If you feel that you, or someone you know is experiencing an emotional, psychological or mental health crisis, there are services available to help you: emergency contacts can be found on the University Crisis page.

If you have concerns about the health/safety of another student...

If it is an emergency, you can find emergency contacts on the university crisis page.

If it is not urgent, please try and encourage the student to discuss their problems with their personal tutor/clinical personal tutor. If that is not possible, please contact the deputy senior tutor for the cohort, or the senior tutor, Dr Anne-Marie Chilton. .

Check that you are OK yourself, please discuss things with your personal tutor/clinical personal tutor or another member of the student support team.

The Warwick Nightline is a confidential phone advice or drop in centre on campus, open 9pm-9am term time.

02476 522 199

See the Warwick Nightline website for more information

The University of Warwick accommodation services can be found via the accomodation webpage.

If you have an emergency accommodation problem and find yourself homeless, please contact one of the deputy senior tutors or senior tutor at Warwick Medical School (click here for contact details).

If you have been exposed to blood/contaminated body fluids, please follow the NHS Trust policies (for whichever NHS Trust where the incident occurred). In an emergency (out of working hours), go to the Accident & Emergency department for the NHS Trust where the incident occurred.

The Occupational Health Department at UHCW provides occupation health advice for all WMS students. During working hours contact Occupational Health Department at UHCW, 02476 965420 or email occupationalhealth@uhcw.nhs.uk

MB ChB Guidance for Temporary or Permanent Withdrawal

This guidance should be read in conjunction with the University of Warwick Regulation 36.1: Student Registration, Attendance and Progress and the University Student Finance Undergraduate Withdrawal Policy.

Situations where personal circumstances have a significant impact on a student’s ability to undertake examinations are dealt with through the University’s mitigating circumstances policy.

Download a Word Version of this guidance 

Requesting Temporary or Permanent Withdrawal

A student may request a period of 12 months temporary withdrawal from their course of study for financial, personal and medical reasons (including maternity leave). For MB ChB students your temporary withdrawal would normally require you to re-join the course at the same point, for example taking temporary withdrawal part way through a block, would require you to re-join at the start of the same block of study, providing opportunity to satisfactorily complete the block requirements and progression criteria.

Students considering temporary withdrawal or permanent withdrawal, must first consult with at least one member of academic staff to discuss whether temporary/permanent withdrawal might be an option for you. We strongly recommend that this is your personal tutor / clinical personal tutor, Deputy Senior Tutor and/or Academic Phase Lead, so that they can advise you on the possible academic consequences of a temporary/permanent withdrawal. A report will be required from them to verify that you have been provided with appropriate advice before a decision is made.

Students in their first year of study who wish to take temporary withdrawal should refer to the paragraph “Restart” below.

We also recommend that you seek independent advice from the Student’s Union Advice Centre, University Wellbeing Support Services, Student Funding Services, and Student Immigration Services.

Restart or Temporary Withdrawal

A Restart is where a student in their first year of study is approved to restart their course again from the beginning of the following academic year, where their first attempt was significantly affected by issues beyond their control (For example, medical or personal factors which negatively affected their ability to study). Restart students must withdraw prior to any summative assessments and will be liable for tuition fees up until the point of withdrawal and for full fees for their restart year. In the case of Restart, a student is permanently withdrawn from the current year and a new applicant record created in the new academic year. The student will not retain University IT or access to online learning materials.

A Temporary Withdrawal is where a student is approved 12 months temporary withdrawal from their course and will re-join at the same point in the following year. A temporary withdrawal may be approved on financial, personal and medical or health-related reasons. In the case of temporary withdrawal, a student returning from temporary withdrawal will not be charged for more than 100% of the tuition fees for the same period of study. Students on temporary withdrawal are not eligible to participate in any formal learning, including assessments, before resuming their registration. Students on a period of temporarily withdrawal will retain access to University IT and access to online learning materials. Studens may also continue to access University Wellbeing Services.

