MSc in Surgical Sciences Programme Handbook

8/12/2019 MSc in Surgical Sciences Programme Handbook

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The Edinburgh Surgical Sciences Qualification

Certificate, Diploma and MSc

in Surgical Sciences

Programme Handbook2011-2012

The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh and the University of Edinburgh: Uniting Professional & Academic Excellence

August 2011


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Foreword

Welcome to the Edinburgh Surgical Sciences Qualification, Cert / Dip / MSc inSurgical Sciences delivered by online distance learning.

You are expected to read this handbook carefully, and in conjunction with theUniversitys Code of Practice for Taught Postgraduate Programmes . This handbook is designed to help you make the most of your time on theprogramme by providing essential and useful information relating to the course in areadily accessible, indexed form. Some important general aspects covered in thishandbook are amplified in the Universitys Code of Practice for Taught PostgraduateProgrammes.

This handbook does not in itself constitute or in any way supersede the UniversitysRegulations , which you are also expected to familiarise yourself with. Having thestatus of guidance, this handbook describes the Postgraduate Schoolsrecommended practice but does not preclude its recommendations being waived incertain circumstances if good reason for such departure can be found.

University of Edinburgh Regulations 2011/12http://www.drps.ed.ac.uk/11-12/regulations/index.php

University of Edinburgh Taught Postgraduate Programmes Assessment Regulations2011/12

http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/academic-services/students/postgraduate-taught/assessment http://www.docs.sasg.ed.ac.uk/AcademicServices/Regulations/TaughtAssessmentRegulations.pdf

Code of Practice for Taught Postgraduate Programmeshttp://www.docs.sasg.ed.ac.uk/AcademicServices/Codes/CoPTaughtPGProgrammes

.pdf
http://www.docs.sasg.ed.ac.uk/AcademicServices/Codes/CoPTaughtPGProgrammes.pdfhttp://www.docs.sasg.ed.ac.uk/AcademicServices/Codes/CoPTaughtPGProgrammes.pdfhttp://www.drps.ed.ac.uk/11-12/regulations/index.phphttp://www.drps.ed.ac.uk/11-12/regulations/index.phphttp://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/academic-services/students/postgraduate-taught/assessmenthttp://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/academic-services/students/postgraduate-taught/assessmenthttp://www.docs.sasg.ed.ac.uk/AcademicServices/Regulations/TaughtAssessmentRegulations.pdfhttp://www.docs.sasg.ed.ac.uk/AcademicServices/Regulations/TaughtAssessmentRegulations.pdfhttp://www.docs.sasg.ed.ac.uk/AcademicServices/Codes/CoPTaughtPGProgrammes.pdfhttp://www.docs.sasg.ed.ac.uk/AcademicServices/Codes/CoPTaughtPGProgrammes.pdfhttp://www.docs.sasg.ed.ac.uk/AcademicServices/Codes/CoPTaughtPGProgrammes.pdfhttp://www.docs.sasg.ed.ac.uk/AcademicServices/Codes/CoPTaughtPGProgrammes.pdfhttp://www.docs.sasg.ed.ac.uk/AcademicServices/Regulations/TaughtAssessmentRegulations.pdfhttp://www.docs.sasg.ed.ac.uk/AcademicServices/Regulations/TaughtAssessmentRegulations.pdfhttp://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/academic-services/students/postgraduate-taught/assessmenthttp://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/academic-services/students/postgraduate-taught/assessmenthttp://www.drps.ed.ac.uk/11-12/regulations/index.phphttp://www.drps.ed.ac.uk/11-12/regulations/index.phphttp://www.docs.sasg.ed.ac.uk/AcademicServices/Codes/CoPTaughtPGProgrammes.pdf


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Table of Contents (Ctrl + click name below to go straight to item)

Welcome to the ESSQ.....................................................................................1Getting Started.................................................................................................2Educational Aims of the Programme................................................................3Eligibility Requirements....................................................................................4Programme Outcomes.....................................................................................4Programme Team............................................................................................6Main Programme Contacts ..............................................................................6

Academic Support and Guidance ....................................................................7Postgraduate Decision-making Structure.........................................................9Calendar of the Academic Year 2011/12 .........................................................9ESSQ Programme Content and Structure .....................................................10

Year 1: Certificate ..........................................................................................10Year 2: Diploma .............................................................................................12Years 1 and 2: Examination Procedure .........................................................15Year 3: MSc Research Project.......................................................................16Progression Requirements and Assessment Procedure................................17Plagiarism and Cheating................................................................................19Late Submission ............................................................................................21Interruptions or Extensions to Study .............................................................. 21Procedures for Academic Appeals.................................................................23University of Edinburgh Administrative Contacts ...........................................24Tuition Fees ...................................................................................................24

Electronic Etiquette and Conduct...................................................................25Independent Study.........................................................................................25MyEd..............................................................................................................25University E-mail ............................................................................................26Your University (Student) Card ...................................................................... 26IT and Computing Support.............................................................................26University Computing Regulations.................................................................27Using the University Library ........................................................................... 27EUSA and the Advice Place ..........................................................................28Student Counselling Service..........................................................................28Disability Office ..............................................................................................29Chaplaincy .....................................................................................................29Representation and Feedback.......................................................................29Matriculation ..................................................................................................30Quality Assurance..........................................................................................30Course Enrolment..........................................................................................30Graduation.....................................................................................................30

Appendix I, Degree Programme Table ..................................................................32 Appendix II, Mark Grade Description for Discussion Board Participation.......33 Appendix III, Mark Grade Description for MCQ Participation ......................... 34 Appendix IV, Mark Grade Description for Mini-Essay .................................... 35 Appendix V, Mark Grade Description for Critical Review Task ...................... 36


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Welcome to the ESSQ All those involved in developing and in delivering the Edinburgh Surgical SciencesQualification welcome you to this innovative and unique programme. This jointqualification for surgical trainees represents a historic collaboration between theUniversity of Edinburgh and the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh who have

been at the forefront of innovations in surgical education and assessment overcenturies. Our first group of students graduated from the programme in July 2010and it is evident from the increasing number of applicants and from the studentfeedback that this course really does meet the needs of surgical trainees in theirformative years.

We are very pleased you have chosen to take the ESSQ, and we very much hopeyou will enjoy your time studying with us. This jointly awarded modular qualification isintended to lead you through the early years of training within the new core or run-through training programmes in surgery. The programme is designed for busytrainees who are looking to develop their knowledge base and its application duringtheir clinical training. Delivered online with end-of-year Certificate and Diplomaexaminations in Edinburgh and internationally, it offers a strong grounding in basicsciences as applied to surgery. In the United Kingdom, the ESSQ is intended to takeyou via a modular route to the equivalent level of the MRCS (Membership of theRoyal College of Surgeons). It enables you to gain educational credits from theUniversity that are validated by the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, leadingprogressively to a Certificate (Year 1), Diploma (Year 2) and a Master of Science(MSc) in Surgical Sciences (Year 3). You can take the MRCS examination wheneveryou choose but Year 1 is set at a level roughly equivalent to MRCS Part A and Year2 aims to prepare you for Part B. For those who are in the early years of training butnot intending to undertake the MRCS examination, the programme does offer arobust means of consolidating knowledge as applied to the basic surgical sciences.

Since this is a distance learning course, we appreciate that this may represent a newway of learning for you, and we aim to make this new experience a rewarding one.The technology will allow you to study from anywhere in the world, thus studentsfrom many different counties and backgrounds come together to form an onlinecommunity which has the capacity to provide a rich and unique learning experience.

We emphasise that students are not in competition with one other - there is, forexample, no limit on the number of distinctions available - and that there are manyadvantages in participating in a group learning environment. Furthermore, there isnow increasing emphasis on in-course assessment and timely undertaking of courseassignments combined with interaction on discussion boards will make the end ofyear examination less daunting and prepare you well for the MRCS examination ifyou are preparing yourself for this professional qualification. You are thereforeencouraged to get to know and support each other using the various communicationtools which are provided by eeSURG, your virtual learning environment. This willenable you to form a supportive online learning community and to build your ownnetwork of academic colleagues for the future.

