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PAPER 14/PC/01
MBChB YEAR 2 REPORT – 2013/2014
Dr I Johannessen (on behalf of the MBChB Year 2 Committee)
0/ GOVERNANCE
Year 2 is governed by the MBChB Year 2 (Y2) Committee which sits thrice per academic year and
reports to the MBChB Programme Committee (PC). Membership includes the Year Director (Dr I
Johannessen), Deputy Year Director (Dr E Duvall) and Course/Module Organisers (CO/MO; see 1
below) together with Student and Pastoral Care representatives as well as key administrative staff.
Mrs C Johnston is the Year’s Co-ordinator.
In line with learning outcomes and overall curriculum, individual components are led by academic
staff (see 1 below), and the Year works closely with the Centre for Medical Education (CME; Pr H
Cameron) on research and development. Dr W Wallace is Chair of the Year’s Board of Examiners
(BoE), and Dr N McCormick is the Assessment Officer. External Examiners are Dr A Stanley
(Gastroenterology, U of Glasgow; Mol to Soc 2a), Pr GR Williams (Endocrinology, Imperial College
London; Mol to Soc 2b) and Pr CM Jackson (Primary Care Medicine, U of St Andrews; ICP). Pr
Williams’ term finishes at the end of the current academic year, and Year 2 has identified a possible
successor within the UK renal medicine community in liaison with Pr N Turner (RIE Renal Medicine)
but confirmation is pending. Y2 endeavours to ensure Student representation in all its
bodies/groups.
Y2 comprises of 4 interwoven courses: Molecules to Society (Mol to Soc) 2a and 2b in Semester 1
and 2 (S1-2), respectively; Introduction to Clinical Practice (ICP; CO: Dr D Thomson); Student Selected
Components (SSC; CO: Dr S Riley). The Mol to Soc 2a and 2b courses are generally considered
together with the Year Director as CO - but authority delegated to the MOs. Dr Thomson’s term as
CO for ICP finishes at the end of the current academic year, and Dr H Young will take over at the
beginning of the next academic year.
1/ INTRODUCTION
The aim of Y2 is to continue (from Y1) to embed fundamental scientific knowledge relevant to
subsequent medical teaching and future clinical practice whilst also introducing the students to key
clinical skills.
In terms of content, Mol to Soc 2a includes Neurosciences (MO: Dr C Smith), Gastrointestinal/ Liver
(MO: Pr J Plevris) and Epidemiology/ Statistics (MO: Pr I Rudan) whereas Mol to Soc 2b includes
Renal/Urology (MO: Pr J Davies), Endocrine (MO: Dr S Morley), Clinical Genetics (MO: Dr W Lam) and
Virtual Clinic (MO: Dr E Duvall). ICP is centred on student placements in General Practice (GP)
surgeries with additional input from Emergency Care, Clinical and Resuscitation Skills (ECCARS; Dr J
Skinner). SSC2a (Dr S Riley to be succeeded by Dr C Harlow) and SSC2b (Dr R Mayes) take place in S1
and S2, respectively. Problem-based learning (PBL; Dr F Pender) is woven into the fabric of both
semesters in a manner that facilitates translation of individual components into a meaningful clinical
context. Similarly, the Virtual Clinic aims to summarise fundamental scientific material covered
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during Y1-2 with a view to explain its clinical significance. Anatomy teaching (Dr F Kristmundsdóttir)
is integral to the course.
2/ STRUCTURE OF ACADEMIC YEAR
The Year consists of 30 weeks and is comprised of the following components:
Semester 1:
Wk 1-6:
Neurosciences (6 weeks)
Wk 7-12:
Gastrointestinal/Liver (6 weeks)
Wk 1-11:
SSC2a and Epidemiology/Statistics (sessions over 11 weeks)
Wk 13-14:
Examinations (Mol to Soc 2a OSCA/Practical)
Semester 2:
Wk 1-2:
Clinical Genetics (2 weeks)
Wk 3-5:
Renal/Urology (3 weeks)
Wk 6-11:
Endocrine (6 weeks)
Wk 12-15:
Virtual Clinic (5 weeks)
Wk 1-11:
SSC2b (sessions over 11 weeks)
Wk 16-17:
Examinations (Mol to Soc 2b OSCA/Practical; ICP OSCE/OSCA)
Across Semester 1 and 2:
ICP (weekly sessions at GP Surgeries)
PBL (twice weekly sessions)
ECCARS (see 6.ii below)
3/ STUDENT NUMBERS & RELATED ISSUES
In 2013/14, 195 students joined Year 2 compared to 247 and 234 in 2011/2012 and 2012/13,
respectively. On average, 3 direct graduate (direct) entrants joined Year 2 in each of these academic
years (in 2013/14, 1 was dental and 2 were MedSci students).
4/ QUALITY OF TEACHING
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External Quality Assurance
Y2 ensures external quality assurance of the Year’s teaching through close collaboration with the
Clinical Educator Programme and close monitoring of student feedback received from the Year’s
student body. Y2 expects all its academic staff to have completed relevant Clinical Educator courses
by end of August 2016 as guided by, and in liaison with, Dr D Aitken (CME) with administrative
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assistance from Mrs E Fairchild (CME) and Mrs C Johnston (Year 2). A summary of student feedback
is included in Appendix 1 (Mr K Wylde).
