Choosing Between Onsite and External Medical Training

Choosing where medical training should take place is not simply a question of convenience. For some organisations, bringing an instructor to the workplace makes it easier to train a whole team together and relate learning to the environment in which staff actually work. For others, sending one or two people to an external course is simpler and more appropriate.

The right choice depends on the course, the number of learners, their roles, the facilities available and what the organisation wants staff to take away from the training.

Onsite delivery can be particularly useful for healthcare, dental, care and workplace teams where several people need the same training or where local equipment, emergency arrangements and team responsibilities form an important part of the learning. External courses still have an important place, particularly when only a small number of people need training or a standardised course is already available at a suitable venue.

What is onsite medical training?

Onsite medical training is delivered at the organisation’s own premises rather than at the training provider’s usual venue.

Depending on the course, this might involve life support, medical emergency training, first aid or particular clinical skills. The core learning outcomes should remain appropriate to the course being delivered, but the setting gives the instructor an opportunity to discuss how those skills relate to the learners’ working environment.

That might include:

• Using the type of emergency equipment available locally
• Discussing how staff summon additional help
• Considering the layout of treatment or work areas
• Exploring the roles of different members of the team
• Using examples relevant to the people the organisation supports

Onsite training does not mean that every element of a recognised course can be rewritten around the organisation. Where a course has defined learning outcomes, assessment standards or accreditation requirements, these still need to be met.

When onsite medical training can work well

Onsite delivery is often most useful when there is a clear practical reason for bringing the training to the team.

Several members of staff need the same course

If a larger group needs the same training, sending people individually to external dates can create repeated travel, administration and cover requirements.

Bringing the course onsite can allow several colleagues to complete their training together while reducing the amount of time spent travelling away from the service.

This can be particularly useful for dental practices, clinics, care providers and other organisations where maintaining staffing levels during training is an important consideration.

The team needs to learn together

Some training is primarily about individual competence. Other subjects also rely heavily on how people work together.

Emergency response is a good example. A clinician may understand the clinical actions required, but an effective response may also depend on another colleague retrieving equipment, somebody contacting emergency services and another person managing access to the building.

Training colleagues together gives them an opportunity to understand how their responsibilities fit alongside those of the rest of the team.

The working environment affects the response

A skill taught in an open training room can feel different when it has to be applied around a dental chair, in a resident’s bedroom or in a small clinical area.

Onsite delivery can help staff think about those practical limitations while the environment is directly in front of them.

The instructor may be able to discuss issues such as access around a patient, equipment location or how an emergency call would work in that particular building. Where appropriate, practical scenarios can then be adapted to reflect the setting without replacing the required clinical content.

Local equipment is relevant to the training

Staff are more likely to use equipment confidently if they are familiar with what is actually available at work.

An onsite session may provide an opportunity to discuss the organisation’s AED, emergency bag, oxygen equipment or other relevant resources alongside the training equipment used by the instructor.

That does not remove the need for routine equipment checks, manufacturer guidance or local competency requirements. It can, however, help learners connect their course with the equipment they would see during a real incident.

Travel would create unnecessary disruption

Travel time matters when releasing staff from patient-facing or care services.

For an organisation with several learners, an external course can involve not only the training time itself but travel before and afterwards. Onsite delivery may make scheduling easier, particularly where groups can be trained in planned sessions while appropriate service cover remains in place.

When an external course may be the better option

Onsite training is not automatically the best choice.

There are situations where an external course makes more sense.

Only one or two staff members need training

If a single employee needs a course, booking them onto an existing external date may be more practical than organising a private session.

This is especially true when the training provider already runs regular open courses at an accessible location.

The organisation does not have suitable training space

Practical courses require enough room for learners to participate safely.

A cramped meeting room may not be suitable for CPR practice, floor-based exercises or multiple training stations. External venues are often arranged specifically for practical teaching and may offer a better learning environment.

The course has particular delivery requirements

Some recognised courses have specific requirements around faculty, equipment, assessment or facilities.

Whether an individual course can be delivered onsite should therefore be confirmed with the provider rather than assumed.

Learning alongside people from other organisations would be useful

External courses can also offer a different perspective.

Learners may train alongside professionals from other organisations or clinical environments, allowing discussion of different experiences and approaches. For some individuals, particularly those attending a recognised professional course independently, this can be valuable.

What can be tailored during onsite medical training?

Tailoring training should improve relevance without weakening the required learning.

The extent to which a course can be adapted depends on the subject and any standards attached to it. Appropriate customisation might include:

• Using scenarios relevant to the organisation’s setting
• Discussing common patient, resident or workplace risks
• Considering the roles represented in the group
• Including discussion of local emergency arrangements
• Referring to equipment learners will encounter at work
• Exploring issues raised by previous training, incidents or internal reviews

What should not happen is changing essential clinical content simply because an organisation follows a different routine.

Current recognised clinical guidance, course standards and the learner’s scope of practice still matter.

Onsite training for dental practices

Dental teams are a good example of where the training environment can influence learning.

Medical emergencies may occur in a treatment room, reception area or elsewhere within the practice. Staff may need to work around a dental chair, retrieve emergency equipment and manage other patients while responding.

Bringing appropriate training into the practice allows these realities to be discussed alongside the clinical skills themselves.

