An Coiste Feabhais Acadúil
The Committee on Academic Quality Improvement
The Academic Quality Assurance Programme 2002-2003
Report to Údarás na hOllscoile
Review of
Masters of Medical Science
Self-Assessment
Review Group Visit
Follow Up Meeting
Sept 2002 to Jan 2003
12th–13th March 2003
15th July 2003
This Report was compiled for members of Údarás na hOllscoile, NUI Galway and its
committees as a readily accessible but comprehensive source of information on the above
review, its context and its outcomes.
Professor Jim Gosling, Director of Quality, April 2005
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Report to Údarás – Review of Masters in Medical Science 2002–03
1. Overview of Department
1.1 Aims and Objectives of the Department
1. To expand students’ knowledge in developing areas of medical science.
2. To encourage students to explore advances in laboratory and clinical medicine.
3. To develop skills in the use and application of information technology for supporting
evidence based medicine.
4. To develop ability to assess the validity and reliability of published evidence through the
acquisition of statistical and critical appraisal skills.
5. To develop competence in applying scientific method by undertaking a research project and
writing a research theses.
6. To acquire life long learning skills through self directed learning.
1.2 Recent Changes
A position has been created for half-day administrative support for this course.
1.3 Student numbers
In 2003, there were 54 registered students. There are approximately 70 hours contact teaching
per course. The course is managed by a steering committee that is comprised of teachers on the
course, and external academics. The steering committee are also members of the Faculty
Postgraduate Medical Education Committee. The day-to-day operation is managed by an
administrator who is a member of staff in the office of the Dean of Medicine and Health
Sciences and by the course director.
1.4 Costs
The budget requirements are as follows: Administrative costs of €5,400, Research support of
€15,000 and Teaching support costs of €10,000 bring the total costs to €30,400. Fee income is
€161,000 in 2002 and was expected to be over €180,000 in 2003.
2. Review Group Visit and Report
The review team consisted of: Prof. Rod Hay, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Queens
University Belfast (Chairman); Dr. Jacqueline O’Connor, School of Biomedical Sciences,
University of Ulster; Dr Eamonn Mulkerrin, Department of Medicine, NUI Galway; and Dr
Karen Doyle, Department of Physiology, NUI Galway, acting as rapporteur.
2.1 Summary, and Main Recommendations from Report
In summary, the Masters in Medical Science degree is a well-established postgraduate medical
degree that fills a much needed gap in postgraduate medical education for junior doctors.
Resource issues need to be urgently addressed to support the efficient and effective running of
the course. Additional administrative and biostatistics support is necessary, as is a course
budget to support research projects.
Non-completion of the research project seems to underlie the poor completion rates for the
course. Earlier commencement of the course, recruitment of additional administrative and
biostatistics support, adoption of more continuous assessment, changes in the timetabling of
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module assessments, better student and supervisor guidance on aspects of the project, and
inclusion of alternative types of projects, such as clinical audit reviews, may all help in
improving the completion rates for the course.
The taught modules of the course could readily be repackaged into a cohesive framework
providing the basis for two distinct streams of students, each with a different focus, i.e.
biomedical or community issues.
The Medical Teaching module should be strengthened to include aspects of advanced
communication skills, clinical teaching and media interaction skills. The review team suggests
that this module could be developed as a particular strength of the course.
There is great potential for the further development of the Masters in Medical Science. This is
an appropriate time for the University to assess the resource issues, and provide the investment
that future development will require.
3. Follow up Meeting
9.30 a.m. Tuesday, 26 June 2003
11.00 a.m. Tuesday, 15th July, 2003, The Deans Office, Clinical Science Institute
Present: Professor J Gosling - Director of Quality (Chair), Dr P A Carney – Dean of Medicine & Health Sciences,
Dr P Cantillon – Course Director, Dr K Doyle – Review Group Rapporteur, Ms T Dixon, Ms G Avalos, Ms M
Linnane (in attendance) Apologies: Dr Eamonn Mulkerrin - Review Group, Professor R Hay – Review Group,
Professor J Browne - Registrar
Due to circumstances beyond his control, the Registrar was unable to be present at the official
Follow Up Meeting. However, the Registrar met with the Course Director, the Dean of
Medicine & Health Sciences and the Director of Quality at 15.30 h on 31 October 2003 and
these Action Plans also take into account the discussions on that day.
