Cardiff University

Medicine –Selection Process

Professor Aled PhillipsAdmissions Sub-Dean

Welsh National School of MedicineUniversity of Wales College of Medicine

Your selection:

The courseThe facilitiesThe location

Support for studentsEntry requirements

Which Medical School ?

30 undergraduate medical schools1 - Wales

5 - Scotland

1 - N. Ireland

23 - England (including 5 in London)

2 postgraduate medical schoolsSwansea and Warwick

Are all courses the same ? Yes and No!!

KnowledgeSkillsAttitudesBehaviour

Yes -General Medical Council

Are all courses the same? No - Course structure

Course Structures:Traditional - preclinical & clinical

Integrated/system based – multidisciplinary

Methods of teaching:PBL - problem-based learningLectures, practicals, tutorialsHybrid

C21 developing tomorrow’s doctors

C21: what are the principles?

PrinciplesEvidence basedEarly clinical experienceSmall group learningCase based learning – facilitated small group learning based on clinical scenariosReliable and fair assessments

The traditional divide

Year 5

Year 4

Year 3

Year 2

Year 1

Clinical science

Basic science

Entry

Qualification

7Slide Courtesy Prof Paul Bradley

Vertical integration

Clinical scienceScientifically informedClinical Practice

Basic science

Research mindedEvidence basedResearch capable

Year 5

Year 4

Year 3

Year 2

Year 1

8Selection and admission

Slide Courtesy Prof Paul Bradley

Scholarship

Science

Safety

Service

C21: Changing the MBBCh course

Case based learning

• The case is the key to the learning

• Clinical scenario introduces the subject area

• Support for students– Seminars– Practical experiences– Patient encounters– Clinical skills

Learning outcomes

C21: Phase 1 learning

Assessment

Seminars

Clinical skills

Plenaries

Practicals

Life sciences

Placements

e-Learning

Structured small group

session:

‘case scenarios’ Self directed

learning

Year 1Year 1

Year 3Year 3

Year 5Year 5

Year 2Year 2

Year 4Year 4

Spiral Curriculum : Ischaemic Heart Disease

Year 5 – Clinical Assistantships/Primary CareDirect patient management

Year 4 – Chronic Disease ManagementImplications for patient and service delivery

Year 3 – Hospital Front DoorDifferent patient presentations

Treatment options

Year 2 – Older person 2Pathophysiology and Co-morbidity

Year 1 – PCS and Dedicated CaseIntroduction to Basic and Clinical science

Ischaemic Heart Disease

Work-place based education around Wales

Predominantly clinical experience enhanced with

supplementary simulation

Increasing responsibility in an assistantship model

C21: Harmonisation what does it mean for you?

Facilities

Shared site

• University Hospital of Wales

• Children’s Hospital for Wales

• New Teaching Accommodation opened 2008

• IV Lounge for Students completed 2009 (social club)

• Very Very New Cochrane Building

Heath Park Campus

Research:

• Institute of Medical Genetics

• Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics

• Wales Heart Research Institute

• Henry Wellcome Centre for Biomedical Research

• Cancer Research UK Centre

• Arthritis Research Campaign Biomechanics & Bioengineering Centre

Heath Park Campus

Other major hospitals in Cardiff:University Hospital Llandough

Velindre

Whitchurch

Other hospitals in South East Wales:Royal Gwent – Newport

Royal Glamorgan – Llantrisant

Princess of Wales – Bridgend

Prince Charles – Merthyr Tydfil

University

DGH

University Hospital

GPs

Location: Cardiff

• Capital of Wales

• Population 350,000

• Close to sea and mountains

• Multicultural community

• Good transport links

• Safe, friendly, affordable

Cardiff• Major developments:

Millennium Stadium, Millennium Centre

International Arena, International Sports Village

New Shopping Centre

• Within a 1 mile radius:

City Centre – shops, entertainment, etc

Main University campus, University Hospital site

Most student accommodation

Cardiff University

• 26,000 students, 6000 staff

• Multidisciplinary

• Member of the Russell Group

• 125 years old

Main Campus - base for initial stages

Heath Park Campus – clinical training

• Guaranteed single occupancy room for everyone who accepts our offer of a place

• 5300 study bedrooms

• Catered or self catered

• 70% En suite

• Internet connection

Accommodation

Personal Support / Pastoral Care

• Student Support services– Study Skills– Counselling– Disability / Dyslexia Support Unit– Financial Advice

– Hardship and Access funds

– Careers Service– Accommodation– Health Service

• Student Union– Welfare and legal advice

Personal Support / Pastoral Care

• Personal Tutors

• Pastoral Care on Placement

• Buddy Schemes

• Year Co-ordinators

• Deanery

• FY1 Liaison

Cardiff’s Selection Policy

• Open• Equitable• Non-discriminatory• Reliable, valid and relevant• Defined criteria• Consistent with legislation• Approved by Board of Medical Studies

http://medicine.cf.ac.uk/en/degree-programmes/undergraduate/admissionsmedicaladmissions@cf.ac.uk

What is Medicine?

“The art or science of prevention and cure of disease”

What Sorts of Medicine are there?

• Primary Care (General Practice)• Secondary Care

• Accident & Emergency• Anaesthetics & Intensive Care• Clinical Pharmacology & Toxicology• Medicine• Mental Illness• Obstetrics & Gynaecology• Paediatrics• Pathology• Radiology• Rehabilitation• Surgery

What Sorts of Medicine are there?

