Welcome
Welcome back to the University to all students in Years 2-5 and a very warm welcome to all our new Year 1 students. We had an opportunity to meet them all at the “almost a tradition” get together in the exhibition hall of @Bristol, on Thursday evening last (24th). The evening started with Professor Sarah Purdy welcoming all and handing out prizes to 2nd and 3rd year students for their achievements in Years 1 and 2 last year (see details below).
Professor David Cahill then introduced and read the Bristol Promise and all those present joined in with enthusiasm and feeling; making it a moving event. Staff and students then took the opportunity to mingle and get to know each other.
In this newsletter:
- Welcome from the Programme Director
- Disquiet among trainees
- What’s new – SSCs
- Student achievements and prizes
- Welcome to new Associate Dean
- GMC visit survey
- Rumour has it
- Get involved
- Upcoming events
- New Prize and Alumni Prize nominations
- InSpire Conference
Disquiet among trainees
You will be aware that the BMA is in dispute with the Department of Health over proposed changes to the terms and conditions of employment of junior doctors in England. You may know trainees who are unhappy with the changes that are being proposed, and you may be aware that various rallies and protests are being planned by the BMA as part of a campaign to get its message across to the wider public.
Some of our students may wish to take part in these events to show support for trainees. As a medical school, we do not have any role in the contract negotiations, and we believe that each student should make up their own mind on whether or not to support action planned by the BMA. However, we do believe that as a medical student, your first responsibility should be to your studies, and therefore we would encourage you to think very carefully before missing formal teaching or clinical placement sessions to attend any protests, rallies or other events linked to the BMA’s action. We are aware that the BMA is organising some events to take place at weekends, which will not interfere with either teaching or placements.
What’s new?
To clarify any confusion about internal and external SSCs
We are aware from informal discussions with student representatives that there may be some confusion about the status of the SSCs in Year 3 and Year 4. We have attempted to reduce the assessment burden on students in these years by altering the status of some of the SSCs – specifically the internal SSCs.
During Year 3, three internal student selected components (iSSCs) will be undertaken. These will be formative and not have a mark that is used summatively. For each iSSC, prizes will be awarded for the best pieces of work and students should expect to receive detailed formative feedback.
In Year 4 three internal student selected components (iSSCs) will be undertaken during the year. These internal students selected components are:
A presentation in Reproductive Health & Care of the Newborn. A presentation in Psychiatry and a critical appraisal and application of evidence from three key papers relating to a clinical scenario in COMP1. As in Year 3, these will be formative and not have a mark that is used summatively. Again, for each iSSC, prizes will be awarded for the best pieces of work. Students should expect to receive detailed formative feedback on their work.
It is important to note that students must complete each student selected component.
Failure of a student to complete an iSSC or engage with formative feedback may trigger a review of their professional behaviour. Details of these internal SSCs can be found in the Management of Marks document for Year 3 and Year 4 on the assessment pages.
The External SSCs in Years 3 and 4 are still summative, and require students to undertake them and submit a written report. These are major parts of the assessed programme and indeed, it is worth remembering that their marks count towards the ranking process for Foundation year jobs (Year 3 SSC) and towards ranking at Finals for grading as Pass, Merit or Distinction (Years 3 and 4 SSCs).
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Student Achievements
Year 1 prizes:
Our congratulation to Ivo Alexander Suchett-Kaye for his outstanding achievement in winning three prizes: the Alumni Academic Achievement Award, the Elizabeth Williams Prize and the Vesalius Anatomy Prize. Well done!
HBoM WPC Prizes were awarded to the following:
Natasha Chakraborty, Peter Clements, Laureen Jacquet, Emily-Jane Mitchell, Anna Rathbone Furse, Francis Screech, Eleanor Shepherd, Kean Tan, Kimi Worsdel some shown in the above photo. Well done to them.
HBoM GP Prizes were awarded to:
1st place: Harry Roberston,
joint 2nd place: Ralf Warren and Harriet Miles,
joint 3rd place: Rosie Hughes and Isabelle Nicholls
Year 2 prizes
Congratulations to May Lee who won both the Elizabeth Williams Prize and the Vesalius Anatomy Prize
The Vesalius Dissection Prize was won by Paul Rival and the eBiolabs Prize went to Izabella Smolicz Congratulations to them both.
