Medicine and Surgery

The aim of the first two years is to ensure that students have established a core knowledge base, skills and understanding, fit for learning in the clinical environment and their future careers.

In years one and two, the emphasis of the programme’s study is on basic and clinical sciences. These are taught using an integrated ‘Systems’ approach. Each System Block includes physiology, biochemistry, pathology, microbiology, immunology, pharmacology and anatomy, genetics and cell and molecular biology. The emphasis of year one teaching is on the structure and function of the human body under ‘normal’ conditions. Teaching is delivered by lectures, practical and small group sessions and clinical skills sessions (where students will learn how to examine the components of the systems studied, as well as take part in simulation exercises). Communication for Clinical Practice sessions in small groups with simulated patients prepare students for the clinical placements. Students in year one also take part in a unique leadership development course, which is run in collaboration with 208 Field Hospital.

Please note that the programme detail listed is illustrative only and subject to change. The MBChB programme is non-modular programme, and all components of the MBChB are mandatory.

In year two, the integrated ‘Systems’ teaching approach, begun in year one, is expanded to enable students to understand abnormality and illness-related change and the interaction with the environment. Secondary care placements also start in year two as an experiential programme, with specific hospital-based tasks, recorded in our e-portfolio, aimed at enabling student to integrate safely into the clinical environment and begin to apply theoretical knowledge, skills and professional behaviour in clinical practice.

Alongside preparing students for clinical practice, the first two years of the programme also introduce students to the foundations of research.

Years three and four have an increasing focus on the application of skills learnt in the first two years of the programme into clinical practice, across a range of core and increasing complex clinical presentations and encounters.

In year three, students gain exposure to the key principles of medicine and surgery, with the focus on understanding core clinical concepts.

Students spend a series of four-week blocks on clinical placement, where each placement block is preceded by an ‘Academic‘ week. This week incorporates approximately 1.5 days of lectures delivered to the whole cohort, and then rotation-specific teaching, eg pre-placement sessions, Community Clinical Teaching (Primary Care), clinical skills preparation, simulation sessions and time for student-led Research and Scholarship projects. This ‘Just in time’ approach to teaching, which encourages students to revisit and develop knowledge and skills just before they are needed, prepares students to learn to recognise health problems, develop the skills needed to diagnose illness and disease, and manage patients.

Students rotate through a variety of integrated hospital and community-based settings in order to complete placements. Students are expected to participate fully in clinical care in these settings, both through timetabled activities and additional opportunities (in agreement with supervising clinical staff). All of these placements provide opportunities (and expectations) to work with clinical teams and care for patients in a variety of healthcare settings.

In year four, the combination of academic weeks and placement blocks is again used to provide students with more specialist and challenging placement experiences, including a focus on mental health, specialist placements in neurology, paediatrics and obstetrics and gynaecology and a nationally-recognised placement of excellence in palliative care.

At the end of year four, students are also able to undertake a four-week elective. Many students choose to study abroad during this period.

The final year is spent gaining intensive clinical experience in hospitals and the community to students transition successfully and begin work as a doctor.

Students experience Emergency and Acute Medicine, Surgery, GP and Psychiatry placements during this year, and have a ward shadowing experience block that allows them to consolidate complex clinical skills and professional attributes required of them for their Foundation Year post. Students are also able to undertake a five-week research project such as an audit or Quality Improvement Project, a community based project or a specialist placement of their own choosing.

Placement experiences are supported by academic “Preparation for Practice” weeks, support for the required national examinations and a full week of interprofessional simulation, ensuring students are able to demonstrate the skills need to deliver complex, acute care within a multi-professional team.