UWB Crest

North Wales Clinical School

Student Selected Components

"The greatest educational opportunities will be afforded by that part of the course which goes beyond the limits of the core and that engenders an approach to medicine that is constantly questioning and self-critical"

In recognition of this General Medical Council view, medical schools devote part  of the undergraduate medical curriculum to elective studies or ‘Student Selected Components’ (SSCs) that allow students to study, in depth, areas of particular interest to them.  In a standard five-year curriculum between 25% and 33% of time would normally be available for SSCs.  SSCs support and complement ‘core’ teaching and allow students to do the following:

  • Learn about and begin to develop and use research skills;
  • Have greater control over their own learning and develop their self-directed learning skills;
  • Study, in depth, topics of particular interest outside the core curriculum;
  • Develop greater confidence in their own skills and abilities;
  • Present the results of their work verbally, visually or in writing;
  • Consider potential career paths.

Thus SSCs provide the stimulus and the opportunity for students, under appropriate guidance and direction, to acquire knowledge through a process of exploration and their own intellectual efforts.  At least two thirds of each student's SSCs must be in subjects related to medicine, whether laboratory-based or clinical, biological or behavioural, research-orientated or in humanities related to medicine.  SSCs are pursued in each of the five years of the MB BCh degree course, increasing in duration and complexity as the course progresses.

For students in the later years of the course at Cardiff University a number of SSCs are offered by the partnership organisations within the NWCS and can be undertaken in North Wales. 

Year 3 Projects

The projects in Year 3 embrace activities that are clinic-based, community-based and laboratory-based.  Research groups are active in many areas and some modules may therefore have a research orientation.  Students are able to study a particular topic or topics and pursue their interests in some depth under the guidance of a tutor with specialist knowledge of the field.

Students can also arrange their own “unique” SSC in an area that particularly interests them and indeed are strongly encouraged to do so.

Some examples from recent years include:

  • Since the introduction of the new medical curriculum has anatomy knowledge diminished?
  • Sexual Health of young people

Year 5 Senior Clinical Projects

The Senior Clinical Project consists of an in-depth study of clinical practice in an area of interest to the student.  This will usually be based on practical clinical work as a case series of patients seen by the student, or, in the case of laboratory-based work, a series of findings relating to a problem, or group of problems. 

Below are just a few of the SSCs offered recently:

  • Acute abdominal pain:  to study in depth the range of presentation, investigation and treatment of patients admitted at emergencies with acute abdominal pain
  • The diagnostic dilemmas of dizziness:  to highlight the problems, pitfalls and uncertainty of diagnosis
  • Behavioural neurology:  to gain experience in the assessment and management of neuropsychological disorders by working with consultant neurologists on stroke and brain injury services
  • Mountain medicine:  how emergency medicine, RAF Search and Rescue and Snowdonia’s Mountain Rescue teams care for mountain casualties
  • Cardiac MRI imaging of the heart:  to introduce the concept and practice of cardiac MRI and how this helps cardiac diagnosis

As with the year 3 SSC, students can also arrange their own “unique” (DIY) SCP in an area of particular interest.

For further details of some of the SSCs that have been offered recently by each partner institution, click on the links below:

- to open up separate page for each institution.  Please note that there is no guarantee that these topics will be offered in future years.

Bangor University – Student Selected Components

Title

Tutor

Aims

Cardiac MRI imaging of the heart

Prof. M.R. Rees

To introduce the concept and practice of cardiac MRI and how this helps cardiac diagnosis

Behavioural neurology

Prof. R. Rafal

To gain experience in the assessment and management of neuropsychological disorders by working with consultant neurologists on stroke and brain injury services

Neuroradiology and lesion analysis in neuropsychology

Prof. R. Rafal

To learn basic principles of neuroradiology diagnosis of brain lesions and use of MRIcro software for lesion analysis in neuropsychology