INSPIRE rSSC prizes were awarded to:
1st Prize: Elliot Raymond-Taggert, joint 2nd prize Serena Chew, Tamar Witztum.
Welcome to Professor Sarah Purdy this is her message to students
Hello, I am Sarah Purdy and I am the new Associate Dean of Social and Clinical Medicine. Before I started this exciting new role in August this year, I was a Professor of Primary Care here in Bristol. I remain involved in research, and also still work part time as a GP.
As Associate Dean, I am the leader of the two Schools that make up our ‘medical school’ – the Schools of Social and Community Medicine and Clinical Sciences – and also the Centre for Medical Education. This role is similar to the role of ‘Dean’ in many other medical schools. I will be working closely with Professor David Cahill, the Programme Director for the MB ChB courses, and his colleagues in Bristol and in the academies.
Over the next two years, as well as continuing to improve our curriculum, assessments and feedback and student support, we will be combining the two current schools into a School of Social and Clinical Sciences – one single School that will be a ‘medical school’. We hope that this will create a stronger sense of identity for students, and it will also be very helpful for us in organising and managing teaching.
It is a very exciting and challenging time for medicine and medical education. I am looking forward to getting to know you and working with you to address some of the things you would like to see us change and improve. I am also keen to learn more about your experiences, successes and interests. It is a real privilege to be leading medicine at Bristol University – we have so much to be proud of!
Sarah Purdy, Associate Dean, Faculty of Health Sciences
Associatedean-fohs@bristol.ac.uk
Rumour has it…
…the Faculty has a quota to fail each year in Finals, in agreement with the Foundation year programme. This is not the case – categorically – and to prove the point, last year, every student who entered and completed year 5 successfully graduated in July. Great news!!!!!
GMC’s survey of our students’ opinion.
In the introductory sessions for Years 2-5, I have spoken to you all about the upcoming GMC visit in the spring of 2016. As part of their preparation for that, the GMC want to gather as much information as possible on individual student views on the MB ChB programme and have issued the Faculty with a student survey they would like students to complete. We are asking for your help with this. Please could you complete the survey; you may also hear about this from Academy Deans and from Galenicals. A high level of response rates will be reviewed by the GMC as part of the exercise, so it is therefore important that as many students as can do complete this survey.
The link here will also give you more information about the process: https://gmc.e-consultation.net/econsult/survey/ConRespForm.aspx?Consult_Id=635&request_response=new&status=&criteria=I&val=60
Get involved…
B.U.M.S on the run.
The Health Sciences Faculty running group known as B.U.M.S on the run started up last year running open sessions to all students and staff within the faculty. They are especially keen to fill their beginners group this year. There are two options if you want to get running:
- A 9 week structured group taking you from beginner (first session walking only) to 5K. 5.30pm starting Wednesday 7th October.
- A 9 week intermediate/advanced running fitness, strength and technique sessions. 6.30pm starting Wednesday 7th October.
Both groups meet on college green.
The leaders are trained by England Athletics and are super keen to encourage you into the fantastic world of running! Please bring high-vis clothing if you have it. All students and STAFF welcome. Find our more:
Twitter: @rungalenicals Contact us on for further queries: rungalenicals@gmail.com Or find us on Facebook: B.U.M.S on the run
Do you want to Teach CPR in Schools?
Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation in Schools (CPRiS) is looking for new members to teach CPR and first aid to children aged 10-16 years in local schools and youth clubs in the Bristol area.
A great way to enhance your skills in basic life support, plus an opportunity to have fun and boost your CV by getting involved in some teaching!
To become a member and start teaching, all you need to do is attend a training session to refresh your skills in adult basic life support… then you can sign up to as many sessions to teach as you like throughout the year.
First training session is TUESDAY 13TH OCTOBER, 7.30PM, SOUTHMEAD HOSPITAL L&R BUILDING.
