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Become a GP Placement Tutor

Host University of Sunderland medical students in your General Practice. Help to shape the practitioners of the future. Find out how to get involved.

“Students are the future of medicine and the future of our profession.”

Professor Helen Stokes-Lampard, RCGP Chair (2016–19)

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Course structure

Students have placements in primary care in each year of study; this is an excellent setting for them to consolidate and build their skills while seeing a rich breadth of clinical presentations. Patients do not need to be pre-arranged, as they should be people who have requested a GP appointment, and are happy and consent to see a student first.

Sunderland medical students have a great deal of early simulated communication skills training on campus, so they are ready to lead consultations with real patients from January of Year 1. To further support our students’ interactions with patients and colleagues, we place a strong emphasis on developing their professionalism, aligned with GMC standards.

During the first placement half day, we suggest that the GP tutor hot-seats with each student to support mutual confidence in the process, and help understand more about individual student learning needs. Thereafter, our students should have a booked surgery where they can practice their consultation skills and activate their clinical reasoning; we ask that our students not just observe a clinician. Supportive feedback helps the students to identify their strengths and areas for improvement, and to develop as reflective practitioners.

In Years 1 and 2, depending on preferences and room availability, the GP tutor can observe the students or leave them to consult on their own to give them some practice in presenting clinical information. In both cases, the GP tutor will complete the consultation, gathering enough information to safely support patient management. From Year 3, students practice in parallel surgeries, with the GP tutor remaining responsible for patient care.

Year 1

Up to three students will spend six half days or three full days in the same practice between the third week of January and the end of March. The timetable is six Wednesday mornings/three full Wednesdays. Students will take turns leading a consultation, followed by observing the tutor completing the consultation. Tutors will give feedback to the student and discuss interesting aspects of the clinical presentation.

By the start of year 1 placements, students have undergone training in core communication skills, including regular role play for each student to practice gathering information and developing their consultation skills using fictional scenarios.  They also receive mental health awareness training.

GP practices who have capacity and two available tutors can offer to take two groups of up to three students. Remuneration is per student per session.

Year 2

Up to three students will spend eight half days or four full days in the same practice between October and March. These are timetabled on Wednesday mornings or full day Wednesdays. Students will be attached to a different practice from the one they visited in year 1. On campus, they will learn how to examine each body system and how to include more questions in the history relating to body systems.

GP practices that have capacity and two available tutors can offer to take two groups of up to three students in the same allocation period. Remuneration is per student per session.

Sessions are timetabled with Year 1 and Year 2 students visiting in different weeks, so that practices can host both year groups if they wish.

Year 3

Consolidating Clinical Skills

The GP placement is for four weeks in one of seven blocks between September and May. Students will attend in pairs, for seven sessions a week from Monday to Thursday, with Wednesday afternoons as free time. One of these sessions can be with another member of the primary health care team. They will have campus-based teaching on Fridays, delivered by the University’s clinical teaching team.

Year 4

Developing Consultation Skills

The GP placement takes place in four-week blocks in nine rotations between September and June. Students will attend in pairs, for seven sessions a week from Tuesday to Friday. One of these sessions can be with another member of the primary health care team.  They will have a tutorial each week on Mondays, delivered by a member of the University’s clinical teaching team.

In Year 4, Sunderland students will sit the Applied Knowledge Test (AKT), the written component of the GMC’s Medical Licensing Exam (MLA).  All UK medical students will need to pass the two components of the MLA to register as a doctor with the GMC.

Year 5

GP Assistantship

The GP placement takes place in ten-week blocks in three rotations between late August and April. Students will attend eight sessions a week from Monday to Thursday, and have a tutorial on Friday delivered by the University's clinical teaching team. The aim is to immerse students in General Practice, to help prepare them for being foundation doctors. 

We anticipate that students will be responsible for their patients (under supervision from their GP Tutor) and make a positive contribution to the practice by conducting reliable clinical assessments of patients and taking on work such as arranging referrals, investigations, and reviewing results and correspondence. One of the weekly sessions could include working with other members of the primary care team.

At the end of Year 5, Sunderland students will take the second part of the GMC’s MLA, the Clinical and Professional Skills Assessment (CPSA), which is a performance-based assessment of clinical and procedural skills, knowledge and behaviours. The CPSA exam will be organised by the University and does not involve additional work for GP placement tutors.

Overview of GP placement timings

The timings for GP placements by year group are:

Year 1 – students will attend between January to March for six half days or three full days on Wednesdays
Year 2 – students will attend between October to March for eight half days or four full days on Wednesdays
Year 3 – students will attend from September to May for a four-week block. Practices may take students for up to seven four-week blocks
Year 4 – students will attend from September to June for a four-week block. Practices may take students for up to nine four-week blocks
Year 5 – students will attend from late August to April for a ten-week block. Practices may take students for up to three ten-week blocks

All students are on leave for at least two weeks over the Christmas and Easter periods, so practices do not need to provide placements during these times.

