UCL Medicine Timetable for year 4,5, and 6

Thanks Spencer,

I was thinking to balance things out i would go on the wards during this summer everyday between 9-1 aswell, so that I have a bit of a head start when I go back to do fourth year, and thus am well equipped for the wards and subsequent exams, whilst at the same time being able to get away with half days so that I have time for business throughout the year. Do you think that this four months on the ward will make a large difference in terms of revision and equipping me for the exams?
Also how is the signing off procedure done, i have heard that sometimes the people responsible for signing off are so busy that they do not even realise you were there or not!
I was also wondering , would you deem clinics and the examinations harder than the second year of medicine at ucl?

Thanks so much

who do you have to supervise you on the wards?

What do you mean?

we have firms etc - much like how clinical medicine everywhere else is, no?

Yes, but she's proposing going into hospital over the holidays and seemingly just "hanging out" on wards, with the aim that this will mean she can take time off for her business once "proper" clinicals start. I'm guessing that there wouldn't be any formal supervision in that setting, which would render the experience pretty useless.

Well in terms of formal supervision, it depends largely on the consultant as to how he runs the firm. We tend to have alot of consultant and reg teaching laid on in small group - 2-4 tutorial format a couple of sessions a week (this depends on rotation, firm and consultant), and then there is clinics which you go to. Admittedly, the clinics are varible depending on who is running it, but they are student friendly and will teach between patients. Usually they explain things to the patient with some hints dropped in so that if you pay attention you pick things up. Other times when there is no teaching specifically laid on then you're expected to clerk/see patients (I say that because obviously sometimes you go for a flying visite to see a certain sign if they're not up for the full clerking). I thought thats how clincal medicine runs. At the momment for example I'm on haem/oncology, and our patients are quite ill, so if there is a lull where there are no appropriate patients, I tend to to down to AAU/A+E....In terms of skiving, you could probably get away with a fair bit - it depends whether you want to pass exams or become a better doctor. All the clinical placements are in teaching hospitals and have been for ages, all the doctors, when they can are teaching friendly. In terms of formal supervision, no there is no-one watching you all the time, but you do get alot of contanct - and some rotations will assign you a tutor for weekly tutorials 1-1 to talk things over/present cases, so yes you could escape, but you'd be spotted. Besides, the opportunity is what you make of it really.

What do you mean?

we have firms etc - much like how clinical medicine everywhere else is, no?

Helena seems to have grasped what I was getting at.

Until I got dragged into sorting it myself I failed to recognise just how much goes into organising med student placements and the question of the responsible consultant.

You cannot simply wander into a hospital and attach yourself to a team - med student or not.
It has to be organised to some degree. CRB checks, confidentiality agreements, responsible clinician etc. All have to be done and go through the proper channels.

For most students that is all done for you automatically.
But if you are trying to do extra time off your own back during a time when there are no other students in the hospital then it requires you to sort it out yourself.

Ahh I see, sorry I missed your point.

Students often do pitch up at weekends though, especially approaching exams, or just topping up for interest - because those are the times when there are not many people around...I've not heard of it being a problem, in fact it#s positively encouraged by those of the old school. This is in term time though.