To sign up, join the ‘CPRiS Bristol’ Facebook group and add your email to the sign-up sheet.
For more information, contact cprisbristol@gmail.com
Record Breakers
Medical student James Riley and his best mate Ted Simpson officially became the Guinness World Record holders in July for the fastest crossing of Loch Ness in a tandem kayak. They completed the 34km crossing in 4 hours 43 minutes and 43 seconds, breaking the previous record of 5 hours 19 minutes. They both love a challenge but also wanted to raise money for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust they have raised over £2000 so far and would appreciate your help in raising even more before their Justgiving page closes. Go here to donate: https://www.justgiving.com/lochnessworldrecord For more on their challenge: Google them.
Two public lectures in the near future of interest to all:
Professor Dame Anne Johnson –
When pathogens meet people: controlling infectious disease epidemics
2 November 2015, 6.00 PM – 7.00 PM University of Bristol, Wills Memorial Building, Queen’s Road, Bristol BS8 1RJ
The second Elizabeth Blackwell Annual Public Lecture will be given by Professor Dame Anne Johnson, Professor of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Chair of the Population Health Domain and Vice Dean for external affairs in the Faculty of Population Health at University College London. Professor Dame Anne Johnson will talk about her research into HIV and sexually transmitted infections, in particular the successes and a failure of population interventions to control these diseases. She will also discuss future innovations in controlling emerging infections, drawing on recent novel research with flu and Ebola.
This Public Lecture is named after Elizabeth Blackwell, the first woman to receive a medical degree in the USA and to be placed on the UK’s medical register. Elizabeth was born in Bristol in 1821 and returned to the UK in 1859 to lecture at a social sciences congress held on the site now occupied by the Great Hall, Wills Memorial Building. Elizabeth Blackwell worked tirelessly throughout her life to improve public health.
The event is free to attend but registration is required via Eventbrite.
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/elizabeth-blackwell-lecture
Professor Lord Robert Winston. Medicine in Renaissance art: lessons for issues in current medicine. Emeritus Professor of Fertility Studies, Imperial College, London.
Monday, 12 October 2015 from 15:00 to 16:00
Great Hall, Wills Memorial Building, Queen’s Road, Clifton BS8 1RJ
From Galileo-influenced depictions of the moon and da Vinci’s studies of the human skull, to the representation of scientific instruments and people with disabilities, Renaissance art has much to tell us about the medicine and science of the time. Robert Winston examines some classical works of art, revealing some of the surprising hidden (and not so hidden) stories in the paintings. The lecture will connect these stories with ethical and moral issues that are familiar in modern medicine, science and society. The event is free but please go here to register: www.bristol.ac.uk/phys-pharm/events/winston.html
New Prize!
University of Bristol Institute of Clinical Neurosciences Undergraduate Prize
Wednesday 16th March 2016 1000-1200
Details of Prize
- Prizes of £100, £50 & £25 for the 3 best entries along with certificates for your portfolio
- Format
- Oral presentation lasting 8-10 minutes
- 4 minutes allocated for questions
(Full audio-visual facilities will be available)
- Prizes will be awarded following assessment of presentations by a panel of neurologists, neurophysiologists, neuropathologists, neurosurgeons, neuropsychiatrists and paediatric neurologists.
- The presentation must be for work undertaken since entering medical school and not as part of any previous degree project such as a graduate entry student who may have participated in prior neuroscience research. This prize is open to all
- We are keen to encourage as wide a possible range of clinical neurosciences projects from neurology, neurosurgery, neuropathology, neurophysiology, neuropsychiatry and paediatric neurology including but not limited to the following categories:-
- Clinical case: A clinical case relevant to neurology/neurosurgery with appropriate discussion
- Basic or clinical research
- Audit or health care improvement program
- Entry is via abstract (written summary of your presentation) submission of no more than 250 words to sharma@bristol.ac.uk by 28th February 2016
Finally, do you think you or one of your friends or colleagues has done something really outstanding once or over a period of time?
If you do, consider nominating them for an Alumni Association Student Awards. Full details are available at: www.bristol.ac.uk/alumni/students/alumni-association-awards/.