Prism adaptation for rehabilitation of visual impairment after stroke

Prof. R. Rafal

To learn basic techniques and principles underlying the use of prism adaptation for rehabilitation of visual impairment following brain damage
Physiological and psychological outcomes of patients on an exercise intervention programme Dr J Breeze Give students an objective view of how patient treatment is evaluated within the NHS and in research, using a variety of outcome measures.
Simulate to stimulate Prof. D Brigden Introduces the student to the potential of simulation in medical education.
Understanding research for budding surgeons Mr T Okoro Introduces students to the concepts of research design and application in the context of pursuing a surgical career.
The Need for Speed - What delays transfer of critically ill patients to Intensive Care ? Dr C Subbe To learn principles of recognition and treatment of the deteriorating patient and analyse obstacles to optimised care.
HM, Hippocampus and Memory - have we got it wrong all along ? Dr S Boehm To investigate new types of hippocampus-dependent implicit memory in order to gain a new understanding of the role of the hippocampus in memory.
Locality-based service planning to support life after stroke Dr C Burton To develop a planning framework for the integration of statutory health and social care and third sector services to support life after stroke in Gwynedd.

Ysbyty Glan Clwyd – Student Selected Components

Title

Tutor

Aims

Acute abdominal pain

Mr. R.J. Morgan

To study in depth the range of presentation, investigation and treatment of patients admitted at emergencies with acute abdominal pain

Gallstone disease

Mr. R.J. Morgan

To study in depth the range of presentation, investigation and treatment of patients with gallstone related disease

Urological Malignaclis

Mr. V. Srinivasan

To investigate lower urinary tract symptoms and investigate urological malignaclis

Audit of comparison of 100 home treated cases with 100 inpatients

Dr. A. Pierce

To examine the types of cases taken on, the number of sections prevented by home treatment, and the diagnosis, treatment and psychosocial aspects of each patient

Stapedectomies

Mr. J. Osborne

To set up database of patients who have undergone stapedectomies at Glan Clwyd Hospital and evaluate care and outcomes

Ysbyty Gwynedd – Student Selected Components

Title

Tutor

Aims

Mountain medicine

Mrs. P. Cutting

To examine how emergency medicine, RAF search and rescue and Snowdonia’s mountain rescue teams care for mountain casualties

Comparative medicine

Dr. L. Dykes

To study the processes of introducing and implementing “care bundles” that cross the ITU/emergency medicine interface, and to assess their effects on patient care

Development of Simulation Scenarios

Dr. J. Walker

To create two scenarios to be run on SimMan, complete with a clinical course and a full set of mock notes and charts

Auditing rapid access chest pain clinic

Dr. A. Hanna

Looking at outcome data and appropriateness of referral

Teledermatology – how useful is it really?

Dr. A. MacFarlane

Retrospective audit of teledermatology referrals to assess impact on service, particularly with reference to patients not seen face to face.

Perioperative use of antibiotics in breast cancer surgery

M. M. Lwin

Primary aim – to know the practice of antibiotics’ usage in patients with breast cancer, before and after surgery;
Secondary aim – to know the incidence of postoperative wound complications

Research methods in obstetrics and gynaecology

Dr. C. Clark

To enable the student to develop an understanding of scientific research methods and process; critical appraisal skills and to write a research protocol.

Natural history of mental illness in the pre-pharmaceutical era

Prof. D. Healy

1. to compare relapse rates of schizophrenia at the beginning and end of the twentieth century
2. to compare outcomes for psychotic depression at the beginning and end of the twentieth century

Investigation of link between mental illness and cardiovascular risk factors

Dr. R. Tranter

To gain experience with community based cardiovascular screening and intervention service for people with serious mental illness.
To analyse data collected by service

The role of dipstick haematuria in urology

Mr. E. Ahiaku

To establish whether patients should be referred to secondary care based on dipstick haematuria

User led initiatives to produce novel patient information resources

Dr. R. Tranter

Creation of a DVD depicting: service user experiences of bipolar disorder; advice from service users on how to self-manage the condition; and suggestions on how new service users can get the most out of mental health services.

Glyndŵr University – Student Selected Components

Title

Tutor

Aims

Hydrocolloid gels for medical application

Prof. P.A. Williams

To provide students with a comprehensive and systematic understanding of the science underpinning the properties of certain hydrocolloids and their use in medical applications, notably drug release and wound care.

Housing and health

Mrs. J. Wafer

To appreciate the potential health inequalities that may result from an individual’s housing and/or neighbourhood conditions.