Requests for retrospective temporary withdrawal will only be considered in exceptional circumstances and where the student can show good reason why the request was not made at the appropriate time. Such requests must include a clear rationale from the supporting Department outlining the circumstances which prevented the application being made earlier. In the case of retrospective temporary withdrawal students may be required to pay back student loans, grants or bursaries.

All undergraduate students who withdraw from the University prior to the end of the academic year will be charged a proportion of the tuition fees. For further details on fee liability please refer to the University Student Finance Undergraduate Withdrawal Policy.

Approval of Temporary or Permanent Withdrawal

Students requesting temporary withdrawal will be required to complete the MB ChB Request for temporary or permanent withdrawal form. Please complete the form as fully as possible and attach any supporting documents (for example, medical certificates). The information provided should include:

1. The reason(s) why you wish to withdraw either temporarily or permanently from the course
2. The impact that this is having on your learning and academic performance
3. Whom you have consulted with in order to reach your decision
4. In what way you will benefit from a period of withdrawal from the course
5. In what way your circumstances will have changed when you return to the course

Your request will be considered by the Head of Medical Education (or their nominated deputy). In coming to a decision, they may take advice from your Personal Tutor / Clinical Personal Tutor, Deputy Senior Tutor/Senior Tutor, Academic Phase Lead, Chair of CPG or relevant members of WMS staff. You will be invited to meet with the Head of Medical Education (or their nominated deputy) to discuss your application.

A student would not normally be allowed to withdraw temporarily for more than two consecutive years, or for more than a total of two years over the duration of a course. The GMC expects students to normally complete their medical degree within six years of registration.

Any conditions of return will be discussed and agreed and detailed in the decision slip at the end of the temporary withdrawal form. Once the application is approved, a copy of this form will be shared with the MB ChB Head of Operational Delivery, who will initiate the procedure for requesting temporary or permanent withdrawal. Only the University Academic Registrar may approve requests for temporary withdrawal, and you will receive an email confirmation once your request has been approved.

Returning after Temporary Withdrawal / Re-start

Upon returning from temporary withdrawal or restart, students will be required to undertake a new DBS check, which they are liable to pay for, unless registered with the DBS Update service

Students returning from temporary withdrawal will be contacted by the University Student Records team approximately eight weeks prior to their expected return date to request a ‘confirmation of resumption of study following temporary withdrawal’ is completed. If the temporary withdrawal was granted on medical grounds, the student is required to submit a medical certificate demonstrating their fitness to resume their studies.

A period of temporary withdrawal may be subject to conditions, as set out when the request was granted, and must be approved prior to re-enrolment.

You will only be able to re-enrol once the above steps have been completed.

The MB ChB Student Support Officer will make contact approximately eight weeks prior to your expected return date to arrange a meeting with the Deputy Senior Tutor and Academic Phase Lead in preparation for your return to studies.

Students returning from Restart or temporary withdrawal will be considered by the Course Progress Group in the first year.

What will happen to my NHS bursary?

The MB ChB Student Support Officer will complete the necessary forms so that your NHS bursary maintenance payments are stopped during your period of absence. Upon your return, we will again notify NHS Bursary to confirm your resumption of studies. Where your return falls into a new academic year, you will be required to re-apply for your NHS bursary.

In the case of maternity leave, a student will normally continue to receive payments for up to 12 months, please refer to the NHS Bursary for the latest guidance. Again, where your maternity leave falls into a new academic year, you will be required to re-apply for your NHS bursary.

The NHS Bursary will normally only support one repeat year of study. Please note the NHS Bursary may request any overpayments to be repaid by the student.

What will happen to my Student Funding?

If you choose to suspend your studies, you must notify Student Finance England by completing a change of circumstances form, available to download from your online account. Once your temporary withdrawal has been confirmed, the University Student Funding team will notify Student Finance England accordingly. Students are advised to contact Student Finance England directly to discuss how temporary withdrawal may affect their student loan, maintenance or other student financial support. Eligible students may be able to get a maintenance loan for some or all of the time you are away from your studies. We also recommend that you contact the University Financial Advisors on studentfunding@warwick.ac.uk

Can I keep my e-mail account live?

