Table 2. EPIC-GP coding matrix with examples
Score E P I P G Pr
5 ElectiveSelected students can choose to study GP in depth throughout programme; to have additional GP or other primary health care attachments.Special rural or GP stream in programme Problem-based learningComplex real-world problems used to promote student learning of concepts and principles from onset of programme Integrated teachingDisciplines taught in context of general practice e.g. body systems on campus taught through GP lens; longitudinal integrated clerkship (LIC); rural immersion programmes Community-based (GP) exposure & attachments Much of teaching takes place in general practice, rural hospital or other primary care settings with students regularly consulting with patients; students start GP attachments in Year 1; GP attachments in several years.Students do home visits.Students work in or visit communityservices GP-focused university-teachingStudents have early & regular engagement with GPs on campus or onlineSmall-group GP tutorsGPs teach communication and clinical skillsStudents see selected general practice or standardised / simulated patients to learn relevant basic sciences and clinical manifestations of conditions PractitionersCurriculum includes interprofessional educational (IPE) activities; students taught by other primary care professionals as well as GPs
Examples 18/52 elective with family medicine encouraged. Optional resources available to study aspects in greater depth. Student can elect to be in special rural or GP stream Curriculum based on problem-based learning with small-group case-based teaching on campus.Cases developed by teachers and/or students.Cases presented to peers via small groups.Few or no lectures – focus on interactive teaching. Simulation and interprofessional scenario work. Clinical teaching starts at beginning of programme - no pre-clinical then clinical years. Teachers provide clinical context and cases to integrate bio-medical concepts. LIC for 1 year in general practice and rural medicine. GP attachment in every year.Early patient contact & family attachment schemePairs of students visit GP-selected patients with long-term conditions 3-4 times in home over 4 months.Learning opportunities in primary care / community settings eg drug & alcohol, NGOs, homeless shelters, migrant centres, hospiceLongitudinal well child development module GPs teach history-taking, clinical examination, population health, disease-specific content, social determinants of health, inequities. Students have GP tutors for the year.May involve discussion forums.Students taught clinical and communication skills by GPsGPs teach anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, pathology using selected patientsGP teach large proportion of curriculumGPs are leads for Yrs 3 & 4 I IPE with midwives, PA, nurse, paramedic - simulation of advanced skillsYrs 3, 4 5 alternate GP clinic andwider PC team (eg nurse, care practitioners, physio, pharmacists, social prescribers)Community & creative health includes nurses, midwives, PA, dietetics, women & child health
1 Standard programme GPAll students pass through set of prescribed courses with no opportunity to study subject of own choosing or in more depth Information gatheringInformation didactically imparted to students on large body of facts on basic science and clinical knowledge Discipline basedEach discipline teaches separatelyPre-clinical disciplines eg anatomy, physiology taught first then clinical disciplines including general practice subsequently. Hospital-basedTeaching centred around main teaching hospital. No GP visits or attachments and no exposure to other community-based health and social services Specialist-focused campus teachingNone of the clinical information given on campus eg in lectures is from the GP perspective Medical teaching onlyStudents taught medicine with no IPE and no teaching by non-medical practitioners or with non-medical students
Examples No opportunity to study general practice other than through the standard programme Traditional programme with system organ blocks such as cardiology, respiratory etc. Preclinical & clinical years. Basic sciences taught in 1st years followed by clinical (clerkship) years Few or no GP attachmentsNo visits or exposures to homesNo visits to community-based services No GP teaching on campus across programme.No teaching of conditions from GP perspective No IPE activities. No teaching with or by other professions

NB: Score 4: Programme has most of features; Score 3: Programme has some of features; Score 2: Programme has one of features; Score 1: Programme has none of features

 Int J Med Educ. 2026; 17:109-118; doi: 10.5116/ijme.6a37.f280