We expect that this course will provide a stronger base for surgical learning and onethat meets the needs of the modern surgeon's further training and careerdevelopment.

Professor O James GardenRegius Professor of Clinical Surgery, University of EdinburghESSQ Programme Dir ector

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Getting Started On the first day of the programme you will be e-mailed a username and password forthe eeSURG learning environment: http://learning.essq.ed.ac.uk This is separate toyour MyEd account which will enable you to access regularly e-mail and onlineresources held by the University library (see page 27).

The eeSURG Homepage

You will also receive a username and password to access three key texts for Years 1and 2 using Elseviers Student Consult service.

The timetable for each year is displayed along the left hand side of the eeSURGhomepage, and current work and notices from the ESSQ team appear and update inthe centre of the screen. Your previous work is always available to you but youcannot access upcoming modules in advance.

Along the right hand side of the home page you will find links to a vastknowledgebase and the community pages where you have your own profile andmeet your classmates and e-tutors on the discussion boards. Discussion boards arelinked to the individual elements of each module and require your active participationsince these are assessed. There are also helpdesks which are not assessed, and

non-academic boards where members of all years can meet.Please remember to check your University of Edinburgh e-mail account at least twicea week or set up a forwarding address to your personal account. Details of how todo this are here .

Note: After the course start date, all e-mail cor respondence (includingdeadlines and feedback/grades) will be sent only to your University ofEdinburgh e-mail account. Your personal e-mail accounts will no longer beused by ESSQ staff.

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Educational Aims of the Programme

The Edinbur gh Surgical Sciences Qualification comprises a postgraduateprogramme which can lead to a Certificate, Diploma and the Degree of MSc inSurgical Sciences . The programme is run jointly by the College of Medicine &

Veterinary Medicine at the University of Edinburgh and the Royal College ofSurgeons of Edinburgh.

The programme is aimed at trainee surgeons who wish to obtain a knowledge baseand to consolidate skills acquired during undergraduate medical training and duringthe two subsequent Foundation years in the United Kingdom. Being online, it alsosuits surgeons in other countries looking to benefit from a supportive learningenvironment during the early years of their surgical training. The programme alsooffers a high quality training programme in basic core surgery to complement thecurrent MRCS examination.

The ESSQ is based on a recognised syllabus with a focus on knowledge of appliedbasic surgical science in a clinical context. The syllabus is based on all the genericelements taken from the nine syllabi submitted to the former Postgraduate MedicalEducation Training Board (now merged with the General Medical Council, GMC) bythe surgical specialties together with the relevant elements from the GMC publicationGood Medical Practice .

The programme aims to ensure that students acquire:

knowledge of basic sciences required for a surgical career and havedemonstrated their ability to apply these appropriately;

the necessary basic technical and management skills in the care of thecritically ill patient;

knowledge of physiology, anatomy, embryology and disease pathology thatwill underpin early surgical training across the broad range of surgicalspecialties;

specific knowledge to a greater depth in the foregoing areas, according to thespecialty interest and clinical exposure of the ab initio surgical trainee;

surgical and investigative techniques applicable to selected surgicalspecialties and in generic techniques applicable to minor procedures across arange of surgical specialties;

peri-operative management including general management of thepostoperative patient and wound care;

clinical decision making and judgement skills as applied to surgical patients inthe elective, urgent and emergency clinical setting;

professional and other generic aspects of surgical practice

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Eligibility Requirements

ESSQ students should meet the criteria stipulated on the ESSQ website:www.essq.rcsed.ac.uk Students are expected to be in a clinical training post for theduration of their study.

Technical requirements fo r online learningESSQ students will need access to a Mac or Windows based computer with internetaccess for the entirety of the course. The eeSURG platform supports Internetexplorer and Firefox web browsers, although Firefox is preferred. For most ofeeSURGs content a 56k (33kbps) modem or 2G (10kbps) mobile internet will besufficient. Students should be confident navigating the world-wide-web and beproficient with office based packages such as Microsoft Office or OpenOffice.

For further details regarding online learning at Edinburgh University please see ITand Computing Support on page 26.

Programme Outcomes

The ESSQ is a taught, part-time MSc course delivered over three years. Modules areoffered by distance e-learning designed to run alongside clinical training andcomplement in-the-workplace assessment. Taught components are delivered togroups of students through bulletin boards and discussion forums using a clinicalproblem-based review of the course material, and in the Certificate level especially,focuses on case scenarios of common surgical disease that the trainee is likely toencounter in the early years of surgical training. Individual surgical research trainingis provided through a research-based dissertation in the third year of study on a topicto be chosen by the student.

Graduates will be expected to be able to demonstrate the knowledge, skills andattributes listed below.

Knowledge and Understanding

Knowledge of applied anatomy relevant to the practice of surgery

Knowledge of applied physiology relevant to the practice of surgery

Knowledge of applied pathology and bacteriology relevant to the practice ofsurgery

An understanding of the preoperative assessment and management of thesurgical patient

An understanding of the postoperative and critical care of the surgical patient

An understanding of research and teaching methodology

Knowledge and an understanding of evidence based surgery

Interactive clinical and written communication skills with patients and fellowhealth care professionals within a multidisciplinary setting

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Intellectual Skills

Ability to exercise critical judgement in the management of the surgical patient

Ability to evaluate the appropriate investigative options of the surgical patient

Ability to apply theory and evidence to the assessment and management ofthe surgical patient

Ability to evaluate the appropriate treatment options for specific surgicalconditions

Self evaluation skills including the ability to make patient referrals whenappropriate

Ability to account for clinical decisions and actions in the management of thesurgical patient

Ability to analyse published evidence

Ability to apply the principles of evidence-based medicine to professionalpractice in surgery

Commitment to the role of a multi-disciplinary team approach to themanagement of the surgical patient

Application of communication skills in the context of obtaining informedconsent

Ability to conduct small-scale investigation and/or research projects insurgical practice

Professional/Subject-specific/Practical Skills

An ability to plan and achieve identified goals in a personal and professionalcontext

Recognition of the changing nature of knowledge and ability to acquire newknowledge for currency of surgical practice

Ability to work and communicate within a multi-disciplinary team environmentcare

Awareness of ethical practice and adherence to professional codes ofpractice

Commitment to improving outcomes for patients suffering from surgicalpathology

Accept responsibilities for professional actions, including where relevant,clinical decisions in different practice settings

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Transferable Skills

Ability to use information technology for professional and personaldevelopment

Information literacy skills including the ability to locate, evaluate and useinformation in a range of contexts

Organisational and time management skills in both professional and clinicalcontexts

An ability to deliver leadership within a multidisciplinary environment

Programme Team

The Programme Director, Year Directors, Academic e-Facilitator, and e-tutors areresponsible for the smooth running of the MSc in Surgical Sciences. Your main

contact will be with the ESSQ Office at RCSEd [email protected] The ProgrammeDirector through the ESSQ Office is responsible for promotion and admission, co-ordination of teaching inputs, examinations, programme evaluation, and curriculumdevelopment. The Programme Director and individual Year Directors are there tofacilitate students orientation and smooth progression through the various elementsof the ESSQ, from the initial Certificate and Diploma years to successful completionof the dissertation in the third (MSc) year.

Subject-specialist e-Tutors provide academic support through online discussionboards during Years 1 and 2 and Masters Project Supervisors support you duringYear 3. The Programme Director is your senior supervisor.

On successful completion of Year 2, you are invited to nominate a supervisorappropriate for your chosen project topic if you are intending to progress to MSc levelin year 3.

Contacts for the programme are listed below. The ESSQ Main [email protected] is the first point of contact for students and will distributemessages to the programme team on your behalf.