Doctors and substance misuse:  beyond the medical model

Dr. P. Burlison

To introduce medical students to socio-legal, policy and interprofessional issues in relation to substance misuse, as well as some key issues in social research.

Delivering news of a sudden death

Mrs. N. Lloyd-Jones

To sensitively deliver news of a sudden death of a relative.  Using supporting literature to analyse death trajectories from within clinical practice.  To reflect on personal experiences and spiritual meanings of sudden death encounters in practice.

Disaster: management and rescue in an emergency situation

Mrs. N. Lloyd-Jones

To develop medical students’ understanding of prioritising and decision-making in difficult circumstances.  To increase awareness of effective and efficient communication and team work.

Web page design (communicating medical information)

Dr. C. Buckley

To develop an understanding of successful web page design.  Students will design and publish a linked set of web pages for communicating medical information.

Case management in chronic health conditions

Ms M. Lloyd

To develop skills in holistic case management of specific condition(s) in clinical or community practice, which will encourage the clinician to incorporate social, spiritual, psychological and biological elements of the condition(s) and provide the opportunity to develop multidisciplinary team working.

Telemachus on your iPod; coaching in clinical settings

Mr. D. Griffiths

To create a range of resources using digital technologies which facilitate a rich discourse between professionals in the development of coaching strategies in a clinical setting.  To explore the links between mentoring, coaching and organisational culture.

Wayne’s World – communicating with young people

Mr. P. Cook

To promote an understanding of socio-cultural influences on young people in order to improve communication in a clinical setting.

Doctors and crime: explorations of the criminal justice context

Mr. I. Madoc-Jones

To introduce medical students to socio-legal policy, practice and interprofessional issues in relation to mentally disordered offenders, as well as some key issues in social research.

Personality and individual differences as determinants in the medical professional’s approach to practice

Mrs. J. Roberts

To enhance students’ self-awareness and enable them to reflect upon the influence of individual characteristics in their own and others’ approach to professional practice.

The psychology of stress and its impact on professional practice

Mrs. J. Roberts

To raise students’ awareness to, and understanding of, the psychological process of stress and coping.  Specific emphasis will be afforded to professions providing a service to people, particularly medical practitioners.

Talking sexually

Ms. R. Harrison

To develop an understanding of psychosexual problems and the causation, assessment and treatment of these problems.

Medicinal Plants

Dr. C. Buckley

To gain an understanding of the biochemical composition of medicinal plants, the physiological effects of plant compounds on the human body and the risks and ethics associated with medicinal plant use.

Wrexham Maelor Hospital – Student Selected Components

Title

Tutor

Aims

Visual culture: art and the body

Dr. I.C.M. Williams

The development of a critical awareness of the limitations of the medical or pathological viewpoint of the human body.  To explore alternative ways that the body can be conceptualised, portrayed or used with a specific focus on the visual arts.

Haemodialysis – can the timing be improved?

Ms U.J. Kirkpatrick

To audit the delays from referral to surgery to the use for dialysis of a mature fistula.  To analyse the reasons for delay and assess the proportion of successful fistulas that were used for haemodialysis.

Sexual health of young people

Dr. O. Williams

To provide a broad overview of the sexual health of young persons aged 13-24 and an opportunity to explore a specific aspect, e.g. sexually transmitted infections or teenage pregnancy, in depth.

Since the introduction of the new medical curriculum has anatomy knowledge diminished?

Dr. J.M. Delieu

To see if there is a decline in knowledge of anatomy within the new curriculum and how this compares with traditional anatomy teaching.

Severe sepsis and septic shock in acute medical admissions

Dr. C. Subbe

To understand the importance on mortality of a structured approach to severe sepsis and septic shock

Thoracic/respiratory malignance

Dr. N. McAndrew

To understand the presentation of diagnosis, investigation, treatment and care of patients with thoracic malignancy

The diagnostic dilemmas of dizziness

Mr. D. Snow

To highlight the problems, pitfalls and uncertainty of diagnosis

An introduction to pain management

Dr. S. Underhill

To introduce students to the management of patients with acute and chronic pain

Perioperative medicine

Dr. D. Counsell

To offer students an insight into perioperative management