Reimagining grand rounds for general practice: developing and delivering a student-co-produced primary care seminar series.

Abstract

What was the educational challenge?: Primary care remains under-represented in undergraduate curricula, and academic general practice has limited visibility. Traditional educational forums such as 'Grand Rounds' rarely focus on general practice, reducing opportunities for students to explore the breadth, intellectual challenge, and diversity of contemporary GP careers.

What was the educational solution?: We developed an online primary care seminar series explicitly modelled on the 'Grand Round' format, but updated for a temporally and geographically flexible, learner-centred audience. Crucially, the series was co-produced with students and featured GPs and academic GPs presenting narrative-based accounts of innovative and evolving areas of primary care. Sessions were delivered live and made available asynchronously.

What lessons were learned?: Survey and focus group feedback indicated that participants valued exposure to unfamiliar aspects of primary care, speakers' personal career narratives, and insight into portfolio and academic careers. The online format supported accessibility and broad participation, although some participants expressed a desire for greater interactivity.

What are the next steps?: Future iterations will refine opportunities for interaction, broaden topic coverage, and continue evaluation. Longer-term impacts on career decisions were not measured and represent a gap for future work.