Students may contact the Year Directors, Programme Director or Academic e-Facilitator directly if their message is of a more personal nature.

Main Programme

Contacts

ESSQ Main Off iceMs Caroline Smith Programme ManagerMs Kaisey Baillie Programme Administrator

The Royal College of Surgeons of EdinburghNicolson Street, Edinburgh. EH8 9DW

Hours: 9-5pm, Mon FriTel: +44 (0) 131 527 1604Fax: +44 (0) 131 557 6406E-mail: [email protected]: www.essq.rcsed.ac.uk

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Academic e-Facili tatorDr Paula SmithThe University of Edinburgh

Tel: +44 (0) 131 242 2878E-mail: [email protected]

Programme DirectorProfessor O James GardenRegius Professor of Clinical SurgeryThe University of EdinburghClinical and Surgical Sciences (Surgery)Royal Infirmary EdinburghEH16 4SA

Tel: +44 (0) 131 242 3614Fax: +44 (0) 131 242 3617

E-mail : [email protected] [email protected] University of Edinburgh School of Surgery Website: www.surgery.ed.ac.uk

Year Directors can be contacted through the ESSQ Office:

Year 1 Director

Ms Anna PaisleyConsultant General and Upper Gastrointestinal SurgeonHonorary Clinical Senior LecturerThe University of Edinburgh

Year 2 Directo rMr Peter LambConsultant General and Upper Gastrointestinal SurgeonHonorary Clinical Senior LecturerThe University of Edinburgh Year 3 Directo rProfessor Stephen WigmoreProfessor of Transplantation SurgeryThe University of Edinburgh

Academic Support and Guidance

You are supported throughout the course by a variety of subject-specialist surgical e-tutors who report to the Year Director or to an e-module leader. Personal profiles ofe-tutors are available on the eeSURG learning environment, and you will also haveyour own personal profile page. A number of non-surgical guest e-tutors also assist

periodically, providing additional support for the teaching of individual units within thecourses.

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The Programme e-Tutors role is to:

Support students in undertaking the prescribed course material through thecompulsory, assessed discussion boards

The e-Module Leaders role is to:

Support students and e-Tutors during their module, ensure content is up-to-date and report any issues or suggestions to the Year and ProgrammeDirectors.

The Masters Project Supervisors role is to:

Take responsibility for the supervision of a student year 3 research project.

The Year Directors role is to:

Support students, e-Module leaders and e-Tutors as they progress through

the year, responding to feedback and developing the content and teaching inthat year.

The Academic e-Facilit ators role is to:

Co-ordinate the international network of e-Module leaders and e-Tutors. Ensure that students are appropriately informed to participate in learning

activities and assessment.

An online course is quite different from traditional face-to-face learning environments,but it offers unique opportunities for students. Many online learners find they have agreater interaction with tutors and peers, and they can access the learning materials

at a time and place that suits them. Monitor student progress and provide formative feedback. Evaluate and improve the programme by collating student feedback.

Feedback is very much a two-way process, and we encourage you to let us know ifyou have views or suggestions regarding the ESSQ programme by regular e-mail tothe e-facilitator, and also by completing the end of semester online questionnaires. Itis important you inform us of any issues in a timely manner: we can try to implementchange if we know about problems during the course rather than the end!

If you are unsure about any aspect of the course or wish to discuss your progressinformally, please contact Dr Paula Smith ( [email protected] ).

The Programme Director s role is to:

Give advice and guidance on core courses before students begin theprogramme and provide them with support.

Keep track of students progress throughout the programme of study. Provide advice and guidance for in-course and end-of-year assessment. Advise when students are seeking interruption of studies or extension.

It is your responsibility to inform the Programme Director through the ESSQ officeimmediately of any problems that are interfering with your coursework or progress

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through the Programme, including any religious or medical requirements that mightaffect your participation in any aspect of the Programme.

Postgraduate Decision -making Structure Postgraduate activity in the School of Clinical Sciences and Community Health isoverseen by the School Postgraduate Studies Committee. The Committee reports to

the College Postgraduate Studies Committee, and deals with all matters that affectpostgraduate students in the School.

Calendar of the Academic Year 2011/12 The ESSQ programme begins on 5th September 2011, and the semester andassessment/examination dates are as follows:

Year 1Semester 1 05 September - 18 December 2011Christmas Break 19 December 2011 01 January 2012Semester 2 02 January 25 March 2012

Easter break 26

March 08 April 2012Semester 2 (cont.) 09 April 20 May 2012Revision Period 21 May 11 June 2012End-of Year Examination (first diet) Tuesday, 12 June 2012End-of Year Examination (second diet) Thursday, 19 July 2012

Year 2Semester 1 05 September - 18 December 2011Pre-operative Care Mini-Essay Deadline 24 October 2011General Surgery Mini-Essay Deadline 05 December 2011Christmas Break 19 December 2011 01 January 2012Semester 2 02 January 25 March 2012Orthopaedics Mini-Essay Deadline 26 March 2012Easter break 26 March 08 April 2012Semester 2 (cont.) 09 April 20 May 2012Critical Review Deadline 21 May 2012Revision Period 21 May 11 June 2012End-of Year Examination (first diet) Tuesday, 12 June 2012End-of Year Examination (second diet) Thursday, 19 July 2012

Year 3Start of Year 05 September 2011Project Outline Deadline 03 October 2011Project Summary Deadline 05 December 2011e-Poster Deadline 19 March 2012Masters Project Report Deadline Monday, 30 April 2012

Marks and FeedbackStudents can expect to receive feedback on their in-course assessments withinthree-weeks of the submission date/end of discussion board. Feedback on onlineMCQ attempts is immediate. Examination/Masters Project Report and end-of-yearresults will be issued following ratification by the Board of Examiners.

Examination BoardsExamination Board meetings for each Year take place twice a year, in May/June and

August. An External Examiner is appointed for every MSc programme to moderateand adjudicate marking.

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The University Academic Year can be found at http://www.ed.ac.uk/news/semester-dates/201112

ESSQ Programme Content and Structure

Time required to achieve qualifications:

Postgraduate Certificate (60 credits) 12 monthsPostgraduate Diploma (120 credits) 24 monthsMSc (180 credits) 36 months

In this section you will find further information of the content for each of the courses,including details of aims and objectives and assessment tasks. Please note thatadditional information on the timing and content of modules is provided on theeeSURG learning environment http://learning.essq.ed.ac.uk .

In developing this course it is understood that the training doctor will have variabledemands on time with peaks and troughs of activity which will impact on theparticipation of discussion boards. However, you will be expected to participateactively in the online discussion activity for each topic and will also be expected tocomplete the equivalent of around 10 hours of self-directed study per week duringthe programme semesters. This will involve working to the programme timetable andreading the identified reference texts and journal articles.

If you experience any problems and find that you are struggling at any point,you must c ontact the Year and Programme Director through the ESSQ Office,as soon as possible.

Year 1: Certificate Candidates who complete successfully 320 credit core courses (60 credit points) ofcompulsory coursework within the first 12 months and pass the required examinationare eligible for the award of the Postgraduate Certificate.

Core Course 1: Applied Surgical AnatomyCore Course 2: Applied Surgical PhysiologyCore Course 3: Applied Surgical Pathology

The topics above are covered via a series of modules:Semester 1:

1. Introduction2. Cardiovascular and Respiratory (CVR A-E)3. NMIH (1) Neoplasia and Microbiology

Semester 2:4. NMIH (2) Immunology and Haematology5. Gastrointestinal (GI1 and GI 2) and Transplant6. Colorectal7. Urology8. Locomotor and Plastics9. Endocrinology, Breast & Skin

10. ENT / Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

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Year 1: Levels and Credits (Core Courses: Anatomy; Physio logy; Patholog y) Postgraduate level SCQF level 11 20 SCOTCAT credits Compulsory part of degree

Year 1: Pre-requisites and Co-requisites

None, other than the programme entry requirements. Students MUST participate in the programme to progress and participation is

monitored and assessed. To progress to Year 2 students must pass the end-of-year examination (which

contributes to 75% of total marks) combined with the total grade for the in-course assessment of discussion board (15%) and MCQ-attempt participation(10%).

