Training and Research

Training Overview

The Castle Medical Centre is a 5 partner Practice with around 12,200 patients.

We have trained Medical Students and GP registrars for around 30 years. As a practice we are enthusiastic and committed towards providing first class training for the next generation of general practitioners.

We enjoy our commitment to our patients and in encouraging our learner doctors to have a similar degree of passion and care.

We like having Medical Students and Specialist GP trainees in our practice. Our patients are used to having them in the practice and value their keen attitudes. As experienced GPs, we like to be able to pass our knowledge to them but also learn from them in turn.

If you are interested in training at our practice, please ask to speak to one of the GP partners mentioned above or one of our Practice Managers on 01926 857331.

GP Registrars

GP registrars (or specialist trainees, STRs as they are now called) are looked after by the 2 GP trainers, Dr Spraggett and Dr Stoddart. The practice trained GPs in the old days of summative assessment and has successfully made the transition to the new entry level into General Practice, I.e. The MRCGP, especially understanding the concept of workplace based assessment and the eportfolio which quite a lot of trainees struggle with.

Trainee GPs have their own consulting room, a designated trainer plus shared tutorials. They have a protected learning afternoon each week usually on Fridays.

Medical Students

We have been taking medical students from Warwick Medical School since it's opening in 2003. Prior to that we used to take them from Birmingham Med School.

Dr Appleyard, Dr Stoddart and Dr Atwal are the lead GPs for the medical students, supporting them in their assessments and observing them in their patient consultations.

Research Practice

We're proudly a Research Active Practice.

The practice team are delighted to announce that Castle Medical Centre is a research active practice working with the National Institute for Health Research Clinical Research Network (NIHR-CRN).

We work in close collaboration with a team of GPs, research nurses and facilitators based in Warwick Medical School. If a patient is eligible to join a research study running in our practice, a GP or other healthcare professional will provide written information. Taking part in a research study is voluntary and can be beneficial to patients who participate in them.

Examples of research projects include:

• investigating timing of taking blood pressure medication
• investigating respiratory infections
• management of heart failure
• how to increase physical activity
• ways to help people stop smoking
• the use of self-monitoring of blood pressure

GP Research Leads within the practice are Dr Behura and Dr Crowe.

If you would like to know more about research taking place locally, visit www.warwick.ac.uk/go/pcresearchparticipation