Succeeding in a PBL medical school

Hydromancer

how do you get a distinction/honours anyway? I thought that the MBChB degree was not classified...

At Manchester you get a point every time you get honours/distinction in exam. If you collect 7 points you will graduate with honours. It is different to the usual 1st 2:1 etc classification. It will be explained in your course handbook in detail.

Reply 22

OP

belis

At Manchester you get a point every time you get honours/distinction in exam. If you collect 7 points you will graduate with honours. It is different to the usual 1st 2:1 etc classification. It will be explained in your course handbook in detail.

ok thanks...is there any extra weighting given to the MBChB hons. over an ordinary MBChB and roughly how many people get one...I'd always thought that you just had to pass medical school but it appears there's more to it.

Reply 23

Hydromancer

ok thanks...is there any extra weighting given to the MBChB hons. over an ordinary MBChB and roughly how many people get one...I'd always thought that you just had to pass medical school but it appears there's more to it.

Not that many. Around 20 people in the year of over 300. It does not get you any massive advantage. Maybe a couple of extra points at the speciality training application stage (I have seen a few forms asking about honours degrees/other med school prizes) and a sence of accomplishment. :p:

Reply 24

SahilB91

bean87

to me it doesnt matter whether i get honour/distinction, but alot of people care. as long as i dont fail, i dont care. i assume though that graduating with honours would look very good on your record

a geek i know was annoyed because he came 17th in the year and didnt get a distinction. too many private school pricks sometimes. very arrogant and uptight

Which is better? my friend finished 14th and got distinction (I think it was distinction, could have been merit)

On what basis are they given out?

I am trying to decide whether or not I am bothered, becuase no matter where you finish, you are going to be a doctor, so I am not that bothered unless it gives you a massive advantage.

Reply 25

SahilB91

My bad just realised all my questions were answered above!

Reply 26

bean87

15

SahilB91

Which is better? my friend finished 14th and got distinction (I think it was distinction, could have been merit)

On what basis are they given out?

I am trying to decide whether or not I am bothered, becuase no matter where you finish, you are going to be a doctor, so I am not that bothered unless it gives you a massive advantage.

i think the top 10 in manc got distinction. the next 30 odd got honours. not sure. the bottom 30 failed. 400 students in total. not hard to pass to be fair

Reply 27

bean87

i think the top 10 in manc got distinction. the next 30 odd got honours. not sure. the bottom 30 failed. 400 students in total. not hard to pass to be fair

Honours and distinctions for individual exams are based on a normal distribution. If you are 2 standard deviations above your peer group you get distinction, one you get honours. One standard deviation below is low pass. You need to be two standard deviations below to fail a written exam- you either have done no work or have some serious personal problems getting in the way. It is a bit different for OSCEs. There is a set pass mark and more people fail OSCEs than written (particularly in clinicals).

Reply 28

OP

belis

Honours and distinctions for individual exams are based on a normal distribution. If you are 2 standard deviations above your peer group you get distinction, one you get honours. One standard deviation below is low pass. You need to be two standard deviations below to fail a written exam- you either have done no work or have some serious personal problems getting in the way. It is a bit different for OSCEs. There is a set pass mark and more people fail OSCEs than written (particularly in clinicals).

Does this mean that Manchester fail a set percentage of the year group anyway?

Reply 29

AJ89

belis is right...
This equates to about 6 Distinctions, 40 or so Honours and about 25 Fails for each exam.

Hydromancer

Does this mean that Manchester fail a set percentage of the year group anyway?

Yep, there will be always around 20-30 people that fail :frown:

Although there are rumours that the normal distribution of results is being scrapped and theyre bringing in a set pass mark...

Reply 30

OP

AJ89

belis is right...
This equates to about 6 Distinctions, 40 or so Honours and about 25 Fails for each exam.

Yep, there will be always around 20-30 people that fail :frown:

Although there are rumours that the normal distribution of results is being scrapped and theyre bringing in a set pass mark...

I knew that Birmingham did this but didn't know Manchester did the same thing. I guess if you work hard you'll have nothing to worry about...

Reply 31

AJ89

belis is right...
This equates to about 6 Distinctions, 40 or so Honours and about 25 Fails for each exam.

Yep, there will be always around 20-30 people that fail :frown:

Although there are rumours that the normal distribution of results is being scrapped and theyre bringing in a set pass mark...

30 people in a year of 300 is not that many. If somone is performing 2 standard deviations below the year group it is more likely that they are not up to scratch with the material than that the rest of the group are extreme high flyyears pushing the boundaries up.

Reply 32

OP

out of curiosity, do you need to fulfil certain criteria in order to intercalate at Manchester?

Reply 33

HotCoco.

I was just wondering, how do students usually takes notes during PBL sessions?
Do some people bring laptops? Because I imagine that would be the easier option to do when you want to add in other people's notes in with your own during a PBL session. :confused:

Or do you just use pen and paper?
Thanks. :biggrin:

Reply 34

OP

HotCoco.

I was just wondering, how do students usually takes notes during PBL sessions?
Do some people bring laptops? Because I imagine that would be the easier option to do when you want to add in other people's notes in with your own during a PBL session. :confused:

Or do you just use pen and paper?
Thanks. :biggrin:

That is actually a very good question. When does Leicester tell you btw?

Reply 35

HotCoco.

Hydromancer

That is actually a very good question. When does Leicester tell you btw?

They should be replying by the end of this week. :biggrin:

I ask this because I have a laptop but it's huge, not the sort to carry around all day. So I was just wondering if swapping for a smaller 'notebook' lappy would be worth it. :o:

Reply 36

HotCoco.

I was just wondering, how do students usually takes notes during PBL sessions?
Do some people bring laptops? Because I imagine that would be the easier option to do when you want to add in other people's notes in with your own during a PBL session. :confused:

Or do you just use pen and paper?
Thanks. :biggrin:

I never took notes. Maybe scribbled something that I wanted to remember or look up. I don't think anyone in my group ever brought their laptpops with them or made extensive notes. Mostly we just had discussion and bounced ideas of each other. Each PBL group does it a bit differently though.

Reply 37

AJ89

HotCoco.

I was just wondering, how do students usually takes notes during PBL sessions?
Do some people bring laptops? Because I imagine that would be the easier option to do when you want to add in other people's notes in with your own during a PBL session. :confused:

Or do you just use pen and paper?
Thanks. :biggrin:

PBL is definitely more of a discussion... I've never had anyone in my PBL taking notes on a laptop.
Apart from to write down the topics on the learning agenda, you rarley write anything down - perhaps the title of a book which is a good source to use - but thats it!

The idea is you are meant to have done the work already and you talk about what you've learnt.
So in conclusion - a pen and paper :biggrin:

Reply 38

OP