Year 1: Aims and Purpose

Through a series of typical cases encountered on the ward, Year 1 introduces thestudent to 1) human anatomy 2) human physiology and 3) human pathology andmicrobiology relevant to surgical practice in general.

Year 1 aims to:

1) Ensure that you assimilate knowledge of the applied anatomy that will berequired for a surgical career including sound three dimensional knowledge of theanatomy relevant to surgical practice and to the major imaging methods.Sufficient knowledge of applied surgical embryology should be acquired to allowunderstanding of common congenital abnormalities and acquire basic knowledgeof the normal microscopic structure of tissues and organs.

2) Ensure that you have a working knowledge of the general physiological principlesthat maintain homeostasis, have knowledge of the physiology of specific organsystems and understand the application of these principles in the preoperativeassessment, operative management and postoperative care of the surgicalpatient.

3) Ensure that you have a sound understanding of pathology and microbiology asapplied to general surgical practice and that will underpin surgical training acrossthe broad range of surgical specialties in the early years of your clinicalexperience.

Year 1: Learning Objectives

Year 1 aims to ensure that you have a sound understanding of anatomy, physiology,pathology and microbiology as applied to general surgical practice and that willunderpin surgical training across the broad range of surgical specialties in the earlyyears of your clinical experience.

Learning objectives for individual virtual cases are available at the start of each caseon the eeSURG learning environment.

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Year 1: Assessment

Assessment consists of two main components:

In-course participation assessment ( 25% ) End-of-year examination ( 75% )

Note: the relative weighting of in-course assessment has increased this year toreflect the importance of this formative assessment.Year 1 is assessed during the course, primarily by meaningful participation in onlinediscussion with e-tutors (15%). Participation is assessed by the e-tutor at the end ofeach discussion board period. Students are expected to undertake each of the casescenarios through which the formative MCQs are accessed. These are not markedindividually but serve to reinforce the acquisition of the knowledge base linked toeach case and module. However, students who attempt over 75% of the availableself-test MCQs are awarded 10% towards the final assessment for the year

At the start of the academic year there are 140 sets of self-test MCQs within the

online cases of Year 1 (approximately 1,300 questions) and these may be added toduring the course of the year.

The marking criteria for assessment of discussion and participation is available at theend of this handbook. Please be aware that poor performance during the year canaffect adversely the prospects of passing the overall assessment and of beingpermitted to progress to an MSc. Similarly, a good performance during the year cancompensate for a poor performance in the end-of-year assessment.

The formative assessment activities allow you to regularly evaluate your learning andmodify your progress. You will find the discussion boards provide a stimulatingenvironment for you to interact with and learn from e-tutors as well as other students,and these also offer valuable networking opportunities. The end-of-year examination (Single Best Answer and Extended MatchingQuestions) aims to ensure integration of the applied basic sciences into surgicalpractice in general. Key principles that underpin assessment activities are evidence-based practice and the application of theory to clinical practice.

Year 1: Student LoadYou are expected to participate actively in the online discussion activity and self-testMCQs for each module. You are also expected to complete around 10 hours of self-directed study per week, working online following the eeSURG study schedule.

Year 2: Diploma

Students who complete successfully a further 60 (610, giving a total of 120) creditpoints of coursework within the first 24 months and pass the required examinationare eligible for the award of the Postgraduate Diploma.

Core Course 4: Preoperative AssessmentCore Course 5: Principles of Surgical ManagementCore Course 6: Principles of Postoperative and Critical CareCore Course 7: Surgical and Communication SkillsCore Course 8: Specialist SurgeryCore Course 9: Academic Activity

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The courses above are covered via a series of modules:

Semester 1:1. Pre-operative Care2. Surgical Skills / Communication Skills 13. Principles of Surgical Management 1 (General Surgery / Surgical Oncology)4. Communication Skills 25. Principles of Surgical Management 2 (Paediatrics, Vascular Surgery,

Cardiothoracic Surgery, Urology, Breast Surgery / Endocrine)

Semester 2:6. Principles of Post-operative and critical care (Peri-operative Care, Critical

Care and Trauma)7. Principles of Surgical Management 3 (Orthopaedic Surgery, ENT/OMFS,

Neurosurgery, Plastic Surgery)8. Academic Surgery

Year 2: Levels and Credit s

(Core Courses: Preoperative Assessment; Principles of Surgical Management;Principles of Postoperative and Critic al Care; Surgical and CommunicationSkills; Specialist Surgery; Academic Activity)

Postgraduate level SCQF level 11 10 SCOTCAT credits Compulsory part of degree


Students must have passed the Certificate year Participation is key to a students success in the ESSQ. Participation is

monitored and assessed. To progress to Year 3, students must pass theend-of-year examination (which contributes to 70% of overall year mark)which is combined with the total grade for the in-course assessment of fourmini-essays (15%), discussion board participation (10%) and MCQ-attemptparticipation (5%).

Year 2: Aims and Purpose

Year 2 introduces you to

1) Pre-operative care

2) The principles of surgical management,

3) The principles of the post-operative management and critical care

4) Basic surgical and communication skills

Year 2 aims to ensure that you have an understanding of the principles of:

1) The pre-operative assessment and management of the surgical patient,including anaesthetic and haematological issues in the surgical patient

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2) The surgical management of the patient including surgical technique, woundmanagement and minor procedures

3) The post-operative monitoring of the surgical patient including the metabolicand nutritional support, and the management of postoperative complications

4) The professional, management and other generic aspects of surgical practiceincluding clinical governance, medico-legal aspects of surgery and clinicaldecision making and judgement as applied to surgical patients in the elective,urgent and emergency clinical setting.

The academic module allows you to develop an understanding of research andteaching methodology and health care issues.


Year 2 aims to ensure that you have a sound understanding of:

1) The principles of pre-operative care

2) Surgical management

3) Post-operative management

4) The professional, management and generic aspects of surgery as applied togeneral surgical practice and that will underpin surgical training across thebroad range of surgical specialties in the early years of their clinical experience.

5) The academic module allows you to develop an understanding of research andteaching methodology and acquire an understanding of evidence-based

surgery relevant to surgery in general but applied within a tailored module tocommon surgical issues within the specialties of one of neurosurgery, urology,general, cardiothoracic, head and neck, maxillofacial surgery, paediatric, plasticand orthopaedic surgery.

Year 2: Assessment

Assessment consists of two main components

In-course participation assessment (30%) End-of-year examination (70%)

Note: the relative weighting of in-course assessment has increased this year toreflect the importance of this formative assessment.

In-course, Year 2 is assessed via meaningful participation in online discussion (10%)and self-test MCQ attempts (5%). Year 2 students are also given four 500 wordessays which are linked to identified discussion boards throughout the year andwhich contribute a further 15% towards the final mark.

The marking criteria for discussion board participation and mini-essays are availableat the end of this handbook.

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Students who attempt over 75% of the available self-test MCQs are awarded 5%towards the final grade for the year. At the start of the academic year there are 16sets of self-test MCQs within the teaching blocks of Year 2 (approximately 180questions) but these will be augmented during the year.

The marking criteria for assessment of discussion and participation are available atthe end of this handbook. Please be aware that poor performance during the yearcan affect adversely the prospects of passing the overall assessment and of beingpermitted to progress to an MSc. Similarly, a good performance during the year cancompensate for a poor performance in the end-of-year assessment.

Year 2: Student Load

You are expected to participate actively in the online discussion activity, and self-testMCQs for each module, and to submit each of the four mini-essays. Late work will bepenalized (see below). You are also expected to complete around 10 hours of self-directed study per week, working online following the eeSURG study schedule.

