The AF scheme has been a fantastic opportunity to be part of a great undergraduate teaching team, and a lovely primary care team in a teaching practice. The university supported me to complete my PG diploma in medical education and become a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Educators. Regular OSCE examiner duties in university have led to taking a permanent examiner role for a major UK medical organisation. The teaching opportunities in the role have been unique, and invaluable

As a freshly qualified GP, the scheme provided me the opening to find my feet in general practice. It offered exceptional opportunities to explore and develop special interests such as teaching skills and acquiring further qualifications to enhance the career. Following the completion of the program, I had some experience of teaching the medical students and I had also completed a Certificate in Medical Education. The experience helped me to find a job of GP tutor with Swansea University Medical School and also GP partnership

The academic fellowship (AF) scheme was a great experience on so many levels; Clinically it gave me an invaluable opportunity to practice indifferent health boards and GP practices, benefiting from the varied experiences of colleagues in these practices and experiencing the variation in patients’ socio-economic demographics and its impact on clinical needs. Academically, I was involved in clinical trials, had two publications and registered for an MSc degree. This helped me secure my current position as a Clinical Research Fellow in Oxford University. Socially, I loved the people and place in Swansea, enjoyed the beach in sunny summer days and would definitely be back at some point

I took on the Academic Fellowship as soon as I qualified as a GP and it was the perfect way for me to explore my interest in education and give me the opportunity to work in areas of Wales I would never have accessed otherwise. It raised my confidence in so many ways: clinically, professionally and personally. I was able to gain my diploma in Medical Education alongside working and put my learning into practice in real time. My fellowship has directly impacted my new role as a Multi professional Education GP Lead for a rural Welsh Health Board HEIW, continuing to be a GP Educator for Swansea University and working as a GP within South Wales. I am very grateful to the fellowship team and I wish the fellowship scheme continued future success and expansion.

Our practice has hosted a few Academic Fellows over recent years, and their input to the practice has been invaluable. During their period with us they spent time working on various projects that helped improve our service and enhance patientcare. They also allowed the GP partners some protected time to make valuable changes to practice development. All the fellows have fitted well into the practice team and have been hugely valued by all staff members. Locally we have seen Fellows employed by various practices and this has certainly impacted positively to GP recruitment in the area.

We were lucky to have an Academic Fellow join us at a time when morale was low and there were worries about succession planning with General Practitioners coming to retirement age and a recruitment crisis which was particularly being felt by small rural practices like ours. During the time we had an Academic Fellow with us, he revitalised the practice with his energy and enthusiasm. As a result of his time with us, he accepted an offer of a permanent post, which I am sure he would not have applied for prior to experiencing the advantages and job satisfaction of working in a small friendly rural community. As a practice we hope that other practices benefit from this scheme.