The latest information on the clinical teaching programme is accessible for students and teaching staff on the Clinical School’s Virtual Learning Environment.
The overall emphasis of the course enables students to build on the scientific foundation of the first three years of study in Cambridge with the development of excellent clinical, communication and professional skills required for Good Medical Practice. By studying in the research-rich environment of the Cambridge Biomedical Campus, students will be encouraged to pursue areas of their own interest in a series of clinical and research-based student selected components.
Students will also study at a number of Regional Partner NHS Trust hospitals throughout the East of England and in our ‘teaching general practices’ in Cambridge and the surrounding region.
GP teaching will be delivered in all three years of the Clinical Course. Teaching will consist of clinical placements with a mix of opportunistic and structured teaching sessions and group teaching.
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Want to pursue a research interest in a GP or primary care topic for your SSC (Student Selected Component)?
GUIDE: about SSCs in primary care
Year 4: Core Clinical Practice
At the beginning of Year 4 students visit general practices in groups of 4, to study basic clinical method. The visits take place on 4 Fridays between October and December. Students learn basic examination and history taking skills with specially selected patients and also have the opportunity to join a GP tutor in a teaching surgery. Teaching is linked to the topics students are studying during their Year 4 hospital placements.
After Christmas each group of 4 students will have 2 blocks of 2 weeks of GP based learning. 4 days of each week will be spent in a GP surgery with opportunities to implement the skills learnt earlier in the year seeing and assessing patients in a variety of clinics. There is a particular emphasis on dealing with immediate “on the day” presentations in line with the acute and emergency medicine themes of the hospital placements. The fifth day of each week will involve group learning in structured seminars.
About this course
Course coordinated by Dr Kinnary Martin.
Course materials and full information for current students is held on the University’s VLE.
Year 5: Specialist Clinical Practice
Students in Year 5 have 4 x 8-week blocks based around the stages of human lifespan:
- Specialist Surgery
- Specialist Medicine
- Neurosciences and Mental Health
- Maternal and Child Health
During this time the students will attend three x 2 week placements at the same GP practice. Whilst students will only be in practice during the first three blocks, they will also benefit from seeing maternal and child health cases within primary care where possible.
Students will explore the realities of living with illness in the community including meeting with a variety of health care professionals, community-based carers and organisations. In addition the students will be expected to complete an audit and follow 2 patients longitudinally through the year.
About this course
Course coordinated by Dr Madeleine Lameris (ml816@medschl.cam.ac.uk).
Course materials and full information for current students is held on the University’s VLE.
Year 6: Applied Clinical Practice
During their final year, Year 6 students spend 6 weeks on placement in a General Practice (GP) in the East of England. This placement focusses on allowing the students to practice and consolidate their clinical skills under the supervision of a GP Tutor. It is an opportunity to learn and work with Allied Health Professionals as well as to learn more about the role of General Practice in the NHS. It is expected that after initial assessment by their GP Tutor, Year 6 students should be confident to take a clinical history, examine their patients, devise a management plan and present this to their GP Tutor. There will be a clinical focus on Ophthalmology, ENT and Dermatology either through patient presentations or tutorials. Students will also review a palliative care patient, identified as suitable by their tutor, on several occasions throughout the six weeks, and are encouraged to write a reflective piece on this experience. During their final year, students are also expected to undertake one Out of Hours Shift via HUC or an alternative provider if more appropriate to their placement location.
About this course
Course coordinated by Dr Zoe Needham
Course materials and full information for current students is held on the University’s VLE.