Years 1 and 2: Examination Procedure

The multiple question examinations will comprise one Single Best Answer (SBA)question paper and one Extended Matching Question (EMQ) paper. The questionpapers will be standard set and reviewed by the Examination Board.

The examinations are paper-based and take place in Edinburgh and for UK andIreland-based students and at approved international centres for others.International centres must meet all University of Edinburgh criteria for security andinvigilation. Common practice is to utilise sites occupied by the British Council.

Final marks are scrutinised and approved by a Board of Examiners, including anexternal examiner. This board meets as soon as possible after the examination hasbeen marked. Subsequent to that meeting, students receive their result in confidencevia their University of Edinburgh e-mail address.

The date of the ESSQ end-of-year examination is 12 June 2012 .

There will be a second sitting of the examination on 19 July 2012 for those whofailed or could not attend the first sitting and whose requests for specialcircumstances are accepted by the Board of Examiners.

The University of Edinburghs Examination Hall Regulations are followed:http://www.registry.ed.ac.uk/Examinations/Examhall.htm

Special Circumst ances to be absent from an examinationIf you have special circumstances which may mean you are unable to attend forexamination on the date and time indicated, you should provide written evidence tothe Programme Director, as far in advance of the examination date as possible.Permission to miss an examination without penalty will only be given after theexamination in exceptional circumstances (see page 23).

If you fail to present for an examination and do not contact the ESSQ Office orProgramme Director beforehand you may be deemed to have failed that

examination, be allowed one attempt at retest, and become ineligible to progress tothe Masters year.

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Candidates who requested to sit their exam at an approved international exam centrebut failed to attend without good reason are liable for a fee to cover administrationcosts.

Year 3: MSc Research Project

Candidates who complete successfully 180 credit points of coursework within 33(submission deadline: May) months are eligible for the award of the Master ofScience. This requires successful completion of the compulsory courses in Year 1and 2. The project to be undertaken in the third year will involve the planning,execution and development of a significant body of clinical or laboratory research.The focus of the project would require prior approval but is likely to involve a criticalanalysis of a surgical topic using an evidence based medicine approach.

It is important you inf orm us of any issues which may adverselyaffect your studies (see mitigating / special circumstances sectionson pages 23 & 24). Please contact the ESSQ Office ( [email protected] ) and academic e-facilitator ( [email protected] ) as soon as difficulties arise whichcould affect your studies were here to support you!

Core Course 10: Masters Project

Year 3: Levels and Credit s (each course) Postgraduate level SCQF level 11 60 SCOTCAT credits Compulsory part of degree


Must have passed the Certificate and Diploma levels and each of the twoend-of-year examinations at the required level. See Assessment Regulations for more information.

All students registered on the MSc of Surgical Sciences MUST write a ProjectReport.

Year 3: Aims and PurposeYear 3 aims to introduce you to the key elements of academic training through thepreparation and submission of a project report on an agreed research topic. Theproject involves the planning, execution and development of a significant body ofclinical or laboratory research. The theme and scope of the project requires priorapproval and is likely to involve a critical analysis of a surgical topic using anevidence-based medicine approach. The Masters Project aims to allow you todevelop your understanding of research and teaching methodology and health careissues.

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The Masters Project will be defined by negotiation between an appointed educationalsupervisor with the approval of the ESSQ Examination Board. The range of subjectwill be determined by the relevance to the practice of surgery and feasibility of theproposed study. Projects will have to be justified through evidence of planning,statistical probity and achievability. Within these limits a wide range of topics will bewelcome. Further details are laid out in the Year 3 handbook.


The Masters Project aims to allow you to develop an understanding of research andteaching methodology and acquire an understanding of evidence-based surgeryrelevant to surgery in general but applied to common surgical issues within thespecialties of one of neurosurgery, urology, general, cardiothoracic, head and neck,maxillofacial surgery, paediatric, plastic and orthopaedic surgery.

Year 3: Assessment

You must keep regular contact with your supervisor and submit a project outline,detailed summary, and e-Poster by pre-agreed milestone dates, specified in the Year3 handbook. The Project Report will be assessed by the students supervisor and bya second internal examiner, before the assessment papers and draft results arepresented to a Board of Examiners for final agreement of the mark. The University ofEdinburghs Postgraduate Common Marking Scheme is used and this is available athttp://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/registry/exams/common-marking-scheme .

Year 3: Student Load

You are required to liaise regularly with your Masters Project Supervisor and todeliver proposals and further detail by pre-agreed milestone dates. Preparation of the

Project Report will require 10 - 15 hours of self-directed study per week.

Progression Requirements and Assessment Procedure

a) Progress during each course in Year 1 and 2 is monitored by mandatory in-course participation and in-course discussion.

i. Year 1: 25% of marks are allocated for in-course activity withthe remainder (75%), being attributed to the end of yearexamination.

ii. Year 2: 30% of marks are allocated for in-course activity with

the remainder (70%), being attributed to the end of yearexamination

b) Assessment of knowledge and application of knowledge during Year 1 andYear 2 is by Single Best Answer and Extended Matching Questionsadministered through an examination at the end of the final semester of eachyear.

c) At the end of Year 1, students may be awarded a Certificate if they haveachieved a mark of 40% or more. Students will be allowed to progress to Year2 and the Diploma stage if they have achieved over 40% of the marksavailable from the in-course and end of year assessments.

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d) Assessment in Year 2 is through in-course discussion participation, self-testMCQ attempts, with the addition of four mini-essays. There is also an MCQand EMQ end of year examination. At the end of Year 2, students may beawarded a Diploma if they have achieved 40% or more of the marks availablefrom the combined in-course and end-of-year assessments. Students will notbe allowed to progress to Year 3 (MSc) unless a mark of 50% or more hasbeen achieved at first attempt. The Board of Examiners will consider the caseof any student who has failed to achieve an overall score of 50% andconsideration would be given to commitment to in-course activity andassessment. It would be exceptional for a student who failed to achieve ascore of 50% to be allowed to progress to Year 3.

e) The supervised research project will be undertaken in an approved topicwhich will require the submission of a written e-dissertation. This will bemarked both by the supervisor and a second internal examiner. Candidateswho achieve over 50% will be awarded a Master of Science. Distinction willbe awarded for those candidates who achieve a mark greater than 70%.

Postgraduate Assessment Progression (Regulation 49)

For the MSc in Surgical Sciences programme, where there is an identifiable taughtcomponent (Years 1 and 2) followed by a project or dissertation component (Year 3),students must pass the assessment requirements of the taught stage at anappropriate level at the first attempt before progression to the dissertation.

In order to progress to the masters dissertation students must:(a) pass at least 80 credits at SCQF level 11 with a mark of at least 50% in each ofthe courses which make up these credits; and(b) attain an average of at least 50% for the 120 credits of study examined at the

point of decision for progression (end of Year 2), and(c) if their marks in Year 1 fell between 47-49%, demonstrate a significantimprovement in marks obtained in Year 2, such that they fulfill criterion (b) above andsatisfy the Board of Examiners that they should progress to the masters dissertation.

Marking Criteria

Specific details of the marking criteria for discussion boards can be found at the endof this handbook.

Examples of the criteria used generally in assessing the dissertation or other

submitted material are:

Adherence to the stated word count Appropriate and consistent referencing style Evidence of wider reading Demonstrates application of theory to practice Uses relevant literature to support argument and justify conclusions Demonstrates analytical thinking and ability to synthesise and integrate

understanding

The Universitys Assessment Regulations are available:

http://www.docs.sasg.ed.ac.uk/AcademicServices/Regulations/TaughtAssessmentRegulations.pdf

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All work is marked using the Postgraduate Common Marking Scheme.

