Graduate Diploma in Family Medicine (GDFM)
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Programme Details
The GDFM tutorials are conducted once per quarter (after the weekend workshops) and are based on the theme of the FMMC module of that particular quarter.
Each trainee is assigned to a tutorial group of 8-10 mentored by a GDFM tutor. Trainees are to arrange with their respective tutor for the tutorial at mutually agreed location and time.
Tutorial Attendance
There are a total of 8 tutorials for the 2-year course and all tutorials are compulsory. At each tutorial, your tutor will require you to sign on the Tutorial Attendance Sheet.
The GDFM Courses emphasize on basic clinical diagnostic and management skills essential to general practice and will be conducted in the two years.
Principles of Family Medicine & Practice Management Skills Course (P & P)
Under the P & P skills course, there are 6 units of study delivered through distance learning material, elearning scenarios and one afternoon workshop session
Unit 1: Principles of family practice (1)
Unit 2: Principles of family practice (2)
Unit 3: Managing the practice
Unit 4: Computer use & literature search;
Unit 5: Financial management
Unit 6. Practice audit
For the elearning scenarios, these are conducted on-line via the e-learning website http://www.onlinemedlearning.org, and the College programme administrator will inform you when the module is available online and also the dates of the afternoon workshop sessions.
Consultation, Communication & Counselling Skills Course (CCC)
Under the CCC course, there are 6 units of study delivered through distance learning material, elearning; scenarios and two afternoon workshop sessions
Unit 1: Family Practice consultation
Unit 2: Communication & Counselling skills
Unit 3; Breaking Bad News
Unit 4: Somatisation & Family Conflicts
Unit 5: Insomnia & Addiction
Unit 6: Difficult Patients
For the elearning scenarios, these are conducted on-line via the e-learning website http://www.onlinemedlearning.org, and the College programme administrator will inform you when the module is available online and also the dates of the afternoon workshop sessions.
Professionalism, Ethics & Law Skills Course (PEL)
Under the PEL course, there are 6 units of study delivered through distance learning material, elearning scenarios and three afternoon workshop sessions
For the elearning scenarios, these are conducted on-line via the e-learning website http://www.onlinemedlearning.org, and the College programme administrator will inform you when the module is available online and also the dates of the afternoon workshop sessions.
Unit 1: Professionalism and Ethics
Unit 2: Law and practice
Unit 3: Medical records & confidentiality
Unit 4: Notification & dispensing
Unit 5: Practice issues, Advertising, PHMC Act
Unit 6: Setting up practice
You are required to complete the GDFM Clinical Revision Course in the same year which you will be taking the GDFM examination. You are to ensure that you fulfil all the requirements of the GDFM programme before attempting on this course. In the event that you need to retake the revision course, you would be liable to pay for the applicable course fees.
The GDFM Clinical Revision Course aims to prepare you for the GDFM examinations and is divided into 2 parts:
Written Paper Mock Exam
The written paper mock exam consists of:
- Applied Knowledge Test (MCQ), and
- Key Features Problems
You are required to login to the e-learning website and would be given one week to complete the Written Paper of the GDFM Clinical Revision Course. You will be informed by the programme administrator when it is available on the e-learning website. Details on the overview of the GDFM written examination are also downloadable from the e-learning website.
Clinical Mock Exam (OSCE)
The OSCE mock exam is conducted via face-to-face session, usually on Saturday afternoon(s), and covers:
- Briefing on GDFM OSCE Examination
- OSCE Demonstration
- OSCE Mock Exercise For Trainees
- Feedback session
You will be informed of the schedule of the clinical mock exam in your 2nd year of traineeship.
One Compulsory Elective (*not included in GDFM Programme Fee)
Trainees may choose to do any 1 of the Family Practice Skills Courses (FPSC) conducted by the College of Family Physicians Singapore to be counted as electives under the GDFM programme. Typically each FPSC consists of:
- Distance learning course – six units published in the Singapore Family Physician Journal with MCQ test
- Two Seminars
- One Clinical Teaching Session (workshop)
- Reading papers: A Selection of 10 papers will be presented. Course participants are advised to choose up to five for self-study.
The components may vary from course to course.
Trainees are required to fulfil all the required components of the FPSC, including passing the MCQ test. Upon completing the FPSC, you would be issued a certificate of completion by the College which can then be counted towards as completion of an elective.
Case Discussion
Each quarter, trainees in the tutorial group is to take turn to upload a case review to the e-learning website for discussion. You may download the soft copy of the Case Review Form from the e-learning website.
Quarterly MCQ Assessment
Each quarter, trainees are required to logon to the e-learning website and complete the MCQ assessment pertaining to the module covered in the quarter.