply it in their work. The trainees did a practical exercise as well, using various creative materials to create their own Tree of Life.

Theatre of the Oppressed Workshop, April 2024

The Theatre of the Oppressed uses the art of theatre to explore scenarios of oppression and how to handle them. This session also explores the idea that often where GPs feel like they cannot act, they actually can.

This workshop was held at North West Theatre Arts Company and led by Dr Austin O'Carroll, GP and Founder of North Dublin City GP Training.

Wellbeing Day - Kettleshulme Village Hall, June 2023

This wellbeing workshop focused on the benefits of singing and breathwork, helping trainees to find and explore their inner voice and develop skills they can use in their day-to-day practice, to help them destress and take better care of themselves. The event was held at Kettleshulme Village Hall, and led by Carmel Murphy-Elliott, Penny Vincent, and Tony Jones.

Watch the video to get an inside scope of the day!

Wellbeing Day - The Edge Theatre & Arts Centre, December 2022

Thank you to performance poet Harry Baker for joining us for this wellbeing session and sharing some of his inspirational pieces. This poetry workshop is aimed to help trainees develop their creative thought, which is important in many aspects of primary care. The event was held at The Edge Theatre & Arts Centre, and led by Dr Andy Elliott.

Watch the video to see the highlights of the day!

Wellbeing Day - Hulme Garden Community Centre, September 2021

A massive thank you to Carmel Murphy-Elliott who organised and led a wonderful event for the trainees' wellbeing session. Held at Hulme's Garden Community centre, our trainees were shown the '5 aspects of wellbeing'. A system that provides the tools and strategies to prevent burnout (while also mindfully acknowledging the signs of burnout before it happens).