Mark % Grade Descr ipt ion90-100 A1 An excellent performance, satisfactory for a distinction 80-89 A2 70-79 A3 60-69 B A very good performance 50-59 C A good performance, satisfactory for a Masters Degree 40-49 D A satisfactory performance for the Diploma and Certificate,

but inadequate for a Masters Degree 30-39 E Marginal fail 20-29 F Clear fail 10-19 G Bad fail 0-9 H

Award of postgraduate dis tinctionThe MSc in Surgical Sciences degree may be awarded with distinction. To achieve adistinction, a student must be awarded at least 70% on the Universitys PostgraduateCommon Marking Scheme for the e-dissertation, and must pass all other courseswith an average of at least 70% (all courses must be passed at 40% or above for theaward of distinction). Borderlines (68-69%), for both the e-dissertation and courseaverage elements, are considered for distinctions.

Plagiarism and Cheating

Plagiarism is viewed as a serious offence by the Examination Board, the College and

the University and will be penalised. All coursework (discussion boards, mini-essays,research project phases 1-4) will be checked using the latest plagiarism detectionsoftware.

A useful video tutorial to help you understand plagiarism is available here:http://www.elearn.malts.ed.ac.uk/appse/elearn/plagiarism/index.html (requires EASEpassword)

DefinitionsPlagiarism is the act of copying or including in one's own work, without adequateacknowledgement, intentionally or unintentionally, the work of another, for one's ownbenefit. The rules on plagiarism apply to the online discussion boards, as well as allother written submissions within the ESSQ course.

The plagiarism detection service is an online service that enables institutions and staff tocarry out electronic comparison of students' work against electronic sources including otherstudents' work. All ESSQ students work (onl ine and s ubmi tted) is subject to scrut iny bythe plagiarism detection software (assumed consent unless one explicitly statesotherwise).

The plagiarism detection service works by executing searches of the world wide web, andextensive databases of reference material, as well as content previously submitted by otherusers. Each new submission is compared with all the existing information. The softwaremakes no decisions as to whether a student has plagiarised, it simply highlights sections of

text that are duplicated in other sources; all work will continue to be reviewed by the ESSQcourse tutor and/or academic e-facilitator. Once work has been submitted to the system it

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becomes part of the ever growing database of material against which subsequentsubmissions are checked.

The software is used as a tool to highlight any instance where there is a possible case ofplagiarism. Passages copied directly or very closely from existing sources will be identified bythe software and both the original and the potential copy will be displayed for the tutor to view.Where any direct quotations are relevant and appropriately referenced, the course tutor will

be able to see this and will continue to consider the next highlighted case. There is an on-linedemonstration of the system available at https://www.submit.ac.uk/

Plagiarism is a form of cheating, and is treated seriously as an offence by theUniversity of Edinburgh. Academic work is based on a synthesis of sources andideas. It is perfectly acceptable to make use of another persons ideas or opinions informulating your own. Building your knowledge and using it to inform and enhanceyour work is encouraged in all disciplines but to use another persons work withoutacknowledging it, or under the pretence that it is your own, is plagiarism, and iscontrary to the principles of academic study.

The following are examples of plagiarism:

1) Including in ones own work extracts from another persons work without theuse of quotation marks and the acknowledgement of the source (which maybe a book, a research paper, a web source, another students work, alecturers notes,

2) Summarising another persons work without acknowledgement.

3) Using the ideas of another person without acknowledgement of the source.

4) Copying the work of another student, with or without their knowledge oragreement.

5) Collaborating with students or others on a piece of assessed work that shouldbe completed and submitted individually.

6) Cutting and pasting from electronic sources without explicit acknowledgementof the source or author, and without explicitly marking the pasted text ininverted commas, or labelling the source of the diagram or illustration. Theinclusion of large amounts of such pasted material, even if acknowledged,always raises doubts about how much of the work presented should becredited to the student. The same applies to over-quotation from a traditional,printed source.

Guidance on Avoiding PlagiarismPlagiarism is academically fraudulent, and is viewed by the University as a seriousdisciplinary offence. It may be intentional or unintentional: the innocent misuse ofmaterial without formal and proper acknowledgement can still constitute plagiarismwhether or not deliberate intent to cheat is involved.

You can avoid plagiarism by ensuring that any sources you use in submitted workare acknowledged adequately and properly referenced, and that appropriatestandards for academic practice in the relevant subject area are always adhered to.This will include:

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providing full citation of all sources (books, articles, web sites, newspapers,images, artefacts, course notes, data sources etc.) used in the preparation ofa piece of work.

properly referencing the sources of the arguments and ideas used in anassignment, using the recognised reference system outlined above.

Please note that facilitating plagiarism (e.g. giving someone a word document of yourwork) is also an offence.

Cheating is essentially doing anything you would not want to defend in public!

The universitys policy on plagiarism is accessible at

http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/information-services/services/learning-technology/assessment/plagiarism

The University Postgraduate Studies Committee has implemented new rules on whatwill happen if plagiarism and/or cheating is discovered in work submitted for a thesis.Unless the extent of the plagiarism is so great that the original work of the studentcan only be viewed as trivial, grading will take place, but the work will be sent to theCollege Disciplinary Officer. Serious cases that cannot be viewed as poorscholarship (possible penalties include a 25-100% mark reduction) will be reported tothe College Disciplinary Officer who has the power to expel a student from theUniversity (subject to appeal).

Late Submission

One of the important key professional skills is timely delivery. Marks will be deductedfor coursework which is submitted late. If you have a valid and documented reasonfor late submission you must present that information to the ESSQ Office as soon aspossible and before the hand-in date. Decisions on the possibility of an extension willbe made by the Year Director and/or Programme Director.

Late submissions need not be accepted without good reason being given. If it isaccepted late with good reason being provided, then no penalty will be exacted. If itis accepted late without good reason being provided, it will be recorded as late and apenalty may be exacted. That penalty will be in accordance with the currentUniversity Guidelines for Taught Postgraduate Degrees . At time of going to press thepenalty for late submission is a reduction of the mark by 5% of the maximumobtainable mark per working day (e.g. a mark of 65% on the common marking scale

would be reduced to 60% up to 24 hours later). This would apply for up to fiveworking days (or to the time when feedback is given, if this is sooner), after which amark of zero should be given. Students should consult the online Guidelines for mostup-to-date version.

Interruptions or Extensions to Study

Mitigating CircumstancesYou may submit a Mitigating Circumstances (MC1) form (available from eeSURGlink) to alert the programme team of any mitigating circumstances which may

adversely affect your input and performance on the programme. Reasons for

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exemption from an assessed discussion board or an extension to a course-workdeadline may include:

Medical and health problems Personal and family problems Bereavement Problems experienced because of failure of University equipment or lack of

access to equipment or because of deficiencies in the provision of supervisionor facilities

If there are medical problems, medical certificates will be required. Exemptions andextensions are not available to permit a student to take extended annual leave /holiday leave or to effectively extend the period available to a student to complete hisor her studies.

An application for exemption f rom discuss ion boards should be made in advancewhere possible or as soon as practicable after the problem has emerged or beendiscussed. A retrospective exemption can only be applied for where there is goodreason for the late disclosure or application.

A request for an extension to a coursework submis sion deadline should be madebefore the submission deadline, as soon as the need for an extension becomesapparent. The prescribed assessment deadlines may be extended only inexceptional circumstances. Reasons for an extension to the deadline might includecircumstances where progress has been hampered by unforeseen difficulties withfacilities or equipment or in obtaining or analysing data and hence completion of theassessment has been delayed. A request for an extension can not be based solelyon the need for more time to complete.

MC1 form available from eeSURG link

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Interruption of StudyIf you require to interrupt your studies for a prolonged period (>1month), you mustcomplete an Interruption of Studies form . For the MSc in Surgical Sciences, studiedon a part-time continuous basis, registration may be interrupted for not more than 24months.

Interruptions of study can only be authorised by the College of Medicine & VeterinaryMedicine Postgraduate Studies Committee, and only granted for stated reasons forspecified (not open-ended) periods.

