Junior International Committee

We provide GP/family doctor trainees and recently qualified GP/family doctors within 5 years:

• Knowledge and skills necessary to work in global primary care settings.
• Gain perspective on major global primary care challenges.
• Explore career opportunities in global primary care.

For more information about our activities contact: educationjic@rcgp.org.uk

We raise awareness about global primary care research and support building research capacity to meet current and future global primary care challenges.

We welcome discussion, collaborations and general enquiries. Please email researchjic@rcgp.org.uk.

We support opportunities for collaborative primary care exchanges globally.

For UK GP trainees and recently qualified GPs within 5 years:

Hippokrates exchanges: 1–2-week self-funded placements to learn about general practice/family medicine in another European country.

FM360 exchanges: Up to 4 weeks in a country outside of Europe.

Conference exchanges: 1–2-day exchanges where participants spend time in general practice/family medicine prior to attending the host country's general practice/family medicine conference.

Non-UK based GP/family medicine trainees and GP/family doctors can email the exchanges team to enquire about spending time in a UK GP surgery/clinic.

For more information on all exchanges contact exchangejic@rcgp.org.uk

We develop and maintain collaborations for training and research with organisations globally.

Partner with us

Are you interested in partnering with the RCGP Junior International Committee? Reach out to: globalpartnerjic@rcgp.org.uk.

Project Lead

Dr Ryu Kitaoka

About the Dr Kaizen Project

The Dr Kaizen Project is a collaborative quality improvement project between 3 UK GP trainees/First5s and their Japanese counterparts.

The project will last for 18 months from April 2023 to October 2024. 3 early career GPs from the UK will be paired with 3 Japanese equivalents forming 3 teams. Teams will be supervised by a Japanese and British volunteer mentor who will provide academic and pastoral support.

Each team will select a quality improvement project that is both important and relevant to UK and Japanese primary care. Example topics include Chronic care management in a digital age, telehealth after the Covid-19 pandemic and improving GP wellbeing. The first phase of the project will be conducted virtually, and progress will be monitored in an online meeting once every 2 months.

Upon completion of participants’ quality improvement projects, participants are given the opportunity to present their work by submitting abstracts to the RCGP and JPCA annual conference. In the week leading up to the annual conferences, UK participants will be hosted in a Japanese primary care facility. This experience is replicated for Japanese participants in the UK.

Dr Rishi Caleyachetty, Chair
Dr Adedoyin Oyekan, Deputy Chair
Dr Alexandra Shields, Acting Secretary
Dr Viraj Popat, Communication
Dr Jo Dobbin, European Young Family Doctors Movement Representative
Dr Julius Tan, Acting National Exchange Coordinator
Dr Charlotte Morris, Incoming Exchange Coordinator
Dr Alex Caulfield, Education
Dr Azam Saied, Education
Dr Safia Akhtar, Research

The RCGP Junior International Committee was formed in April 2009 and consists of GP trainees/First5GPs. As a subgroup of RCGP International, we represent the European Young Doctors' Movement (EYFDM) in the UK. Our mission is to create a network of GP trainees/First5GPs empowered to advance primary care globally.  
 
The exchange group co-ordinates the Hippokrates exchange scheme in the UK. The aim of the Hippokrates exchange scheme is to encourage exchange and mobility among young doctors in the course of their professional formation as General Practitioners. 

We are looking for new exchange officer(s) to join the team and expand the program. As an Exchange Officer, you will be part of the team co-ordinating the Hippokrates exchange scheme in the UK. You will be dealing with both incoming and outgoing requests. You will be responsible for organising conference exchanges to the UK. You will liaise with the other members of the exchange team as well as National Exchange Co-ordinators in other countries. This is a demanding yet rewarding role requiring strong skills in organisation, communication and problem-solving.   

The standard term of office is 3 years. RCGP members at any stage of GP training or within 5 years of CCT can apply.   
 
To apply please send a covering letter and an up-to-date CV to secretaryjic@rcgp.org.uk by Friday 9th August at 5pm. Please note that successfully shortlisted candidates will be invited to a 20-minute Zoom interview.  For further information about the role please contact the current team at exchangeJIC@rcgp.org.uk.  

