Table of content

1. Curriculum and timetable
2. Work opportunities
3. Finance
4. Disability Services
5. Accommodation
6. Transport
7. Assessment
8. Equipment
9. Other

Curriculum and timetable

How many weeks is Phase 1?

You can view term dates.

When will the Year 1 timetable be released?

Each of the 5 Blocks will have its own timetable, these are released a few weeks before the start of the Block. You can view a typical week online.

Is there a set timetable for welcome week?

Yes, this will be released a few weeks before the start of term.

What are consolidation weeks?

Consolidation weeks are scheduled between each block. There is no timetabled teaching during these weeks. They are a chance for you to review content covered in the previous block.

I have a family member's wedding that falls on the same day as the first day of Welcome Week. Would I be missing a lot if I can't attend on this day?

The first day includes opportunities to meet your CBL group, personal tutor and be introduced to the course.

Can we get PowerPoint slides in advance? If you have a learning difficulty and need some time before lectures?

All teaching materials will be released the Friday of the week before they are taught.

Do Tutor groups remain the same over the 4 years or do they change yearly?

CBL/tutor groups will change each Phase.

When will we receive a student login to access lecture slides and recordings, MS Teams etc?

You will be able to enrol 6-8 weeks before the start of the course, once you are enrolled you will be able to register for an IT account and then will be able to access Moodle. Until then there is some materials on the Offer Holders pre-reading webpages.

Do we have clinical placements in the same hospital during Phase 1 or do we rotate between the three hospitals?

You will be based at the same hospital for the whole of Phase 1.

Will we have to complete skills, such as moving and handling etc again if we are already health care professionals in the NHS?

All skills should be completed as part of the course. If you have already attended a training at one of our Hospital Trusts then please get in touch and we will check on a case by case basis if it can be accepted.

What’s the best way to study and take notes/learn in medicine?

Helen has hopefully answered this - please also ask the students in the session this afternoon!

Is there a minimum attendance? And is attendance measured?

Our starting point is that you should attend everything that you are reasonably able to and this attendance is measured. If you are unable to attend, we would expect you to demonstrate that you have caught up on missed content. We don't have a fixed minimum at the moment because situations are often complex and individual, but there could reach a point where attendance reached such a low level that it would no longer be possible to catch up on missed content. This covers all in person teaching including lectures.

If we are unwell during a workshop day or CBL teaching, will there be opportunity to cover the missed content?

We do not generally provide catch-up sessions, so we would normally expect you to work through the content for yourself. We will do what we can to support you with this, of course, as we would not expect you to attend while you are unwell. For some sessions, such as anatomy teaching, there will be further opportunities in later stages of each block to revisit things that you may have missed due to illness. We do also make sure that the learning materials are available online on our Virtual Learning Environment (Moodle).

Is attendance to f2f lectures recorded?

Generally it will be. We have trialled using a system where you swipe your student ID card to record attendance, and we will most likely be continuing with this approach.

Are f2f lectures/workshops recorded?

Lectures will be recorded in most circumstances, workshops will not be recorded

Do GP placements only start in phase/year 2?

Yes GP placements start in Phase 2.

Are there international electives with partner universities for medical school students?

After your final exams in Y4, you'll have the opportunity to do an elective which can be internationally or within UK. This is student-proposed where we give students lots of choice and scope to do something allied to your own goals/ preferences (eg specialty-oriented, research-based, educational and so on). There is support for students with seeking their electives and some connections with universities, and if there's something you've found that you'd like to explore/ make possible, our faculty will support you as much as they can (students have previously done all sorts). More info here: https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/med/study/ugr/why/electives or drop us an email if you want to ask something specific.

Work opportunities

Would the work opportunity include specialist areas such as mental health/psychiatry?

Discussions are ongoing with the mental health trusts - they are interested but possibly not from the start. If you are a registered professional in a role in this area we can put you in touch with that area/speak to Simon and he will look at options.

How do we sign up for these HCA roles?

Simon will provide more information at the start of the course.

What is the hourly pay per hour?

Band 2 - https://www.nhsemployers.org/articles/pay-scales-202324

For new to the NHS staff you mentioned a potentially 16 week training. Would this training be paid and how does the training look?

Yes it would be paid. The schedule and curriculum haven't been finalised but will cover the required tasks and skills required of an HCA on the ward.

Are we able to work in labs or specialized roles i.e., Band 4 positions in addition to HCA?