Frequently Asked Questions

I would like to host medical students, however, I don't think I can commit to the number of sessions required. What can I do?

Any availability would be welcomed, as some is better than none. We can offer split placements across PCN groups or geographically close practices for students to fill their clinical sessions, and this may even give them a broader experience of primary care. We have a shared placement agreement and example timetable – please contact us to discuss if this is something that would work for your practice/group.

Who else can supervise the students while they are on placement?

Like with clinical practice, it is not possible to do everything by yourself. Students can be supervised by any other qualified doctor, including: GP Registrars, Foundation Year 2 Doctors (with appropriate supervision), and even locum GPs who are interested in teaching. They can spend one session a week with other healthcare professionals such as nurse practitioners, practice nurses, and clinical pharmacists.

Our practice is quite far away from Sunderland, how will the students get to us?

Practices throughout the region can host our students.

Phase 2 (Year 3–4) and Phase 3 (Year 5) students can claim reimbursement from the University for travel costs and overnight accommodation if needed.

Phase 1 (Year 1–2) students are not directly reimbursed for travel or accommodation. If your practice is more than an hour's commute from the University using public transport, we ask that you offer full-day placements rather than half-day placements.

Some of our doctors work in other community settings like nursing homes and do extended access sessions, can this form one of the student sessions?

Absolutely. Students can spend up to one session a week experiencing primary care in a non-traditional setting like a nursing home or urgent care centre. This can be an eye-opener for students and can show them the true breadth of primary care. Students in Years 3–5 can also participate in MDT meetings, specialist clinics such as contraception or minor surgery, and get involved in all elements of the life of the practice.

Benefits

There are many benefits of becoming a GP Placement Tutor, including:

Becoming involved with shaping the future of general practice. 81% of students reported that GPs on placement had influenced their perceptions of general practice (Destination GP, Royal College of General Practitioners, 2017)
Developing your teaching skills and improving your own knowledge, as well as your students
We provide training for all our GP Placement Tutors with three events annually, both in person and online
Diversifying your working week. Getting involved with teaching offers you something different from your usual clinical work
The opportunity to network with other GPs, such as other primary and secondary care tutors, at our annual training events
The chance to showcase your surgery. Hosting medical students can be an attractive driver for future recruits
Provide better patient experience, as many patients enjoy interacting with medical students and appreciate the extra time they have talking to someone

young doctor working on a laptop wearing a white coat and stethoscope

Remuneration

Remuneration is set by Health Education England and is broadly the same across medical schools. For 2025/26 placements:

Year 1 is based on six sessions of three students, at £107 per student per session, totalling £1,926 per rotation
Year 2 is based on eight sessions of three students, at £107 per student per session, totalling £2,568 per rotation
Year 3 is based on one pair of students, seven sessions a week, at £100 per student per session, for 4 weeks, totalling £5,600 per rotation, up to three rotations a year, available from May to July
Year 3 may also be available as two pairs of students, each pair doing four sessions a week over four weeks, at £100 per student per session, totalling £6,400 per rotation, up to three rotations a year available from May to July
Year 4 is based on one pair of students, seven sessions a week, at £100 per student per session, for four weeks, totalling £5,600 per rotation, up to nine rotations a year available from September to June
Year 5 is based on one student, eight sessions a week, for ten weeks, at £100 per student per session, totalling £8,000 per rotation, with three rotations a year available from September to April

A close up of a General Practitioner stamping paperwork and holding a pen

Testimonial

Here is a testimonial from Dr Kathryn Hodges from Sacriston Surgery, on the experience of hosting Year 1 and Year 2 Sunderland students.

What is it like being a GP Tutor hosting Sunderland medical students?

"It was really enjoyable to be a GP tutor, as the Sunderland students are largely very enthusiastic and enjoy the early clinical experience. Their early focus on communication skills means that they are better than expected at speaking to patients, and the patients enjoy speaking to them, especially as presenting with problems where they actually need an appointment. This real-world experience gives the students a much better idea of what actually happens in general practice."

What are the benefits to your practice of having medical students?

"Having medical students really keeps you up to date and makes you think about things that you haven't considered for years. By seeing patients who are calling in for appointments, the practice gains appointments with the students, and the patients appreciate the extra time and explanation."

What do you enjoy most about hosting our students?

"It is nice to slow down and to have the time to really go into depth about why a patient has come, as well as explore and expand the students' knowledge."

Do you feel well prepared to host Sunderland medical students?

"Very well supported by the GP team. It may be helpful to give student dates earlier in advance to allow planning, but I appreciate that this is not always possible."

Contact us

If you are interested in hosting some of our medical students, please fill out the application survey. It will just take a few minutes and a member of the medical placements team will get back in touch with you within five working days.

If you have any further questions, please get in touch with medical.placements@sunderland.ac.uk.