University of Bristol at Gloucestershire Academy
Number 133
1st December 2014
Monthly News
Dr Philip Davies, Deputy Dean, Gloucestershire Academy
It is with great sadness that we say goodbye this month to Emily
Matthews, the Undergraduate Administrator for the Academy.
Emily started working for the Gloucestershire Academy under her
maiden name Emily Shingleton-Smith on the 3rd May 2005. She joined
Andrea Vincent who was the first undergraduate coordinator in the
temporary accommodation that had been provided for the Academy in
the old Victorian buildings of the hospital (now demolished!). The
Academy moved to its current site in Redwood House in 2006. Emily
had already settled into her role and was able to help the current
Undergraduate Manager Angie Coulson settle into her new post, when
Andrea Vincent went on maternity leave.
Over the last decade Emily has been an extremely effective
administrator. Her warm outgoing personality, attention to detail and
strong work ethic have won her many friends amongst the medical
students and teachers that pass through the academy, as evidenced
by the large number of thank you cards that are often displayed on her
desk. Her meticulous planning has ensured that students and tutors
are in the right place at the right time. She will be particularly
remembered for the professional way that she has organised the
COMP2 examinations and her extremely tasty lemon drizzle cake!
She will be deeply missed by everyone at the academy. We wish her
well in her new job.
A Day in the Life of the Academy Office
The office is currently staffed by an Undergraduate Manager, an
Administrator and part time Admin Assistant, equivalent to 2.4 whole
time equivalent posts. They provide administrative support for all the
medical students and teaching staff within the Academy, with a strong
emphasis on liaison with the central university team in Bristol.
7.30
Academy Office opens for the day.
The office
answerphone is checked for messages and the generic
email inbox is also checked for any messages from
students.
The office acts as the major hub of communication for students in
years 3, 4 and 5 attending the Academy. On an average day the office
will deal with 10-30 telephone and email requests and messages from
students regarding sickness, accommodation, timetable changes etc.
8.30
Business meeting with the Dean and Vice Dean.
Regular meetings are held with the Dean and will follow an agenda that
covers student issues (including administrative, educational and
pastoral), general administration, staffing, finance and forward planning
for the next two to three Academic years.
DATES FOR YOUR
DIARY:-
EXAMINERS
REQUIRED: 1st Objective Long Case
Exams for Year 5;
10th – 21st November 2014
@ CGH & GRH
1st Objective Long Case
Exams for Year 3;
W/c 15th December 2014
@ CGH & GRH
2nd Objective Long Case
Exams for Year 5;
26th January to 6th February
2015 @ CGH & GRH
Final Year Long Case
Exams 2015
9.00-13.00
25th February @ GRH
4th March @ GRH
12th March @ CGH
If you are interested in
examining for any of the
above dates please email
Emily.L.Matthews@glos.nhs.uk
USEFUL LINKS:Gloucestershire Academy
Website – Click Here
Gloucestershire Academy
Contacts – Click Here
9.30
Post arrives from the post room.
Despite much of the Academy communication
happening over the Internet, there is still a surprising
amount of post that arrives including confidential
information from the University. A large number of
students will also use the Academy as a substitute
post office so that they can ensure safe delivery of
letters and packages. Presumably all the parcels
arriving from Amazon are full of newly ordered
textbooks to aid their studies!
10.00 Student drops in to discuss submission
date for long case portfolios
On an average day between 30 and 50 students will
drop into the office to discuss any manner of issues
relating to their course or accommodation. Although
the door has to be left closed (due to fire regulations),
the office operates an ‘open door’ policy, encouraging
all students to discuss any issues that are of concern.
The office also acts as a collection point for
equipment bags and written material for examinations
and ward based activities.
10.30 Trip to student common room on tenth
floor of tower block.
The common room is provided as a space for
students to securely leave bags and relax when not
on the wards. Internet access is available, as are tea
and coffee making facilities. Regular checks are
made to ensure there are adequate refreshments
available and that the room is being kept clean and
tidy. Generally standards are much better than those
in the junior doctors’ mess!
11.00 Finish off organisation of new timetables
for year 4 unit.
Generally the office will be responsible for the
administration of eight different timetables at any one
time. The organisation involved makes up a major
part of the office work load and will involve liaison
with the University central office and unit leads, as
well as juggling with requests from local teachers
both in primary and secondary care. Ensuring that
every teaching session is fitted into a tight framework
is a time consuming process. Last minute changes
often need to be accommodated due to changes in
tutors’ clinical time.
12.30 Tutor drops in to check room booking and
ask about the progress of a student after recent
feedback session.
The Academy currently has twenty tutors working
between 2 and 4 hours per week in an educational
role as part of their NHS contract. Despite long term
planning, they will often request extra sessions for
tutorials and to meet up with students. These are
usually accommodated through liaison with the
Education Centre office who run the room booking
system. The office also acts as a communication
link between the tutors, their students, the Dean and
the central University administration team.
13.30 Welcome new set of students as part of
induction process
Over 220 students will study at Gloucestershire
Academy through the academic year on a variety of
courses or units. As well as the main induction days
in September and January, smaller induction
programmes are held during most weeks for
students arriving in Gloucester after initial central
teaching. As well as an educational induction from
their tutor, the office provides an administrative
overview covering accommodation, timetabling and
professional etiquette issues as well as ensuring
that all students have completed their necessary
mandatory training.
14.30 Briefing with educational fellows.
There are currently four full time educational fellows
attached to the Academy who provide teaching
support to a variety of the clinical units,
predominantly for the year three students. As well
as daily ad hoc communication, a weekly briefing
meeting is held with them to confirm teaching
timetables for the forthcoming week, arrange any
last minute changes to teaching and discuss any
issues about students or teaching matters.
15.50 Phone call from Central Administration
office of Faculty of Medicine at University of
Bristol
enquiring about readiness for
forthcoming COMP2 examinations.
Gloucester is one of seven Academies that provide
clinical attachments for University of Bristol medical
students. There is regular liaison with the central
administration office to ensure that teaching
experiences are similar for all students no matter
which Academy they attend. We are also one of two
Academies to run University examinations locally,
including COMP2 – an all day OSCE which
generally takes six months of preparation to ensure
that it runs to schedule and that all students,
examiners and actors are in the right place at the
right time.
16.30 Office closes for the day.
Teaching will continue into the evening with the
Educational Centre being used into the early
evening and the library being available through 24
hour access. The answerphone will start recording
messages in preparation for the next day at work.