Learner+: Enhancing GP Trainees’ reflective practice with an AI-powered tool

Summary

Reflective practice, the habit of critically analysing one’s clinical experiences to learn and improve future care, remains a cornerstone of UK GP training and professional revalidation. Yet, many trainees report it as time-consuming and disconnected from meaningful learning[i].

CMEfy and Health Innovation Kent Surrey Sussex (Health Innovation KSS) undertook a pilot study with 24 GP trainees to evaluate CMEfy’s Learner+ platform, an AI-enhanced reflective platform designed specifically to facilitate real-time clinical learning.

Pre-intervention data from the pilot indicated widespread informal use of generative AI tools such as ChatGPT, with over 60% of GP trainees already using these tools to support their reflective practice (Figure 1). This highlighted the clear need for safer, structured, and curriculum-aligned alternatives. Post-intervention results demonstrated significantly improved usability, reduced time demands, and strong user acceptance, with over 90% of participants stating they would recommend the platform to colleagues. These findings align closely with NHS England’s 10-Year Plan[ii], which advocates AI-powered continuing professional development tools to build a digitally proficient workforce.

Figure I. Reflective writing tool used by GP trainees in the case study

Challenge

While reflective practice remains integral to GP training, its implementation faces practical barriers. Trainees frequently encounter reflection as overly bureaucratic, leading to superficial engagement and minimal professional value[iii]. The Royal College of General Practitioners[iv] recently acknowledged the potential of artificial intelligence to support general practice training, emphasising that AI should complement, rather than replace, clinician insight and professional development. With GP trainees increasingly adopting informal generative AI tools such as ChatGPT, there is a clear need for structured, secure, and professionally aligned reflective tools that support meaningful reflection aligned with curriculum goals and professional revalidation.

Approach

Learner+ was initially developed in the United States as an accredited reflective journaling and continuing medical education (CME/CE) platform[v]. Adapted by CMEfy specifically for UK GP trainees, Learner+ underwent iterative refinement during this pilot to explicitly align with the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) curriculum and GMC revalidation standards. Key features of Learner+ include clinically relevant, AI-generated reflection prompts; direct integration with GP trainee portfolios such as FourteenFish; and adaptive feedback designed to deepen trainees’ reflective engagement and clinical relevance. This targeted solution explicitly addresses the practical barriers GP trainees face with traditional reflective methods and unstructured informal AI tools, aiming to facilitate meaningful, secure, and professionally aligned reflective practice.

This study involved 24 GP trainees from across England, primarily recruited through the London GP training network via professional peer groups and trainee mailing lists. Twenty-two participants completed the four-to-six-month pilot during their clinical placements.

Health Innovation KSS supported the pilot by advising on study design, evaluation structure, and dissemination planning. CMEfy, the developer of Learner+, facilitated access to the platform and managed technical delivery. Health Innovation KSS did not act as an independent evaluator but provided oversight to ensure alignment with NHS health education standards.

During the pilot, trainees used Learner+ to record real-time reflections from daily practice. All reflections excluded patient-identifiable information and were completed in accordance with GMC guidance and data protection (GDPR) requirements.

Findings

The pilot provided evidence of Learner+’s positive impact on trainees’ reflective practice

• Reflective experience: Over 77% of GP trainees found reflections easier using Learner+, with nearly half (45.5%) describing them as “much easier” compared to their usual methods.
• Quality of reflections: Participants reported that with AI support from Learner+, their finalised reflections were perceived as “more thoughtful than usual” (50%), closely “aligned with portfolio needs” (50%), and “a true reflection” of their clinical experiences (40.9%). In contrast, concerns that reflections might feel robotic or generic, an issue common with informal AI tools, were expressed by 13.6% of respondents (Figure 2).
• Satisfaction: Overall trainee satisfaction was high, with Learner+ achieving an average usability rating of 4.27 out of 5. Additionally, 90.5% of participants indicated they would recommend Learner+ to colleagues for regular reflective practice (Figure 3).
• Qualitative feedback: Direct trainee feedback provided valuable qualitative insights. Users described Learner+ as “flexible,” “responsive,” and “user-friendly,” emphasising its ability to reduce administrative workload while helping them capture and refine clinically relevant, personalised reflections. One trainee commented that Learner+ offered “thoughtful insight and clear structure,” and another emphasised the advantage of reflections being “specific to our portfolios,” thereby enhancing their value for training and revalidation. Suggestions for improvement included further refinement of reflection prompts and closer alignment to specific RCGP competencies, demonstrating both high engagement and constructive feedback from users.

