Pros1.
Serious Clinical emphasis - Clinical medicine is emphasised in every aspect of the course. It is very clear that they aim to graduate ultra competent doctors. Anatomy and Physiology and its clinical application is strongly emphasised (not glossed over) in every case unit, in lectures, the clinical scenario for PBL and in the LSRC sessions.
2.
Clinical Competence - They take clinical skills seriously and we are taught and expected to be able to take a history and competently perform a combined cardiovascular, respiratory and GI examination by the end of first year (on real people). From the very first week of the course the clinical skills teaching begins, and we are assessed on our ability to perform these skills from the very first term.
3.
Community Placements - Community Placements are once per case unit in the first year (2hrs) and Become day placements every other case unit in the second year. (Then full on clinical pathways from 3rd year)
4.
PBL - Problem based learning is a very structured way to facilitate learning, it allows you to gain knowledge based around clinical scenarios, so you are always able to relate the science (anatomy and physiology) directly back to its clinical application. It teaches you how to learn the way we would learn as doctors and teaches you about team dynamics and gives you the skills to adapt swiftly into any team and make it functional.
5.
You are not a number - At Peninsula you are treated as an individual and as a partner in the course. They genuinely do care about us and listen to us, they are always actively seeking our feedback and actually make changes. The course really is designed around us, and not the other way around. The course is innovative and progressive, they have thought the course out very clearly and the aim is very clear from the beginning - to produce ultra competent doctors and who are slick and highly confident around patients.
6.
Clinical Anatomy - Being able to understand medical imaging and clinical examination is emphasised, from the very first year we are taught how to interpret medical imaging and diagnostic tests and understand the clinical anatomy to get a feel for what you would be looking for with examinations.
7.
Family Feel - Peninsula has a community family feel, you are supported every step of the way, even in your SDL. We all get on with each other, every one knows each other in each year, and they know almost everyone from the year directly above them and lots of people from every year. The whole student population socialise well with each other.
Cons1.
PBL - The effectiveness of PBL really does depend on how well your group works together and how well the facilitator works with the group. This is not an issue most of the time, and even if it is your group and facilitator changes termly so it does not become an issue.
2.
Lectures - Lectures are sometimes boring and not clinically integrated properly. (This isnt really a con, but we notice when lectures are not as good, because we are used to lectures which provide the information within their clinical context.)
There are more cons than this but I cant even remember them.
They cant be important.