Special Circumstances Commit teeSpecial circumstances (medical, non-medical, or compassionate) affecting anyformal examination must be notified in writing through the ESSQ ProgrammeDirector. Notification must be made as early as possible, and no later than twoworking days after the students exam. Any letter or e-mail giving such notificationmust be clearly stated, e.g. subject heading: Special Circumstances.

Exceptionally, students may bring information on special circumstances to theattention of the Convener of the ESSQ Board of Examiners (via their ProgrammeDirector) at any time. For example, if a student wishes to bring their case regardingprogression to Masters level to the Exam Board by way of Special CircumstancesCommittee

Students should note that their special circumstances will be reported, in confidence,to the Convener of the ESSQ Board of Examiners for consideration by the ESSQSpecial Circumstances Committee, unless the student requests confidentiality.Recommendations from the Special Circumstances Committee are used by theExam Board to make informed decisions but need not be binding on them.

Further information can be found at:

http://www.docs.sasg.ed.ac.uk/AcademicServices/Policies/Special_Circumstances.pdf

Procedures for Academic Appeals An academic appeal is a request for a decision made by a Board of Examiners to bereconsidered in relation to:

marks progression degree classification degree award

If you are considering lodging an appeal, it is impor tant that you act promptly .

It is important to note that the appeal process cannot be used to challenge academic judgment. That is, a student cannot submit an appeal simply because they believethat they deserve a better mark.

There are specific and fairly narrow grounds under which an academic appeal may be submitted. These are set out in the relevant university Academic Appeal Regulations, see below: http://www.docs.sasg.ed.ac.uk/AcademicServices/Regulations/AcademicAppealRegu

lations.pdf

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University of Edinburgh Administrative Contacts

The following teams at University Registry, Finance (Income Section) or thePostgraduate Office of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine.

CMVM Postgraduate Office

The University of EdinburghThe Chancellors Building49 Little France CrescentEdinburgh, EH16 4SB

Web : www.mvm.ed.ac.uk/gradschool .E-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44 (0) 131 242 6533Fax: +44 (0) 131 242 6479

RegistryThe University of Edinburgh,Old College,South Bridge,Edinburgh, EH8 9YL

Tel: +44 (0) 0131 650 2112Fax: +44 (0) 650 8223

Registry deals with a variety of administrative areas and have useful web pages.Students are advised to check their website first before contacting them:www.registry.ed.ac.uk

Tuition Fees Any enquires regarding fee payment should be made to the Income Section of theFinance Department. The Income Section is responsible for securing payment oftuition fees and related charges promptly and in full, and for initiating recovery actionif this fails.

Web: http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/finance/students/fees Email: [email protected] Telephone: +44 (0)131 650 9214

If the payment becomes overdue, late payment charges may occurand non-payment will result in withdrawal from the course and,potentially, legal action to recover fees due. You are liable to beremoved from the programme as soon as payment becomesoverdue.

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Any enquiries regarding the amount charged or regarding bursaries should be madeto the Fees and Student Support Team in the Scholarships and Student Financesection of Registry.

Web: www.registry.ed.ac.uk/fees Email: [email protected] Telephone: +44 (0)131 650 2230

Electronic Etiquette and Conduct

Students are reminded that effective participation in this distance learningprogramme is heavily dependent on the quality and relevance of the postings madeon discussion boards. Students are therefore reminded that electroniccommunication demands a set of common rules that should be followed. Thisnetiquette is available from several sources.

Independent Study

Independent study involves reading, structured reflection and preparation forassessment. You should plan to spend a significant amount of your study time notonly working through the scheduled case scenarios and associated resources, butalso by reading widely. At Masters level it is important that you are able to undertakeindependent reviews of the literature and read more widely than a narrow range ofrecommended texts. Each of your courses will identify core electronic or otherresource and provide guidance towards recommended literature. You will be able todiscuss and identify core readings, and then provide guidance towardsrecommended literature. You will be able to discuss and consolidate your reading inyour formal learning activities, and in the discussion boards.

MyEd

The University portal, MyEd, provides one central secure gateway where new andreturning students can get access to key information and online systems. MyEd isavailable worldwide, at any time, to all University of Edinburgh students followingtheir offer of an unconditional place of study. Access is viahttps://www.myed.ed.ac.uk and use of a University standard browser.

Even after graduation, MyEd remains available for you to keep in touch with yourfellow students.

What's in MyEd? - a taster: Email Personal announcements Library Resources, Student Union events, news and discussion, online news

from the University, Edinburgh city and worldwide

Why use MyEd?It's easy to find and use. It reduces the number of passwords you need toremember. It puts you in control of layout and design. Its content is secured via theEdinburgh Authentication SErvice (EASE). It is accessible and highly available. Itkeeps you informed. It allows you access to study materials and organisation tools.

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University E-mail

Your University e-mail account is the main method of communication between you,the University and the ESSQ Office. Important information and fee invoices are sentsolely to this account. It is vital that you check your University e-mail regularly evenif it is not used as your main e-mail service (a proxy web address to send you your

personal account can also be set up from within your University e-mail).

If you miss work because of not checking your e-mail you will be penalised. Seehttp://www.acaffairs.ed.ac.uk/Administration/GuidanceInformation/EmailContactPolicy/Index.htm for more information.

Your University (Student) Card

Shortly after receiving your offer of admission, you will be invited to apply for theUniversity Card. The University Card is the primary form of identificationrequired for the end-of-year examinations in Years 1 and 2 therefore it is

essential that you apply for and receive your University Card.

The card also acts as a library and building access control card, and is issued to allstudents and staff of the University. It may also be used by University of Edinburghstudents who wish to use other university libraries and to gain student discounts ontravel etc. Distance learning students visiting the University need the card to gainphysical access to the library and other facilities. More information about theUniversity Card can be found at: www.card.ed.ac.uk .

IT and Computing Support

As an online distance learning student, you are dependent on University onlineinformation systems for access to their courses and to the resources needed forstudy. Below are details of the support and training available.

Students are advised to quote their matriculation number and state that they areonline distance learners in all correspondence.

eeSURG Technical Support

The Learning Technology Section provides technical support for the learningenvironment, eeSURG, and their helpdesk is [email protected] Computing Support

The University of Edinburgh is committed to supporting distance learners. Onlinetraining and downloadable documentation about getting started on the universitysonline systems is available at http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/information-services/computing If you have a problem with your personal computer, you can seek support from theCollege of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine Postgraduate Computing SupportTeam but if you are in any doubt about the nature of the problem, contact theInformation Services Helpdesk first.

Web: www.lib.ed.ac.uk/services/ishelpdesk.html Tel: +44 (0) 131 650 3409

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http://www.acaffairs.ed.ac.uk/Administration/GuidanceInformation/EmailContactPolicy/Index.htmhttp://www.acaffairs.ed.ac.uk/Administration/GuidanceInformation/EmailContactPolicy/Index.htmhttp://www.card.ed.ac.uk/mailto:[email protected]://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/information-services/computinghttp://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/information-services/computinghttp://www.lib.ed.ac.uk/services/ishelpdesk.htmlhttp://www.lib.ed.ac.uk/services/ishelpdesk.htmlhttp://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/information-services/computinghttp://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/information-services/computingmailto:[email protected]://www.card.ed.ac.uk/http://www.acaffairs.ed.ac.uk/Administration/GuidanceInformation/EmailContactPolicy/Index.htmhttp://www.acaffairs.ed.ac.uk/Administration/GuidanceInformation/EmailContactPolicy/Index.htm


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E-mail: [email protected]

The College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine Postgraduate Computing SupportTeam details are:

Web : www.is.ed.ac.uk/itus/mvm/index.html Tel: +44 (0) 131 650 3027E-mail: [email protected] Open Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm.