Figure 2: Quality of reflections generated by Learner+

Impact

This pilot demonstrates the potential of structured, AI-enhanced reflective tools such as Learner+ to meaningfully improve GP trainees’ reflective practice. Evidence from the pilot highlights how purpose-built AI tools can move trainees beyond superficial or generic reflections, effectively capturing clinical learning moments and aligning closely with professional development and portfolio requirements. Given that informal use of AI tools like ChatGPT is already widespread, providing structured, approved, and clinically relevant AI alternatives is increasingly essential.

Feedback obtained from trainees during this pilot indicates that structured AI-supported reflective tools can facilitate genuinely thoughtful, personalised reflections that directly contribute to trainees’ professional growth and revalidation processes. The strategic importance of embracing structured, professionally aligned AI solutions is further reinforced by NHS England’s 10-Year Health Plan[vi] and the RCGP’s recent stance on the supportive role of AI within general practice[vii].

Spread and scalability

Future considerations should include wider adoption of similar AI-enhanced reflective tools within GP training programmes nationally, as well as exploration of their potential application in other medical specialties. Ongoing iterative development, directly informed by user experiences, remains critical to ensuring these reflective tools stay clinically relevant, engaging, and professionally meaningful in an increasingly digital NHS.

As the use of AI in medical education expands, it is essential to focus on systems that enhance how clinicians think rather than replace it. Learner+ demonstrates how AI can prompt deeper reflection, support learning, and keep the clinician’s voice central to professional development.

Health Innovation KSS invites educators, regulators, training bodies, and health innovation partners to explore and guide how the next generation of AI tools can strengthen learning and promote safe, human-centred use of AI & technology across health training programmes.

References

[i] Lewis, M. and Hayhoe, B. (2024). The digital Balint: using AI in reflective practice. Education for Primary Care, 35(6), pp.198–202. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39178303/.

[ii] Department of Health and Social Care; Prime Minister’s Office; 10 Downing Street; The Rt Hon Sir Keir Starmer KCB KC MP; and The Rt Hon Wes Streeting MP (2025) Fit for the Future: 10 Year Health Plan for England. CM 1350. London: HMSO. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/10-year-health-plan-for-england-fit-for-the-future/fit-for-the-future-10-year-health-plan-for-england (Accessed: 22 July 2025).

[iii] Lewis, M. and Hayhoe, B. (2024). The digital Balint: using AI in reflective practice. Education for Primary Care, 35(6), pp.198–202. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39178303/.

[iv] Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) (2023). Artificial Intelligence can support General Practice but is no substitute for GP-patient relationships, says College. RCGP, London. Available at: https://www.rcgp.org.uk/News/ai-general-practice-gp-pressures (Accessed: 22 July 2025).

[v] Learner+ (n.d.). Learner+ | Reflective Learning & CME/CE Credits. Available at: https://about.learner.plus (Accessed: 22 July 2025).

[vi] Department of Health and Social Care; Prime Minister’s Office; 10 Downing Street; The Rt Hon Sir Keir Starmer KCB KC MP; and The Rt Hon Wes Streeting MP (2025) Fit for the Future: 10 Year Health Plan for England. CM 1350. London: HMSO. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/10-year-health-plan-for-england-fit-for-the-future/fit-for-the-future-10-year-health-plan-for-england (Accessed: 22 July 2025).

[vii] Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) (2023). Artificial Intelligence can support General Practice but is no substitute for GP-patient relationships, says College. RCGP, London. Available at: https://www.rcgp.org.uk/News/ai-general-practice-gp-pressures (Accessed: 22 July 2025).