Duties  

• Build a strong and effective working relationship with the rest of the exchange team and committee 
• Recruit new hosts and liaise with current hosts of the UK Hippokrates scheme.  
• Manage incoming and outgoing requests for Hippokrates and ensure efficient running of the process  
• Maintain a database of exchanges and give quarterly updates to the committee Chair  
• Work with the Communication team to showcase exchanges and the work of GPs/family medicine doctors globally  
• Through publicity and presentations, encourage and motivate GP trainees and First5 GPs to participate in exchange. 
• Work towards incorporating exchange opportunities in the UK VTS scheme 
• Participate in WONCA Europe Conference exchange workshops  
• Form part of the EYFDM exchange theme group discussion to improve the Hippokrates exchange scheme 
• Work with the exchange team on grant applications to fund exchanges.  
• Work with the exchange team to explore opportunities to make the incoming exchange program more accessible to those from low- or middle-income countries  
• Contribute actively to the RCGP Junior International Committee assisting in all aspects, particularly related to EYFDM activities 

Skills, attributes and experience

Reason for applying for the role

Essential

• Good reasoning for applying
• Awareness of work involved

Desirable

• In-depth understanding of the benefits and challenges related to the role

Awareness of and experience in global primary care

Essential

• Awareness of global primary care

Desirable

• Experience of working in international networks related to health, research and/or education

Personal and professional qualities

Essential

• Cultural awareness, tact and diplomacy
• Ability to work well in a team
• Good interpersonal and communication skills
• Well organised and able to complete tasks effectively and efficiently
• Reliable
• Ability to use mailing lists, social media and shared drive platforms
• Willingness to uphold the values of RCGP (compassion, inclusivity, sustainability, accountability, and integrity). 

Desirable

• Track record of leadership skills. 

Current posts and other commitments 

Essential

• In current NHS clinical practice or training, as a GP trainee or a GP < 5 years of CCT.   
• In good standing with RCGP and GMC

Desirable 

• Able to demonstrate time commitment to JIC activities 

Involvement in EYFDM/ Junior International Committee/AiT/First5 activities to date 

Essential

• Evidence of willingness to commit to working towards running and developing the Junior International Committee 

Desirable

• Working knowledge of the RCGP, RCGP International and Junior International Committee.  

Accountable to:  Directly accountable to the RCGP Junior International Committee Chair. Accountable to the overall Head of International/Assistant Director of International; operational management by the Head of International Programmes and Administration.

Term of office: 12 months (can be extended as appropriate).

Overall purpose: To act as a link between the committee and regional VTS scheme(s).

Remuneration: For the avoidance of doubt this position is totally voluntary and no locum backfill or other remuneration is available. We are very grateful to the role holders for volunteering their time.

Background: The committee is looking for GP trainees to work alongside the committee to champion global primary care. The RCGP Junior International Committee (JIC) was formed in April 2009 and consists of GP trainees/First5GPs. The Junior International Committee is a subgroup of RCGP International, and we represent the European Young Doctors' Movement (EYFDM) in the UK. Our mission is to create a network of GP trainees/First5GPs empowered to advance primary care globally.

Responsibilities

• Raising awareness of the committee within the regional VTS schemes, including leading or supporting networking events, sharing current committee activities, role advertisements or promotional material. The successful applicant will be the RCGP JIC point of contact for all of the VTS schemes in their region.
•  Feeding back ideas from regional VTS schemes to the committee and showcasing trainees who have done/are doing global primary care work.
• Communicating with the committee, including work/experiences the committee can promote; the frequency of this will be agreed upon at the start of the role.
• Liaising with the committee’s Communication officer to create social media content.
• Communication will usually be via email or WhatsApp, and may fall outside of normal working hours.

Person specification criteria

Essential

• A UK-based RCGP Associate in Training (AiT), in good standing with the RCGP and the GMC
• Currently in a UK VTS at any stage of training
• Interest in the international work of the RCGP and its Junior International Committee
• Interest in or familiarity with Global Health
• Good communication skills
• Commitment to promoting the discipline of General Practice in the UK and internationally.

Desirable

• Experience of living/working/travelling internationally.

In return we can offer

• An opportunity to develop leadership skills, a requirement for GP training.
• An opportunity to promote global primary care, using the reach and influence of the RCGP.
• An opportunity to network and develop contacts who are also interested in global health locally, nationally, and internationally.
• A chance to participate in the latest developments and global trends, working alongside enthusiastic colleagues, committed to developing standards of primary care internationally.

How to apply

If you would like to apply for these roles, please submit the following:

• A statement up to 500 words explaining why you are interested in these roles and how you meet the above requirements and the person specification;
• An up-to-date CV with details of your current level of VTS training.

Please email your applications to EducationJIC@rcgp.org.uk with “Junior International Committee Ambassador application” in the subject line.

Appointments will be made based on the outcome of shortlisting and may involve an interview held by Zoom at mutually convenient times within two weeks after the application deadline.