RCMS provides Medical Emergencies and Life Support in the Dental Surgery training for dental teams, with practical learning focused on situations relevant to dental practice.

Onsite training for care organisations

Care settings have different priorities.

Training may need to reflect frailty, long-term conditions, cognitive impairment, individual care plans and the fact that deterioration is not always sudden or obvious.

Where several staff members share responsibility for recognising change and escalating concerns, group training can help create a more consistent understanding of what staff are expected to observe, record and communicate.

Onsite delivery can also make it easier to discuss the organisation’s own escalation arrangements and how staff work with external healthcare services.

Onsite training for healthcare and clinical teams

Healthcare organisations may have a wider range of roles and training requirements.

Some staff may require basic life support, while others need immediate or advanced life support or separate clinical-skills training. Onsite delivery can work well where groups require the same level of training and suitable facilities are available.

It may also help organisations bring together staff who normally work in the same clinical environment rather than sending individuals to different courses at different times.

The level of training should still be determined by role and responsibility rather than convenience.

What should organisations prepare before onsite training?

A little preparation can make an onsite session considerably more useful.

Before booking, organisations should be ready to discuss:

• The type of service or workplace
• The course or skills staff require
• The number of learners
• The roles represented in the group
• The space available for practical training
• Any accessibility or operational considerations
• Whether normal service activity will continue nearby
• Relevant emergency equipment held onsite
• Any particular risks or learning needs the provider should understand

Where there has been a recent incident or internal review, organisations may also want to raise relevant learning points with the provider. This should be done appropriately and without disclosing unnecessary confidential information.

Do not choose onsite training simply because it is convenient

Convenience matters, but it should not determine the clinical content of the training.

An organisation should first establish:

• What staff need to be able to do
• What level of training is appropriate to their role
• Whether a recognised course or qualification is required
• How practical competence will be assessed

Only then should it decide whether the best delivery option is onsite or external.

A convenient course at the wrong level does not solve a training requirement.

Compare the full impact of each option

Price per delegate is only one part of the decision.

When comparing onsite and external training, organisations may also need to consider:

• Staff travel time
• Travel expenses
• Venue costs
• Staff cover during absence
• The number of people requiring the course
• Whether the whole team can train together
• How much training time is lost to travel
• Any trainer travel or onsite delivery charges

For a small number of learners, an open course may be the simplest option. For a larger team, bringing training to the workplace may make more operational sense.

The calculation will vary by organisation, so it is worth comparing the complete cost and disruption rather than assuming one option is always cheaper.

Ask the training provider the right questions

Before arranging onsite delivery, it is useful to establish exactly what is being provided.

Questions might include:

• Can this particular course be delivered onsite?
• What space and facilities are required?
• How many learners can attend each session?
• What training equipment will the instructor bring?
• Will learners receive certificates or recognised course documentation?
• Can examples or scenarios reflect our setting?
• How is practical competence assessed?
• What does the organisation need to provide on the day?
• Are there any additional travel or delivery costs?

Clear answers help the organisation compare providers and make sure the training being booked matches the requirement it is trying to meet.

Choose the setting that supports the learning

There is no universal answer to whether medical training should be delivered onsite or externally.

Onsite training can be particularly useful when several colleagues need to learn together, the workplace environment matters or local equipment and arrangements form an important part of the discussion. External courses can be more practical for individuals, small numbers of learners or programmes with specific venue and delivery requirements.

The strongest decision starts with the training need rather than the venue.

Identify what staff need to know and be able to do, choose an appropriate course and then decide which setting gives them the best opportunity to learn it properly.

RCMS Life Support provides practical healthcare, life support and medical emergency training both through scheduled courses and onsite delivery for organisations. This allows training arrangements to be matched to the course, the team and the realities of the service rather than forcing every organisation into the same approach.

FAQs About Onsite Medical Training

Can onsite medical training count towards professional CPD?

It can, depending on the course and the requirements of the relevant professional regulator. Healthcare professionals should check whether the learning activity meets their own CPD criteria and retain any appropriate evidence, such as certificates, learning outcomes or records of participation.

Can employees from different job roles attend the same onsite training session?

Sometimes, provided the course is appropriate to everyone attending. Mixed groups can be useful where staff share responsibilities during an emergency, but learners should not be placed on training that is above or below the level required for their role. Where training needs differ significantly, separate sessions or course levels may be more appropriate.

Can onsite medical training be delivered outside normal working hours?

This depends on the training provider and course being booked. Some organisations arrange early, evening or other planned sessions to reduce disruption to patient care or normal operations. Any alternative timing should still allow learners enough uninterrupted time and suitable facilities to complete the training properly.

What happens if some staff cannot attend the planned onsite training?

The organisation should have a separate plan for anyone who misses the session so that required training does not remain outstanding. This might involve another onsite date, attendance at an external course or an alternative session agreed with the provider. Training records should make it clear who attended and who still needs to complete the requirement.

Can onsite medical training be shared by staff from more than one location?

Potentially. Organisations with several sites may bring suitable staff together at one location where the course, facilities and delegate numbers allow it. However, staff may still need separate local orientation afterwards if emergency procedures, equipment locations or working arrangements differ between sites.