Training Practice

We are proud to be an accredited Training Practice. This means that we have expanded our team to include Doctors who are already experienced clinicians, who have now decided to specialise in General Practice.

Dr Geoff Spencer, Dr Edward Bond, Dr Nicola Relph and Dr Sarah Ansell are trainers , but all our staff are involved in some way in shaping GPs of the future. 

The Medical Centre is a training practice. Fully qualified Doctors (known as GP Registrars) and occasionally medical students spend a period of time here gaining experience in general practice. You may be offered an appointment with them or occasionally the GP Registrar may sit in with your own Doctor. Video consultations may be used for training purposes. You may be asked to sign a consent form to agree to usage of the video in a teaching tutorial. If you would prefer to see your own Doctor in private, please say so. It will not cause offence.

  • We are very proud of our success in training tomorrow’s GPs

  • All of our GPs teach medical students

  • Drs Bond, Relph and Clarke have advanced qualifications in the education of GPs-to-be

  • We are lucky to attract high calibre students and doctors who wish to learn about being a GP by spending time at the surgery

What does a training practice mean for you?

  • You may be asked if you are willing to be seen by a student

  • The student will introduce themselves and ask to discuss your medical problems, this will be confidential

  • The student will discuss their findings with your GP, who supervises/checks every student consultation

  • Many people enjoy seeing students – typical remarks are “everybody’s got to learn” and “they were very thorough and had more time to spend with me”

  • ​You may refuse to see a student at any time, you do not have to give a reason, your care will not be affected in any way

  • Bideford Medical Centre, its medical students and the Peninsula Medical School appreciate your contribution to the education of these future doctors

  • Medical students learn a great many lessons from seeing patients themselves, your time with them helps shape confident, competent and understanding doctors of tomorrow

What is a GP Registrar?

  • A GP Registrar is a fully qualified doctor who has been working in hospital medicine and is now in general practice to be trained as a GP

  • They are able to see and examine and treat patients in exactly the same way as a GP