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Quality Assurance and Evaluation

Policies and procedures around quality assurance and a space to share your thoughts and ideas regarding your course.

Our responsibilities and obligations within the University and as a medical school are comprehensive and wide-ranging. We have internal processes that are part of the University’s obligatory compliance with requirements set out by the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) - the public body charged with implementing UK Government policy concerning standards in higher education.

These processes subject all University courses and programmes to continuous cycles of internal and external review, including the three primary features of which are:

  • Gathering and analysing student evaluation on the quality of courses and programmes.
  • Peer review and evaluation of teaching, course and programme quality, including external comment.
  • Enhancing teaching methods, courses, and programmes in light of student comment, peer review and/or changing guidelines 'from the centre' (the College, Senate, QAA or SCQF).

The School is also governed by external regulatory requirements such as those from the General Medical Council (GMC). Through a number of quality processes, we provide assurance to the GMC that their standards for undergraduate medical education are being achieved.

Clinical placement quality is regularly reviewed through the continuous monitoring of student evaluation and through student feedback sessions and focus groups; student staff liaison committee; regular meetings with Clinical Sub-Deans from clinical placement sites; quality visits and placement self-assessment questionnaires. Please see below the GMC's Promoting Excellence document and guidance for undergraduate clinical placement to learn further about the standards we are expected to meet.

The School of Medicine takes these responsibilities seriously and values feedback from all relevant stakeholders. We use this to improve standards and performance and initiate new practices and methods to ensure the best possible experience for our staff and students.

Quality Resources