Students on temporary withdrawal are not permitted to engage in any formal study, however you will retain your University IT including e-mail and access to online learning.

A Restart student will unfortunately lose IT access as your student record is permanently withdrawn and a new record created in the next academic year.

I’m an international student does this affect my visa and CAS?

There are important factors to consider if you are an international student and sponsored by the University under a student visa. When a student visa sponsored student takes a period of temporary withdrawal, this will lead to the curtailment of that student visa, and you will be required to leave the UK. When you resume your studies, you will need to request a new CAS and apply for a new student visa. Please contact the University Immigration and Compliance Office for further information on breaks from studies and immigration guidance.

What happens to my Student Status?

During the approved period of temporary withdrawal, a students' course registration will be suspended.

Will this period of absence be recorded on my transcript?

The Medical School is required to accurately record the period of time spent on the course on any transcript provided. Details of the reasons why you have taken longer than the normal four years to complete the course will not be included.

Now we are all working more remotely, you will need a functioning computer/laptop. If you are having trouble finding funding for appropriate equipment, you have a few options:

Contact IT services via helpdesk@warwick.ac.ukLink opens in a new window to request a temporary loan laptop. Further information is available at Student Laptop Loans (warwick.ac.uk)Link opens in a new window 

OR Contact the Student Funding team via studentfunding@warwick.ac.ukLink opens in a new window to discuss options – this may include an emergency loan in certain cases.

Further information is available at: Hardship Funds - Student Funding - University of WarwickLink opens in a new window

For help and advice about wellbeing during the Covid-19 lockdown restrictions, see this link.

Your wellbeing is really important to us. There are lots of activities to get involved with both here at the medical school and on main campus, so get stuck in!

The mental health foundation has published 'Five ways to wellbeing': some simple things you can do every day to feel good.

Some ideas to try...

1 Connect: Join student societies, socialise with your medical colleagues, and remember to keep up with your friends and family too.

2 Be active: Have a look at the university sports pages to see all the activities you can do here. Look at our information boards to see the timetables for guided walks, yoga classes and other activities on our Gibbet Hill site. The current reccommended activity levels for health are minimum 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise (or 75 minutes of vigorous activity) each week, plus 2 or more strength-training sessions involving all major muscle groups.

3 Take notice: We have a beautiful campus. Walk down to the bluebell wood, have a look at what is growing in our small medical school allotment, or try a local nature trail . Try mindfulness, yoga or other activities that help you connect mind and body.

4 Keep learning: This one is easy for medical students! Look at your Personal and Professional Development moodle webpage to find more advice about how to learn effectively.

5 Give: Our students get involved in lots of voluntary work; helping children in hospitals, protecting the environment, teaching others, etc. Find something you're passionate about and see how you can get involved in making a difference.

Some more ideas:

Get a good night's sleep! (good sleep is linked to better learning, better mood, healthier weight)

Eat lots of fruits and vegetables (those who do report less anxiety). You can find advice about eating well on a budget here.

Plan out your holidays, breaks and social calendar first, then fit in study time after (this helps avoid burnout and makes sure you prioritise life, not just study!)

Who do I need to tell if I have a health-related or other issue that could affect my training?

Medical students who have an illness that could impact on their studies need to declare this on entry to medical training. This is mainly to make sure that you are caring for yourself and your health and to ensure that you get the appropriate support. During your time here, if you think you have an illness which you need to declare, discuss this with your personal tutor, and then fill out a form which you can find on the Health, Welfare and Professionalism Group webpage.

Equally, if you have an issue that is not health-related, but could impact on your training, do follow the link above to the Health, Welfare and Professionalism webpage for more information and support.

You can find out more information about declaring health conditions here.

The General Medical Council gives more guidance about declaring health conditions that you may find helpful.

