1. 2014/15

3.  The Joint Project Board has published the arrangements for the joint teaching of the PCMD cohort of students.  This aims to safeguard the students’ experience and outline the governance structure during the transition period to the two new medical schools.  The GMC has visited the two new medical schools as part of an accreditation programme. The visits were also to ensure that the delivery of joint teaching of the PCMD cohort will not be affected by the disaggregation.

4.  In the academic year 2013/14 we introduced an induction week for Year 5 and had an introduction session for all Year 3 & 4 clinical placements across all localities.  PCMD carried out an audit of Years 3 and 4 introduction session in November 2013 as well as an evaluation of the newly introduced Year 5 induction in October 2013.

5.  The Years 3 and 4 audit has demonstrated that not all departments currently deliver an introduction session. This is something that the locality teams will work with local providers to ensure that these take place in the academic year 2014/15.  The student evaluation of the induction for Year 5 was generally positive.

6.  The GMC carried out an End of Placement Survey of student assistantships in all UK medical schools in the academic year 2012/13.  This year, the GMC will carry out a survey of all clinical placements in UK medical schools. The GMC survey will be delivered to students via PCMD for Years 3 and 4. The timing of the survey is yet to be determined.

7.  This has replaced the three-week Special Environments SSU (SP3) in Year 4.  The rationale for introducing these weeks include:

8. 1. Reducing the assessment workload 2. An opportunity for students to consolidate learning similar to the ‘Reading weeks’ in other programmes 3. More emphasis on certain elements of the curriculum that enhance preparedness for Foundation Placements including prescription skills, situational judgement, patient safety and clinical decision making.

9.  The consolidation/reading weeks will take place weeks commencing:  27/10/2014  16/03/2015 (incorporates the Progress Test)  08/06/2015 (week before ISCE)

10.  Introduction to the Consolidation Weeks (first week)  Specialty Half Day x 3  Clinical Consolidation x 3  Prescribing Activity x 2  iCAST x 1  Team Based Learning x 1

11.  Situational Judgement Learning x 1 (in groups)  Health Needs Assessment Activity x 1  ISCE Briefing x 1  Introduction to Year 5 & Foundation Preparation x 1

12.  The activities described are essential for enhancing the preparedness for Foundation Practice.  Attendance of activities will therefore be compulsory.

14.  There have been some changes to On-the-Spot feedback and these will be detailed in the Technical Manual.  A panel of the Locality Associate Deans and the Lead for Professionalism will meet three times in the academic year to consider ‘On the spot’ feedback’ given to students. The panel will determine the final ‘summative’ grade to be awarded at the final meeting in the academic year.  On the spot feedback was used summatively for the first time in the academic year 2013/14.

15.  Summative Professional Judgements (PJs) should be carried out by providers who have completed the training.  Providers must attend training before signing off these assessments.  The eligibility table has been updated.

16.  Any borderline or unsatisfactory mark will require remediation to a satisfactory standard.  Remediation should normally be completed within 4 weeks of the poster presentation with the student’s academic tutor.  If a student’s marking and feedback reveals they should concentrate on the poster they will need to produce a new poster, if it reveals a problem with their discussion/presentation they will need to work on that. If both the poster and presentation need work they must remediate both accordingly.

18. Clinical Pathways  There is a requirement to have an introduction session for each week.  The medical school has received very good feedback from students on weeks that have an introduction session (suggested plan on next slide).  Clinical Teachers are encouraged to give students increasing responsibility e.g. present on Ward Rounds, see patients in parallel surgeries & present back in Years 3 & 4, present in educational meetings.

19. Suggested Introduction Session Plan Content - Plan for the week/changes to timetable - Learning opportunities in the department - Assessments in the week - Contact details of clinical teacher lead

20. National Prescription Safety Assessment (PSA) Update  It is envisaged that all PMS students will have to sit the National PSA assessment in the Spring.  All students and clinical teachers will receive an update once this is agreed nationally.

21.  This will be included in the assessment booklet and needs to be completed at the start of each block.  This will then be kept in the students’ portfolio.

22.  Clinical teachers who would like to carry out surveys on students should do so only after consulting with the locality teams. This is to avoid overburdening students with excessive surveys.  Currently students have a requirement to complete a number of surveys for the Medical School including the Quality Monitoring Survey, the End of Placement GMC Survey and the National Student Survey.

23. Quality of Feedback  High quality and timely feedback is crucial for student development. This is particularly important for Professionalism Judgements & SSU Assessments.

24.  Students are required to provide apologies to the Faculty Office if they are not able to attend a placement.  In 2014/15, the attendance of workshops for Years 3 and 4 will now be compulsory – students must give apologies if unable to attend.  CPC/SSLs remains compulsory – students must give apologies if unable to attend.

25.  The GMC has requested that all Clinical Teachers complete Equality and Diversity training.  Please could all Clinical Teachers who have not completed this training or whose training has elapsed (more than 3 years) complete the training as soon as possible.  Please contact your Locality Office for details.

26. Students to raise with Hospital Sub-Dean or Community Sub-Dean or Community Sub-Dean