On 7 March, we were delighted to welcome Professor Helen Stokes-Lampard, Chair of the Royal College of General Practitioners, to deliver the first Annual Lecture in General Practice, organised by the Department of Public Health & Primary Care. This event aims to celebrate primary care teaching in Cambridge, promoting General Practice and academic primary care as a career to our clinical students and to those involved in training and supporting GPs in the East of England.

Medical students and Professor Helen Stokes-Lampard with Dr Diana Wood, Clinical Dean.
An audience of over 100 people, including medical students, GP trainees, academic GP’s and a number of local GP’s involved in teaching, heard Professor Stokes-Lampard deliver her lecture “’The Future of General Practice: Opportunities, challenges and leadership with patients as our focus”. A lively and entertaining speaker, Professor Stokes-Lampard drew upon her own career pathway, encouraging the students and trainees present to be optimistic and look ahead to the exciting challenges of delivering primary health care in the 21st century. She is truly committed to persuading medical students to consider becoming GPs and left our students feeling upbeat and inspired, with a number of them intending to investigate the career option further! Before the lecture, a Careers Forum was held for the students, with members of the GP Education Group and Primary Care Unit offering advice on topics ranging from clinical academic pathways to portfolio careers.