My physical health: looking after yourself

You should be registered with a local General Practitioner and you should seek help for advice and treatment promptly. The GMC advise that you should 'not rely on what you have learnt as a medical student or the views of other students'. You should not seek health advice from your teachers/members of staff.

There are lots of sports clubs and activity groups to join on campus: you can find lots more information here .

The Occupational Health Department at UHCW hospital provides occupation health advice for our medical students. During working hours you can contact them for advice by telephone 02476 965420 or email occupationalhealth@uhcw.nhs.uk .

University of Warwick Health Centre . If you are registered with the University health centre, you can book an appointment in advance. You can also request a same day appointment by phoning after 9am. Alternately you can 'walk-in' at 0830 and wait for an appointment. You can also request an appointment on-line (there is a booking process to complete in advance, the health centre can provide you with information on this process)

 

My mental health: looking after yourself

There is lots of support available if needed; just get in touch with us and we can help you access the support you need.

You should be registered with a local General Practitioner and you should seek help for advice and treatment promptly. The GMC advise that you should 'not rely on what you have learnt as a medical student or the views of other students'. You should not seek health advice from your teachers/members of staff.

Togetherall For support anytime, anywhere, including out of hours support. This is a 24/7 online and anonymous support service for your mental health. You will need to register using your university email address and create an account. There are a number of options to help support you. It is possible to have contact with a trained counsellor.

NHS Practitioner Health is a free and confidential service for NHS employees (including medical students) . There is a free support group (online) for medical students, which is held fortnightly (scroll down and look for 'Medical Student support group'

The university counselling service offers a range of services including individual counselling, group therapy, email counselling, and educational courses.

The Wellbeing team offers individual appointments, support and advice for anyone suffering from mental health difficulties.

The university student support pages give an overview of the different supports that are available to you.

The General Medical Council has also produced guidance on how best to support medical students with a mental health condition.

The NHS has a website called 'Every Mind Matters' which gives practical information and resources for good mental health.

Student Minds is a national charity aimed particularly at the needs of students: their website is here: Student Minds - Home

It is recommended that you register with a GP too.

This webpage gives a really good range of information about who to contact in a crisis, including 24-hour helplines you can call if you need to talk.

British Medical Association (BMA) Counselling, available 24hours/7 days a week, (available to all medical students even if you're not a BMA member) Call 0330 123 1245

 

MIND guidance on getting though your working day. Although this aimed at NHS staff working in the Emergency Department, there are many useful tips and techniques which are relevant to all of us

University of Warwick Health Centre . If you are registered with the University health centre, you can book an appointment in advance. You can also request a same day appointment by phoning after 9am. Alternately you can 'walk-in' at 0830 and wait for an appointment. You can also request an appointment on-line (there is a booking process to complete in advance, the health centre can provide you with information on this process)

 

Exploring your local area

While your medical studies will keep you busy, we hope you'll also take the time to explore some of the amazing things to do around our area. Here are just a few to think of...

The Warwick Arts Centre is the largest arts venue in the country outside of London: see plays, concerts, comedy, art, cinema and more! It's closed for a major refurbishment at the moment but hopefully will open again soon.

Located in the centre of the country and once one of the largest and most beautiful cities in medieval England, Coventry still has some beautiful architecture, along with a renowned modernist city centre. The surrounding countryside is very beautiful too, and easy to explore on foot or by bicycle. Park runs happen regularly in the lovely War Memorial park which can be found on the university side of the city. Every summer the council puts on an entirely free 3-day music festival in the park.

Many medical students opt to live in regency-style Royal Leamington Spa; voted one of the best places to live in England and boasting a good range of independent shops and nightlife. You can also visit Warwick and Kenilworth with their magnificent castles; Stratford to visit the home of Shakespeare, and the many lovely Cotswold villages dotted around the countryside to the south. Birmingham is 20 minutes away by train; the dreaming spires of Oxford are 1 hour's drive away, while the mountains of South Wales can be reached in around 2 hours. To the north, the peak district is again just 2 hours away, with stunning scenery and fantastic walks.