5/ QUALITY OF STUDENT PERFORMANCE
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External Quality Assurance
Y2 ensures external quality assurance of the Year’s assessments through close collaboration with the
Year’s External Examiners. Furthermore, students are introduced to Peerwise (led by Dr S Morley
and Pr H Cameron) at the outset of Y2 with a view to support their learning through question
writing. Equally, the approach aids student revision closer to exams in concert with formative
exams. A summary of student marks/grades is included in Appendix 2 (Dr N McCormick).
6/ ASSESSMENT
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Formative Exams
Formative OSCA exams are offered in both S1 and 2 of Y2. They take the shape of one 2hrs-long
standard-set OSCA exam representing the breadth and depth of the particular semester that is
offered on-line over a long weekend 3 weeks prior to the exam diet itself. Feedback is offered online for a period of time. The exam ‘pitch’ ensures appropriate insight into the Year’s expectations.
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Mol to Soc 2
Combined OSCA/Practical
An independent pass in each of the Mol to Soc 2 OSCA (90%)/Anatomy Practical (10%) examinations
is required (December and May; each OSCA comprises of two 2hrs-long papers referred to as Paper
1 and 2). Examination marks are weighted 40:60 for Semesters 1 and 2, and there is no
compensation between semesters. Both S1 and 2 OSCAs contain elements of Y1, and S2 Y2 OSCA
also contains an element of the preceding S1.
In-Course Assignment (ICA) reports
Pass is required for an ICA in each of both semesters.
SSC
An independent pass is required for each of SSC 2a and SSC 2b (see also peer feedback below).
Peer feedback
Students are required to submit and pass each of four electronic peer feedbacks (two for PBL - one
in S1 and one in S2 – and one for each of SSC 2a and SSC 2b).
Professional Development Portfolio (PDP)
Students are required to maintain their PDP throughout the year and submit/upload CV and
completed Generic Professional Skills form on time.
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e-Calc
In principle, students are required to participate in all e-Calc tasks, but they were not offered in a
systematic manner in Y2 in 2013/14 since their role is under review across the curriculum.
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ICP
Combined OSCE/OSCA examination
Students are required to pass the ICP OSCE/OSCA examination independently of the other
components of the course (May; OSCA comprises of one 1hr-long paper).
Patient Study Clinical Reports
Students are required to complete two such reports but do not formally have to pass these
independently. However, marks for each report contribute to ICP.
ECCARS
Students are required to attend all skills sessions and perform the tasks satisfactorily (S1: Airways
management; Nutrition assessment; Venepuncture; S2: Breast examination; Blood glucose
monitoring & Insulin administration; Urinalysis).
Overall ICP Mark
The components of the overall ICP mark are as follows: OSCE 40%, OSCA 35%, Patient Study Clinical
Reports 20% (ie, two Reports worth 10% each) and ECCARS 5%.
7/ INNOVATIONS
Modes of Teaching Delivery
Y2 continued to trial a ‘Flipped Class Room’ approach (Drs Duvall and Johannessen) as well as live
streaming from theatres (Mr S Paterson-Brown; organised in liaison with Mr K Wylde). Both were
well received by students as a result of the manner in which topics were placed in a clinical context.
Further considerations include offering lectures on-line and/or via mobile apps.
Clinical Component
Currently, the clinical component in Y2 is provided primarily by ICP, but novel teaching (outlined
above) adds to this approach. Equally, the Year is considering further ways of increasing clinical
exposure and Y2 has already embarked on discussions with NES (Dr S Edgar) and NHSL (Ms S BallardSmith) to introduce students to hospital medicine in a nurse-led manner with a view to trial such an
approach as a pilot in S2 of the next academic year.
Virtual Clinic
Teaching sessions of the Virtual Clinic (VC) were consolidated in a manner that provides revision of a
particular topic followed by discussions centred on clinical context with additional input from clinical
colleagues in a manner that is appropriate for a particular session. Whilst the revised approach
emphasised clinical context, it also enabled the Year to free up some time for student revision.
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However, the Year also recognises that the VC requires further re-structuring and such discussions
have begun already with a view to achieve better the module’s aim of consolidating learning in the
appropriate clinical context.
Remedial Teaching
Y2 continues to offer its re-sit students a structured programme of remedial teaching for all its Mol
to Soc 2a and 2b modules.
Direct (Graduate) Entrants
Y2 has voiced its concern at PC meetings regarding direct graduate entry into Y2 and recommended
that graduate students enter into Y1.
Attendance
Attendance at all ICP and PBL sessions is compulsory. The Year awaits guidance from the PC
regarding lecture attendance.
8/ PLAN FOR 2014/2015
Student feedback informs subsequent Y2 Committee meetings. Thus, feedback from S2 (and PBL)
will be addressed in October 2014 alongside proposals for re-structuring of ICA and VC as well as
proposals for nurse-led teaching.
9/ FUTURE CHALLENGES
Intercalated Degree
In light of the UoE MBChB becoming a 6-year programme as of 2016/17, Y1-2 will seek to explore
opportunities in what is understood to be the current proposal with a view to prepare students for a
new Y3 (the current intercalated year). However, neither Year expects major changes in their
approach at this time.
10/ REPORT WRITING
The Report was drafted by Dr I Johannessen and circulated to Y2 Committee Members for their
comments that were then incorporated into the final version, which was submitted to Ms C
Tomlinson (CMVM) on 10 August 2014. Thus, the Report represents the consensus views of Y2.
11/ APPENDICES
1/
Summary of feedback from students (Mr K Wylde)
2/
Summary of student performance (Dr N McCormick)
UoE MBChB Year 2 Annual Report 2013/2014