Discounts on software

Staff and students may be able to get personal copies or home-use software throughuniversity site licenses, special deals or academic discount sites.

Before purchasing software for your own use at home, it is worth checking to see ifyou qualify for a cheaper option under one of the University of Edinburgh deals. For

more details, see:

http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/information-services/services/computing/desktop-personal/software/staff-students/overview

University Computing Regulations

The Universitys computing regulations can be found at: http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/information-services/about/policies-and-regulations/computing-regulations within acceptable use policy. For example, the holding or distribution ofcomputer files containing any material which is offensive, discriminatory, obscene orotherwise illegal is a serious breach of the University's regulations.

Remember that the regulations on copyright also apply to electronic media such asthe web. Information Services, and other computer service providers in theUniversity, hold various information on the use of the University's computer systemsand network. This includes log-in and log-out times, virtual learning environmentaccess statistics and network traffic logging. While normally only used for resolvingoperational problems, these logs will be analysed (under paragraph 7 of theUniversity's Computing Regulations) down to the individual user where a breach ofthe regulations or other misuses and abuses of the facilities is suspected. In addition,

statistical analysis may take place, which does not identify any individual, to providemanagement information on computer lab, cache, network and general computerusage.

Using the University Library

The Ask a Librarian service is there to help you with issues to do with accessing thelibrarys digital resources. Enquiries are submitted online, and you should receive aresponse within 24 hours. Contact Ask a Librarian at: www.lib.ed.ac.uk/qp/ask.html To request copies of articles or for more specific enquiries contact Marshall Dozier,

the Senior Liaison Librarian for the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine:[email protected] .

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mailto:[email protected]://www.is.ed.ac.uk/itus/mvm/index.htmlmailto:[email protected]://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/information-services/services/computing/desktop-personal/software/staff-students/overviewhttp://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/information-services/services/computing/desktop-personal/software/staff-students/overviewhttp://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/information-services/about/policies-and-regulations/computing-regulationshttp://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/information-services/about/policies-and-regulations/computing-regulationshttp://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/information-services/about/policies-and-regulations/computing-regulationshttp://www.lib.ed.ac.uk/qp/ask.htmlmailto:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.lib.ed.ac.uk/qp/ask.htmlhttp://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/information-services/about/policies-and-regulations/computing-regulationshttp://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/information-services/about/policies-and-regulations/computing-regulationshttp://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/information-services/about/policies-and-regulations/computing-regulationshttp://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/information-services/services/computing/desktop-personal/software/staff-students/overviewhttp://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/information-services/services/computing/desktop-personal/software/staff-students/overviewmailto:[email protected]://www.is.ed.ac.uk/itus/mvm/index.htmlmailto:[email protected]


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Year 3 students can request digital copies of key articles on the Librarys Ereserveservice. It is most useful for items that either the library only has in print, or that isnot available in the library. The Ereserve team handles copyright clearance andscanning.

To contact the eReserve Team e-mail: [email protected] Guidance on how to access the universitys main online library systems is alsoavailable here:http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/information-services/library-museum-gallery

EUSA and the Advice Place

All fully matriculated students automatically become members of the EdinburghUniversity Students' Association (EUSA). EUSA is governed by the student body andrun by students elected annually from the membership, along with student volunteerswho are recruited throughout the year. The Students' Association is comprised of twomain bodies: the Edinburgh University Union and the Students' RepresentativeCouncil. The SRC has a number of sub-committees including a PostgraduateCommittee which any interested PG student can contact to raise general issues. TheStudents' Association also employs a number of professional staff who provideadvice and support for students with individual concerns. For getting in touch withEUSA on representation issues, and for involvement in the Representative Council,contact them at: [email protected] .

The Advice Place is run by EUSA, and offers free, confidential and independentadvice and support. They can help with a range of issues including funding, counciltax, benefits, immigration, academic issues, and are also knowledgeable onUniversity procedures including appeals and complaints. The Advice Place operatesas a drop-in centre, but can also be contacted by phone and email. Their web sitegives full details, and is available at: www.eusa.ed.ac.uk/advice . If you would likeadvice from EUSA on academic issues, the best way to get in contact is via theiracademic advice address: [email protected] .

Student Counselling Service

What is student counselling? When you embark on further studies at a distance you are able to communicate withyour tutors regarding all issues relating to your course. However, sometimes thepressures of study on top of an already busy life can bring unexpected stresses, orother events happen in life which impact on your studies and you do not necessarilyfeel that you wish to discuss these with your tutor. Sometimes it can be useful to talkto a counsellor.

A counsellor is someone professionally trained who will listen to your problems in thestrictest confidence, and sometimes this can help you find a way to cope with difficultproblems and find a way to move forward with your life. However, a counsellor doesnot give advice and is not a medical practitioner.

Student Counselling at Edinburgh

You can find further information on sources of assistance from the CounsellingService web site at: www.student-counselling.ed.ac.uk . The link marked Self Help

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mailto:[email protected]://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/information-services/library-museum-galleryhttp://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/information-services/library-museum-gallerymailto:[email protected]://www.eusa.ed.ac.uk/advicemailto:[email protected]://www.student-counselling.ed.ac.uk/http://www.student-counselling.ed.ac.uk/mailto:[email protected]://www.eusa.ed.ac.uk/advicemailto:[email protected]://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/information-services/library-museum-galleryhttp://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/information-services/library-museum-gallerymailto:[email protected]


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gives a wide range of information on issues such as depression, bereavement,anxiety etc. If you are studying within travelling distance of Edinburgh you can makeuse of the free Student Counselling Service. The e-mail address to arrange this is:[email protected] If you live elsewhere in the UK and feel that it would be useful to talk to a counselloryou can find the names of counsellors in your area from the British Association ofCounselling and Psychotherapys web-site at www.bacp.co.uk . Counselling issomething that is available more commonly in some countries than others and it isimportant that if you do look for a counsellor that you ensure that it is someone withappropriate qualifications and registration with a professional organisation. You maybe able to find out about availability from a medical practitioner or possibly through alocal University counselling service. You should note that counsellors charge a rangeof fees and it is important to find out details of these in advance.

Disability Office

If you have a disability that may affect your studies the University of EdinburghDisability Office can offer support to students with a wide range of impairments anddifficulties, including dyslexia, autism, sensory impairments, mobility impairments,mental health problems and medical conditions like asthma and diabetes. TheDisability Office can assess your requirements and request adjustments and supportyou may need or negotiate specific assessment and exam arrangements. Assistancecan only be offered if you have declared a condition or disability on your applicationform or have contacted the Disability Office at 6-8 South College Street, Edinburgh,EH8 9AA.

tel: +44 (0)131 650 6828text: +44 (0)131 650 9371e-mail: [email protected] web: http://www.disability-office.ed.ac.uk/

Chaplaincy

The Chaplaincy offers pastoral care for students and staff of the University,regardless of religious affiliation. They can provide someone to talk to and offersupport, help in time of crisis and links with specialist sources of help. Although, as adistance learner, it may be difficult for you to come and visit in person, you arewelcome to telephone or email the Chaplaincy in confidence. There is more aboutthe Chaplaincy on their web site at: www.chaplaincy.ed.ac.uk/chaplaincy/care.html .The Chaplain is Rev Dr Harriet Harris, email [email protected] or telephone: +44(0)131 650 2596. The Chaplaincy Office number is +44 (0)131 650 2595.

Representation and Feedback

Student feedback and evaluation is a valued input to curriculum and programmereview and development at the University of Edinburgh. Formally, you are asked tocomplete evaluation forms (end-of-semester and end-of-year online, anonymoussurveys) and if possible to attend (or select representatives for) staff-studentmeetings. You are also encouraged to complete the annual University questionnairefor taught postgraduate students, details of which will be made available duringMay/June. Representatives are also welcome to participate in the EdinburghUniversity Students Association.

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Documents

MSc in Surgical Sciences Programme Handbook