Clinical Education at Wrexham Maelor Hospital

Studying at Wrexham

Useful Information

We hope the information below will be helpful to students undertaking or who are considering undertaking clinical placements in Wrexham.

Accommodation: Medical students are allocated places in the purpose built student accommodation block. All rooms have ensuite facilities and each block of four flats also has a separate bathroom. Each group of flats has a spacious kitchen and dining room, together with a separate lounge area. Rooms have a desk area and provide ample storage facilities. Bedding, cutlery and cooking utensils, iron and ironing boards are all provided. Launderette facilities are available in the adjacent doctors’ accommodation. There is also purpose built accommodation suitable for disabled students. All rooms have free internet access.
The hospital and accommodation block are situated just a short walk from Wrexham town centre, the train and bus stations. There is allocated parking just outside the accommodation block and parking permits are issued at the beginning of the placement.
Doctors Mess: At Wrexham students are fully integrated into the life of the hospital. Thus all facilities available to staff are accessible to students and this does include the Doctors Mess facility. The Mess has TV and computer facilities, hot and cold drinks machines, a dining room plus a sandwich vending machine, a quiet study room and a seminar room. There is also a student Common Room situated within the Doctors Mess, with lockers and a PC for student use.
Library: The John Spalding library is located in the Wrexham Medical Institute (just across the car park from the main hospital building). The library is staffed during normal office hours, whilst the library itself remains open each day until midnight, including weekends. There are a number of computers available, all with internet access and Microsoft Office, plus photocopying and printing facilities. In addition, there are four WYSE terminals connected to the Cardiff system available for student use. There is a broad range of journals, books and teaching aids available in the library, together with at least one copy of the set books on the reading list for each module offered at Wrexham. The library staff are friendly, helpful and supportive.
Undergraduate Office: The Undergraduate Office is situated on the first floor of the Medical Institute. The Undergraduate Manager and Undergraduate Administrators are available to help with any queries or problems.

Prior to their arrival in Wrexham all medical students are contacted by email by staff from the Undergraduate Office confirming arrangements for their stay. Accommodation keys are available from the afternoon before the placement date and these can be collected from the hospital switchboard, which is open 24 hours (enter the hospital through the main entrance; walk through the coffee shop, turn right and then take the next left into the Cardiology corridor – the switchboard is the first unmarked door on the right.) In addition, a welcome pack for each student is available in the switchboard office. This contains a student handbook, details about car parking arrangements and other relevant information.

Students attend an induction session on the first morning of their placements. During this time students are introduced to each other and to Undergraduate Office staff. In addition to sorting out general ‘housekeeping’ issues, timetables are distributed and explained.

Some comments from recent students include:

“The teaching I received was excellent. The registrars particularly were keen to teach, and asked us to highlight topics we were struggling with, and then provided teaching in those areas. This was really useful, and helped clarify areas we found difficult.”

“All the tutorials were really useful (timetabled and non-timetabled) and the feedback from presenting cases was helpful for future learning. I think all the staff deserve recognition, because they were all really willing to teach!”

“All teaching was excellent - the best placement I've had so far.”

“The accommodation was new and clean. There was ample space for 4 students in a flat, and the cleaners were very friendly. Having internet access in our rooms was brilliant, as I prefer to work in my room.”

“All the Haematology consultants were excellent. They were so very approachable, willing to teach, and Dr *** especially gave us much constructive feedback. They took time out of their schedules to do many tutorials and clinical discussions with us. Clinics were also very good, with a lot of teaching in between patients. Overall, excellent. Best 'week' of MOSS.”

“Really nice halls, very well organised, and kept immaculately clean.”

“Excellent [library] facilities - computers and books and 24 hr access. Extremely helpful staff.”

“This has been the best placement I've had so far. The consultants in Wrexham are excellent, and are so willing to teach students.”

“Wrecsam hospital very friendly. felt like part of every team and that we were welcome to ask for teaching/attend clinics, etc.”