The RCGP Vale of Trent Faculty has created an innovative way to solve the GP recruitment crisis: GP job speed dating.
They invited 60 final year GP trainees and First5 GPs to meet with GPs and other representatives from 24 GP practices in the East Midlands at a ‘speed dating’ event.
Trainees talked to every practice for three minutes, to give them a flavour of what it would be like to work there, to try and keep them in the region after they finish training.
Writing on his blog, one of the organisers Dr Andrew Foster said: ‘Trainees can have fixed ideas about the location and type of practice where they want to work. But, this can lead them to overlook great jobs with fantastic teams in unexpected or offbeat places.
‘New GPs were able to meet practices from places they might not have naturally considered working. Practices were given an opportunity to be able to “sell” their teams and areas to a wide audience of potential recruits.’
According to Dr Foster’s blog, feedback from the event was positive and it has led to some ‘second dates’ and even some jobs offers.
You can read Dr Foster’s full piece here