• Medicine• General Medicine• Cardiology• Dermatology• Endocrinology• Gastroenterology• Genitourinary Medicine• Geriatric Medicine• Infectious Diseases• Medical Genetics• Nephrology• Neurology• Nuclear Medicine• Oncology• Palliative Medicine• Rheumatology• Thoracic Medicine

What Sorts of Medicine are there?

• Primary Care• Secondary Care• Community Medicine• Academic Medicine• Private Practice• Pharmaceutical Industry• Armed Forces• Aviation Medicine• Travel Industry• Aid Organisations• Legal Medicine• Overseas

No “stereotype”, No “typical” student

Routes into Medicine in Cardiff

Applying with your GCSETwo courses A100 and A104 to accommodate all subject choices

Applying with your A levelsSo its not all about your GCSEs!!

Applying with a DegreeThere is hope even after A level!!

“Feeder Courses”

Selection Process for ALL Routes:

Three scored stages:- academic

- non-academic

- interview

Documented extenuating circumstances are taken into account if presented at the time of application

Non-Academic Criteria

Personal Statement Insight into the Medical career A caring attitude towards people and social awareness Team-working and a willingness to accept

responsibility Study skills- evidence of self directed learning Evidence of balanced approach to life

[Referee’s comments]

Scored by trained selectors

Work Experience: Why?

To show that the applicant understands medicine as a career

To enable the applicant to demonstrate that they have had people focused experience of providing care to other people and that they understand the realities of working in a caring profession.

To enable the applicant to demonstrate some of the attitudes and behaviours essential to being a doctor such as conscientiousness, good communication skills or the ability to interact with a wide variety of people.

Work Experience – bottom line

Remember: it is what you learnt not what you did that counts!! Personal statement and Interview

Interview:

20 minute informal discussion based on UCAS Personal Statement

Two/Three trained interviewers on the panel (including a clinician and a 4th yr medical student)

English or bilingual

Non-Academic Criteria

Interview Communication skills Insight into the Medical career – reflection on what

makes a good doctor Understanding demands of studying medicine A caring attitude towards people and social/medical

awareness Team-working and a willingness to accept

responsibility Evidence of balanced approach to life

Typical Offer (5-year course)

A level grades AAA• including 2 sciences from Chemistry, Biology, Physics,

Mathematics or Statistics; • Chemistry or Biology at grade A must be one• Only one Maths subject counted• Non-science welcomed as third ‘A’ level• General studies and Critical Thinking not counted

Plus AS level grade C• Chemistry or Biology required at ‘AS’ level with a A grade if not

offered at ‘A’ Level• Key Skills level 3 in 3 subjects accepted instead of an ‘AS’ level

Typical Offer (6-year foundation course)

A level grades AAA • Only one from Chemistry, Biology, Physics• Only one Maths subject counted• General studies and Critical Thinking not counted

Plus AS level grade C

Welsh Baccalaureate European Baccalaureate International Baccalaureate

(36 points – no theory of knowledge/extended essay)

BTEC National & Higher NationalNational Diploma in Science @ Distinction (DDD) – A104Higher National Diploma @ Distinction (DDD) – A100

Scottish Highers AAAAB highers – A104 +AA Advanced highers –A100

Irish Qualifications (A104)AAAABB at higher level

Other International Qualifications

medicaladmissions@cf.ac.uk

The academic requirements!!!

Academic Requirements: Applying with GCSEs (A100/A104)

GCSE(or Equivalent)- Minimum Reqs

Science/Additional Science AA3 Separate Sciences AABMathematics BEnglish/Welsh Language B

Breadth - best 9 (to include the above) scored - short courses not included

- but not AS levelsValidated Results, not predictionsIn practice – 5/6A* (score 24/25) - but don’t give up!!!!

AAA-c (or a if Chem/Biol) Post A-level - academic score will now take account ofthe A level results - so you can make up GCSE scoree.g. GCSE 20 (2A*/7A) + AAA = 25

Think about a Gap year - but use it wisely!

ABB – Graduate entry through Linked Courses/Feeder Courses or into the five year courseWill need GAMSAT

Applying Post A Levels

Graduate entry- Linked Courses (Could apply to these courses directly with CGSE)

ABB at A2 Cardiff University

BSc Medical Pharmacology BSc Biosciences

Universities of Glamorgan and Bangor BSc Medical Sciences (Priority for “widening access)

Up to 10 students will be considered for entry into year 2 of A100 course

Declare an interest in Year 2 Exactly the same standards as other Graduates

(Personal statement, UKCAT, reference, interview) For 2014/15 entry will need GAMSAT

•Cardiff School of Medicine is committed to widening access and welcomes applications from students of all backgrounds

•For Entry 2012, the School piloted the University’s use of contextual data

• The academic and non-academic attainment of a candidate reviewed against socioeconomic background (and school performance data)

• The School considers this information in deciding whether or not to call a candidate for interview

•It will not use this information to make lower or differential offers

Academic Requirements: Contextualisation

Plus – Fitness to Practice (GMC)

• Enhanced Criminal Record Check• Spent and unspent convictions, cautions,

admonishments, reprimands, warnings, bind over orders, fixed penalty notices, ASBOs etc

• Health Check

UK Clinical Aptitude Test

Tests Cognitive Skills:– Verbal reasoning– Quantitative reasoning– Abstract reasoning– Decision analysis– Non-Cognitive analysis

Not science paper, not curriculum based Two free practice papers on website

Use them with time restrictions MUST take the test in the Summer BEFORE

applying

Good Luck!!