3.1 Action Plan for the Programme Board:
1. A formal Programme Board for the M. Med. Sc. will be established before 31 January
2004 and will include student representatives. The new Board will develop more
focused aims and objectives for the Programme that clearly identify the present strengths
of the Programme and allow for planned developments (to be completed by June 2004).
2. The Programme Director will prepare a detailed list of items requiring recurrent funding
and, based on this and the anticipated fee income, will request the Registrar to create an
annual budget for the Programme (December 2003).
3. The Programme Director, in consultation with the Faculty Research Committee, will
prepare a proposal for the CSI Management Committee, justifying additional space and
facilities for students taking this programme (December 2003).
4. The starting date for the programme (formerly mid October) has been brought forward
by two weeks, giving students more time to undertake their research projects during the
first year. The objective is to advance the start date further in the future.
5. Although the present booklet given to all students on commencement represents a model
of good practice, the Board will augment this gradually with very clear guidance on
aspects of completion of the project, such as work planning, formal deadlines and the
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requirements for the project and the project report. Supervisors will be given clear
written guidance also on relevant regulations, their responsibilities as supervisors,
expected degree of interaction with students, etc. (December 2003).
6. The Programme Director has recently completed the revision and restructuring of the
Medical Teaching Module.
7. The Programme Board will consider making ‘a mentored clinical attachment’ a formal
requirement for successful completion of the course (September 2004).
8. The Board will continue to review the frequency and methods of assessment throughout
the course. Double-marking will be implemented for major elements as well as quality
control measures for all significant examinations. Any changes will be discussed in
advance of implementation with the External Examiner (see Action 1 below) (September
2004).
9. The Board will consider giving students the option of presenting project reports in the
form of a paper ready for submission for publication in a ‘peer reviewed’ journal instead
of in the traditional thesis format (June 2004).
10. Each project supervisor will complete a short report per student supervised after a fixed
time and/or at the completion of a project (December 2003).
11. The Board will work with the Dean’s and Examinations Offices in attempting to avoid
scheduling examinations that coincide with professional ‘membership’ examinations,
starting in 2003-04.
12. Over the next two to three years, the Board will consider the following options:
• A higher diploma option for students not wishing or able to complete a substantial
research project, benchmarked against equivalent qualifications elsewhere.
• Repackaging of the taught content into a more structured framework with two separate
sets of optional elements.
• A day release or block release format for the taught modules.
• Development of small group teaching, such as seminars, workshops and tutorials
(dependent on a block release teaching format and appropriate extra resources)
• A distance learning or an on-line learning format for some elements.
3.2 Action plan for University Management:
1. The Registrar and the Dean of Medicine and Health Sciences accept that an External
Examiner to the Programme should be appointed early in the academic year 2003-04.
2. The Registrar accepts that the Programme must have a specified annual budget,
administrative support and facilities commensurate with its present and anticipated
greater annual intake of students, and anticipates formal proposals on these matters from
the Faculty of Medicine and Health Science.
3. The Registrar will support any negotiations between the Programme Board, the Health
Boards and UCHG in relation to the suggestion that course delivery is changed from an
‘evening’ model to a day release or block release format.
4. The lack of consistent and accessible statistical advice for projects is seen as an
important factor contributing to the high non-completion rates for M Medical Science
research projects. The Director of Quality will convene a meeting before the end of
December 2003 between the Professor of Statistics, the Director of the Martin Ryan
Institute and the Director of the Masters of Medical Science Programme, with a view to
identifying options that could rectify this deficiency.
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Approved by: Director, Dr P Cantillon, 4th December 2003
Approved by: Dean of Medicine & Health Sciences, Dr P A Carney, 26th November 2003
Approved by: Registrar, Professor J Browne, 10th November 2003
Approved by: Director of CELT, Dr I MacLabhrainn, 21st November, 2003
Finalised: 4 December 2003 Jim Gosling, Director of Quality
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