Many roles and opportunities to do things like this do come up, and students undertake lots of roles. The formalised HCA route Simon discussed is for those who plan to start or continue HCA work, to streamline the processes for them

Are there any opportunities for registered paramedics, or Band 5/6 nurses, pharmacists etc?

Many students who are already qualified AHP do additional work in this capacity (ie PT or bank positions). Ask this question in the student session later, and they can put you in touch with students who do and how.

Finance

When do we make the initial payment of ~£3700 that is not covered by SFE/full fees if we are self funding?

Find out more about when to pay fees here https://warwick.ac.uk/services/finance/studentfinance/makingpayments/whentopay/

Are bursaries or funding available to international students also?

No, the payments are only available to students eligible for Student Finance England. Find out more about eligibility here

Student finance for undergraduates: Eligibility - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

For maintenance loans being means tested. Is that the same system as undergraduate where it is based on parental income at a parental address or that of a property we live in at the moment. I am under 25.

Yes if you are under 25 it is based on parental income unless you can prove that you have fully self supported yourself for at least 3 years prior to the start of the course.

Disability Services

Are all disability services testing free. Aka for dyslexia testing?

The screenings for neuro-diverse conditions carried out by the University are free. Its not an assessment more of a screening, if you wish to go for a formal assessment there is a cost element.

If you already have a learning difficulty and have contacted the disability team. Do you need to follow up when you start?

We would encourage that to make sure everything is up to date and in place as soon as possible.

Can we call the disability team?

Yes the contact number is on the presentation slides.

Can disability services help with placement adjustments?

Depending on what is needed disability services can make recommendation and these can be communicated with the hospitals to see what reasonable adjustments can be made.

Is later start times (after 9:30) a reasonable adjustment?

Students who feel they need reasonable adjustments should visit disability services for a screening. Disability services will then make recommendations to the medical school.

Accommodation

Is Tocil the only accommodation available for Y1 students?

Yes that’s correct, it is the nearest option to Gibbet Hill for medical students and means they are together.

Is Tocil fully allocated?

At the moment it is but that changes all the time so log in to the portal and check what is available. If you do want a campus room then you can hold out as there are plenty of other accommodation options if nothing becomes available in Tocil.

Will students with addition needs for ensuites still be put in accommodation with other med students in Tocil? Or will it be a different block?

It will likely to be a different block as Tocil is shared bathrooms but it depends on the needs.

How do I access my Warwick student pad login. I’ve got my unconditional offer but haven’t been able to login?

Contact the Studentpad team directly and they can help.

When staying on campus, will the accommodation team place us first year students in similar areas/halls/blocks?

Yes, more often than not flats within Tocil will be booked out and students housed together.

Are we able to look at the accommodation/Tocil hall's room before we move in to get a better understanding of what it's like? When is the earliest time we can get the key/access our accommodation?

You can do a virtual tour of Tocil accommodation online. Keys are normally available the weekend before the start of Welcome week.

Transport

Is a car a requirement for clinical placements?

As per previous reply, some students commute via public transport, and many students car share (which you'll hear more about in run up to starting). Feel free to ask students about this!

Are there parking permits available for on campus parking for students?

Phase 1 and 2 students can apply for a parking permit. More information on permits can be found here https://warwick.ac.uk/services/carparks/payment_portal. Please wait until nearer the start of the course to apply. The permit is free but you will be charged £3.00 per day that you use the car park (max £9.00 per week).

Are we provided with a parking permit for placements as well?

In Phase 2 and 3 when you are at the hospitals on a regular basis there will be parking permits available.

Which car parks on Gibbet Hill can we park in? (Info online is a bit vague!) And how many spaces is this in total?

Students can park in the Orchard car park at Gibbet Hill - labelled F on this map.

Assessment

Will our grades affect where we are placed during foundation years or is it a random ballot?

When you start, we do a session on UK Foundation Programme, how it works, incl. the change towards 'preference informed allocation' (PIA). Previously, all students used to be ranked within their cohort in deciles (i.e top 10% then next 10% so on) and given points (called an EPM, counted 50%) and this was matched with students performance in the Situational Judgement Test (50%). This was during finals period and was an extra stressful exam at a stressful time. UKFPO rationale for move to PIA was that matching via preferences by algorithm produced similar results (ie still ~86% getting one of their top preferences) with less stress. There is a lot we will talk through (eg student can be pre-allocated under 'Special Circumstances' if need to stay certain area). Most students this year were happy with allocation. Come find Emily at lunch or email if you want to know more, info here: https://foundationprogramme.nhs.uk/resources/foundation-programme-allocation-process-stakeholder-engagement/

Are exams predominantly MCQ? Do you use “best fitting answer” (so multiple correct answers and student must pick the best fitting one)

We will confirm soon exactly what format the exams will take. We have had to make some changes this year, and the full process of approvals for these is not yet complete. There will be a written exam (which will definitely include MCQs) and a clinical exam (OSCE) though - that is for certain.

