The GP Survival Kit: an educational tool to support trainees during the transition from hospital to community-based training.

Abstract

The transition from hospital-based training to community general practice is a challenging period for GP trainees, characterised by clinical uncertainty, increased responsibility, and a high emotional and cognitive load. There is limited literature describing practical educational tools designed specifically to support trainees during this transition. This paper describes the development, educational rationale, pilot implementation and potential applications of the GP Survival Kit. The GP survival kit is a box containing 13 everyday items, each symbolising a core concept relevant to safe and effective general practice, including safety-netting, help-seeking, self-care, diagnostic pause and boundary setting. The kit is accompanied by a facilitator guide with structured prompts to support reflective discussion. Grounded in experiential learning theory, the kit uses metaphor and tactile objects to make tacit aspects of general practice more explicit and teachable. The kit was designed for use either one-on-one between trainer and trainee, or in facilitated small-group sessions. Trainees select items from the box and discuss their meaning and relevance in a conversational and learner-centred format. The intention is to promote reflection and psychological safety. The kit was introduced during a GP trainer professional development programme across six sites in Victoria, Australia. Trainers reported high perceived usefulness and strong intention to use the resource in orientation and supervision. In conclusion, the GP Survival Kit is a practical, low-resource educational tool that may support trainee preparedness, reflective practice and psychological wellbeing during transition to community-based training.