Community-Based Medical Education (CBME)

Early Clinical Experience (ECE)

ECE visits provide a ‘taster’ of GP and community work. They enable students to experience why patients might come to the GP, observe a GP consult, gather information from a patient under the GP tutor/supervisors’ supervision and take part in patient examinations under direct supervision.

The visit is made by a pair of students and lasts for six hours, which makes them particularly suitable for tutors unable to have students for longer placements.

These visits are a fantastic opportunity to show students real life outside the simulated environments they learn in during Years 1 & 2.

Some students will not have considered a career in general practice and meeting enthusiastic role models so early in their student journey can make a real impact on their ideas about their future speciality choice. Therefore, by taking on ECE students you would be acting as a GP role model to your students.

What the visits involve

On the day of the ECE visit, you will ensure the students are expected by the reception staff and that they have an induction at the start of the visit. The induction can be conducted by the practice manager or another member of your team.

We expect students to spend at least half of their session with a GP observing the GP consult, while taking an active part in the consultation. There should be an opportunity for the student pair to speak with a patient and take a history (or part of a history) from a patient to seek to understand patients’ ideas, concerns and expectations, and how the GP seeks to address these. This could be with you in your consultation room or in a separate room with time for debrief. Any examinations, must always be under direct supervision of a GP.

ECE also provides other members of the practice team such as practice nurses, ANPs, foundation doctors and GP trainees with an opportunity to get involved in teaching, so students can spend a small part of their day with them seeing patients. 

A debrief of the ECE visit, with the GP supervisor, is paramount to help students contextualise their experience in a General Practice setting and must occur before students leave the practice at the end of their visit.

Support for GPs

PRiME (Professionals in Medical Education) training events run throughout the year. Visit the Staff Development page for more information.

Ongoing support is also available from the CBME team. Each teaching practice/PCN is allocated a named Link Lecturer whose details you can find on the Contact information for your area page.

“I observed urgent appointments with the GP, which really enhanced my learning experience, as I saw a wide variety of illnesses and concerns. The GP made a lot of effort to ensure I had the opportunity to speak about ideas, concerns and expectations with patients.”
MBChB student

Dates for 2024-25

Year 1 – Jan – May 2025

Year 2 – Sept – Dec 2024

Payment

You will receive £272 per pair of students per 6 hour visit.

Contact us

Get in touch to sign up or ask a question:

ECE Administrator Email: years1-2CBME@manchester.ac.uk

Dr Shehleen Arbab Khan – Lead for ECE – shehleen.khan@manchester.ac.uk

Dr Omodunni Atalabi – Deputy Lead for ECE –  omodunni.atalabi@manchester.ac.uk