Will blocks have assignments like essays etc. Or will it just be the formative assessment at the end of a block?

There are some reflective assignments that will need to be completed in specific blocks, but these are brief and not weight-bearing in terms of your mark at the end of the year. There is also a formative clinical exam (OSCE) just before Christmas.

What sort of formative assessments do you use?

At the end of each block there will be an online formative, embedded into our Virtual Learning Environment. This is essentially a written assessment with multiple choice questions and short answer questions. Mid-way through the year there is also a formative clinical assessment (OSCE) - this is a great opportunity to gain experience of what an OSCE is like and to gain valuable feedback in preparation for the OSCE assessment at the end of the academic year.

What percentage is needed to pass exams?

It changes each year according to the difficulty of the exam. Exams go through a process of 'standard setting' which determines the pass mark. A written paper with more difficult questions will have a lower pass mark than a paper with easier questions.

What percentage of students fail phase 1/ retake exams?

Assessments are standard set in such a way that 100% of students could pass. There is no standard percentage of students that will be required to resit, all students will be required to a achieve minimal competency and anyone below that established threshold may be required to resit exams.

Will there be previous exam papers to revise from?

Limited sample papers are provided to students, and formative end of block exams provide ongoing tests of knowledge.

Are the formative assessments at the end of the consolidation week? Will they be in person or online?

They will be online. They become available towards the end of the final week of each Block and you will have a few days to complete them. They are for your benefit, so we give you some flexibility over when and how you complete them: you may wish to spend a bit of time preparing for them and complete them closed book, or you may wish to just complete them at the earliest opportunity and complete them open-book. You can choose, based upon how you wish to learn from the experience.

What happens if you fail resits?

The outcome of resits will be considered by the Board of Examiners in line with Regulations 8.10 which states:

In their second meeting, the Phase I Board of Examiners will consider any evidence of remediation of fulfilment of engagement criteria and/or results of further written/clinical assessments. There will be no compensation between the engagement criteria and the written/clinical element of any assessments. The Board of Examiners may resolve that candidates be:

(i) Permitted to proceed to the second phase of their course; or

(ii) Required to repeat the Phase I of the course with residence, sit the written and clinical elements of the end of Phase I examinations and satisfy the engagement criteria for Phase I (these students will only be permitted a third sit of the Phase I under exceptional circumstances); or

(iii) Required to withdraw from their course of study.

Equipment

May we have the link to order scrubs?

This is the online form to order scrubs.

Are we able to order scrubs now for those attending on Teams?

We will share a link to order scrubs on the Offer Holders pages but we do recommend that you try them on first as the company wont do exchanges. If you aren't attending today you can order them in the first week of term. We have some second hand scrubs from previous cohorts that can be borrowed until you receive yours.

Do you wear scrubs over clothes, or just the scrubs?

Some people choose to wear an underlayer under their scrub tops.

Do we return the WMS scrubs at the end of year 4?

A lot of finalists do return them when they graduate for the benefit of current students but its not compulsory.

With buying stethoscopes- do we buy these from the university ? Or can you recommend where we can get them from and a good make to get?

There is some information put together by an ex student on buying a stethoscope.

What are the things we are required to bring? (Stethoscope, penlight etc)

There is some information on the equipment you are required to bring.

Other

Are there opportunities with the university, such as becoming a student ambassador?

Yes! Loads of them! We always seek to co-create with students and pay for these opportunities and students undertake lots of roles (at WMS, centrally at Warwick). Also there are chances to propose your own (funded!) projects and lead on them - feel free to come and chat to Emily at lunch and she can tell you more!

When are graduating students unconditional firm? The day of official results or graduation day or other?

You will be UF when you have met all the conditions of your offer. If you are currently still waiting for results it will be when you provide the required documents confirming your degree results to the University.

Is it too late to update the health questionnaire after already submitting it?

If there are changes to your circumstances please let us know the specifics and we will let you know if we need a new submission.

What if you can’t find/don’t have your health records?

If no evidence of you immune status is available, bloods, injections and tests can be carried out to assess whether you are protected for the relevant infectious disease.