Clinical Medicine: Year 4 Clinical Study
The main focus of Year 4 (the first clinical year) is on skills for effective clinical practice. An initial rotation in hospital and general practice, Patient/Doctor II, builds on the earlier Patient and Doctor courses, to ensure students have acquired sufficient level of skill in history, examination, communication and practical skills to allow them to proceed to clinical placements. The Laboratory Medicine course provides a foundation in pathology, investigative medicine and the knowledge base of clinical medicine. Students then proceed to core rotations in medicine and surgery. Integrated with the core rotations are cross-curricular courses in communication skills, ethics, law and professionalism, clinical pharmacology, radiology, evidence-based medicine and sexual health. By the end of Year 4, students are expected to have reached competence in history, examination and procedural skills, as well as to have been introduced to principles of care and management. The year includes a special study theme module in which students pursue an academic area of interest, to complement and enhance their other clinical Year 4 studies. Students will be provided with access to an online portfolio in which to record their learning activities and achievements.
Please note that the course structure below relates to the current curriculum and may be subject to change, in line with the GMCs 'Outcomes for Graduates' standards guidance. Click here to go to GMC website and view 'Outcomes for Graduates'.
Patient Doctor II
The Patient Doctor II course provides an introduction to clinical medicine and to the experience and methods of learning within a clinical environment at the beginning of year 4. Each student also attends sessions on basic life support, manual handling, ethics and law and communication skills.
GP PLACEMENT
The general practice placement at the beginning of year 4 of the medical course, following the Patient Doctor II. Students will be attached to a general practice. The attachment gives students an understanding of the work of the general practitioner and the primary health care team and students visit a patient or family in their own home. They practise clinical skills with real patients and consider the impact of social, emotional and environmental factors on the patient and on illness.
Laboratory Medicine
The Laboratory Medicine course provides a foundation in pathology, investigative medicine and the knowledge base of clinical medicine. Students then proceed to core rotations in medicine and surgery.
CLINICAL BLOCK: Medicine
Students will learn the basic techniques and principles of medical diagnosis and management, learning how to communicate effectively with patients and relatives, take an accurate history, perform a physical examination, presenting findings and a summary of the case, formulate differential diagnosis and be competent at the basic principles of treatment, and develop their clinical and practical skills.
CLINICAL BLOCK: Surgery
Students will be attached to surgical specialties and will be allocated a tutor providing bedside teaching. The course includes practical skills, oncology, evidence based surgical practice, patient safety teaching sessions and case based learning. A lecture course covers the core curriculum and a sign up system is in operation to cover emergency admissions.
CLINCAL Block: LOCAL EDUCATION PROVIDER PLACEMENTS
Students attend a Local Education Provider to study medicine and surgery. These hospitals currently include locations in Buckingham, Milton Keynes, Northampton, Reading and Swindon.
CLINICAL BLOCK: MEDICAL SPECIALTIES
The majority of students will spend one clinical block on Medical Specialties. Students will normally be allocated to two specialties.
Special Study Themes (SST)
This is an exciting opportunity for you to pursue and enjoy a discipline which will enhance your study of clinical medicine in Year 4.
You will follow one of the SST course options. The programme will include seminar-based and small-group teaching, as well as the chance to pursue an independent project in greater depth.
Cross Curricular THEMES
Integrated with the core rotations are cross curricular themes in subjects such as communication skills, ethics, law and professionalism, clinical pharmacology and therapeutics, radiology, evidence-based medicine and sexual health.