Vertical Themes in the MBChB Curriculum
Minutes 8 January 2008
Present:
Apologies
Dr Simon Maxwell (Chair)
Professor Allan Cumming
Professor Ian Mason
Professor Danny McQueen
Dr Simon Riley
Dr Janet Skinner
Sheila Fisken
Dr Kirsty Boyd
Dr Richard Phelps
Dr Donald Thomson
Professor Kenneth Boyd
Karen Simpson
Dr Rob Carlson
Dr Stephen Lynch
Dr Mike Porter
Michael Begg
Dr Mary Reid
Dr Helen Cameron
Dr Michael Sharpe
Professor Harry Campbell
Val McDowall
1. Welcome
Dr Maxwell welcomed everyone to the meeting and introduced Dr Richard Phelps,
the new Head of the Informatics Theme.
2. Matters Arising from Minutes of Previous Meeting
Staffing – Evidence-based Medicine & Research
Dr Claire Gordon has been approached as a possible Theme Head, however she
has advised that while she is keen to be involved in the Theme she is unwilling to
become the Theme Head. Professor Boyd advised that he is following up some
other leads.
Dr Maxwell commented that the search for a Theme Head had been ongoing for
sometime and queried if it were possible for the EBMR Theme to become part of a
larger Vertical Theme, for example, Public Health or Pharmacology & Therapeutics.
Professor Cumming advised that there were no ‘political’ reasons to prevent this from
happening. Professor Boyd advised that he had spoken to Professor Harry
Campbell, Public Health, re this and his opinion was that it was important that the
EBMR Theme be led by a Clinical person.
It was agreed that should a Theme Head not be agreed by the next meeting of the
Committee that merging with another Theme would have to be considered.
Staffing - Medical Informatics
Dr Richard Phelps, the new Theme Head, advised that he was currently reviewing
the Informatics course with an aim to implement any changes for the start of the next
academic year.
Name Change in Vertical Theme – Amendment to the Minutes
Dr Maxwell advised that Dr Sharpe had requested that reference to the Department
of Psychiatry be removed.
National Development – Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics
Dr Maxwell provided an updated regarding the Medical Schools/GMC Safe
Prescribing Working Group. A set of core competencies have been agreed and will
soon be ratified by the GMC and should be publicly available shortly thereafter.
Dissemination of Vertical Theme Information
Dr Carlson advised that a luncheon event has been organised and those people who
have indicated an interest will be invited. Initially this will have a CSPPD focus. Dr
Carlson will continue to update the Committee about the progress of this initiative.
Should this be successful it could be expanded to include the other Vertical Themes.
GMC Visit
Professor Allan Cumming advised that the GMC have provided a detailed list of
activities and that this will be circulated shortly.
3. EEMeC
Dr Simon Maxwell advised that he had been reviewing the Vertical Theme pages on
EEMeC recently and there were still some content gaps.
Michael Begg stressed the importance of having an overview of the information to
ensure that entries do not conflict, are up to date and are not unnecessarily
duplicated.
It was agreed that Dr Maxwell and Vanessa Feldberg will review the Vertical Theme
pages on EEMeC to identify any obvious gaps/issues.
ACTION POINT:
Dr Maxwell and Vanessa Feldberg to review the Vertical
Theme pages on EEMeC.
4. Vertical Themes Outcomes
This was an Action Point from the September meeting and Theme Heads were
reminded to submit this information, if they have not done so already. The document
prepared by Helen Cameron on Vertical Theme Outcomes will be circulated with the
Minutes.
ACTION POINT:
If not already done, Theme Heads should submit their
Theme outcomes to Vanessa Feldberg (vanessa.feldberg@ed.ac.uk)
5. Mapping Vertical Theme Learning Opportunities
Dr Stephen Lynch provided an update. This has been expanded to include all
Vertical Themes, as previously this had covered CSPPD only. A document has
been circulated to all Theme Heads for review. It is intended that this will be subject
to annual review.
ACTION POINTS
Stephen Lynch.
Theme Heads to review document circulated by Dr
Dr Rob Carlson circulated a copy of the Year 3 CSPPD Mapping, which is published
in the Year 3 General Introduction Study Guide. This information is reviewed
annually when the Study Guide is updated. The information is sent to the Module
Organiser and Theme Head, it was agreed that any changes should be approved by
both the Module Organiser and the Theme Head. In the future the Module
Organisers name will be added to the mapping document.
6. Review of 2006/07 Vertical Theme Feedback
Dr Simon Maxwell provided a brief summary of areas that scored poorly in each year.
Year 1
 Limited Learning Opportunities in: The Consultation, Practical Skills and First Aid
& Resuscitation
Year 2
 Limited Learning Opportunities in: First Aid & Resuscitation, Ethics and CSMI
Year 3
 39% disagreed that the assessment matched the overall learning objectives
 36% disagreed that assessment throughout the year was fair
 Limited Learning Opportunities in: Practical Skills, First Aid & Resuscitation,
Ethics, CMSI and Pharmacology
Year 4
 Limited Learning Opportunities in: Practical Skills, First Aid & Resuscitation,
Ethics and Pharmacology
The full feedback can be viewed at:
https://www.eemec.med.ed.ac.uk/node.asp?ID=eoyvt067
The feedback was discussed and comments were made regarding the fact that
students do not always recognise when they are receiving teaching on a specific
Theme and also that in some years certain Themes are not taught.
Dr Maxwell asked the Theme Heads to review the feedback relevant to their Theme
and to submit conclusion/proposals so that this information can also be provided to
the next Curriculum Executive and Quality Assurance Committee meetings.
ACTION POINT:
Theme Heads to review the ACT Feedback for their Theme
and submit conclusions/proposals to Dr Simon Maxwell (s.maxwell@ed.ac.uk).
7. CSPPD Issues
Already covered in previous items.
8. AOB
None
9. Date of next meeting
To be advised.