Finally, Birmingham airport is just 10 minutes' train ride from Coventry, opening up the whole world if you want to go further afield!

Welcoming those with disabilities

If you have a disability, we are here to support you.

The University Disability services have a webpage which contains lots of helpful information about how we can help.

The General Medical Council 'Welcomed and Valued' confirms its commitment to supporting those with disabilities who study medicine. 


Georgia Gray, one of our inspirational students has written an article in the British Medical Journal 'Disability and medicine—a case for inclusivity'

Another of our previous students (now graduated) wrote this for current students:

'Times have definitely changed for disabled students studying medicine. I attended WMS and successfully graduated. I have a serious and enduring mental health problem which fluctuates. I am now a happy Foundation doctor. My story has shown that having different learning needs is not a barrier to becoming a doctor. During my time at WMS, I found that support was always there, I just needed to ask for it. The support during all phases of the course was exceptional. I urge anyone studying medicine /considering studying medicine to just go for it. If you work hard and love medicine, everything is possible. Adjustments and solutions can always be found to enable you to succeed. Have no fear, if I can do it, anyone can. I am working as a Foundation Doctor on a less than full time basis which allows me to manage my health. Every time I arrive at my Hospital, my heart lifts with joy that I have achieved and am doing something extraordinary. Debbie March 2021'

 

WMS Disability Network

Hello and a warm welcome to you all!

 

We welcome you into the WMS Disability Network! Here is our email address

wmsdisabilitynetwork@warwick.ac.uk

 

We are a group of students from across the MBChB course with the remit and goal of creating a community within the school for students and staff identifying as disabled, affected directly or indirectly by disability or by any health condition(s). The disability network aims to: educate students and staff, offer networking and support, form links with societies and organisations for widening participation and liaise with WMS and trusts to develop policy and promote equity and transparency.

Some of you will have already heard from us with respect to our early projects and during the early days of our inception, but we hope to meet all of you in due time and many of you can expect to hear from us regarding exciting projects and developments in the weeks, months and even years to come. We also look forward to seeing those of you joining us for our student-led staff away day in May; we have several informative, engaging and hopefully fun sessions planned for you and we hope this will be a small taster of what we as a network can do for you and with you as staff.

Here is the resource email (wmsdisabilitynetwork@warwick.ac.uk) which is available to everyone to contact us, and there is more information on the disability network here: WMS Disability Network (warwick.ac.uk)

Please, if you have any questions, niggles, worries, thoughts, ideas for projects, exciting events or frankly just want to say "hi" go ahead and contact us in our respective roles or via our staff liaison officers. We would genuinely love to hear from you!

Sincerely, WMS Disability Network (chairpersons)

If you have a disability, please have a look below to see what services might help you.

The Royal College of Physicians 'This doctor can' site is a useful place to read about doctors with disabilities

 

Support for specific learning differences

 

Some of our students come into medicine with an established diagnosis of a specific learning difference, whilst some others get diagnosed while at medical school. So, we really encourage you to get a free screening test if you think this might be an issue for you.

More information can be found on the disability webpages here. The University is committed to supporting students with specific learning differences (such as dyslexia, dyspraxia, and ADHD). The Disability Services now have appointments from 7.30am and during lunchtimes, to be as accessible to our (very busy!) students as possible. They are currently conducting meetings virtually due to Covid restrictions.

The University Disability webpages give information about the type of examination adjustments, educational support, and even financial support that you may be able to access if you are diagnosed with a learning difference.

Having a specific learning difference is absolutely no barrier to success at medical school.

The University Library has a webpage, 'productivity tools' with information about a range of software programs which can assist e.g. reading, notetaking. You can also contact Laura Waller at the library for more advice (L.Waller@warwick.ac.uk)

 

Disability and finance

If you have a disability, talk to us about whether you could benefit from financial assistance. There is more information on the disability services webpages here.

You can also access the disability webpages to see what free services you can access to support you.

The Snowdon Trust grants awards to disabled students in higher education.

Look here for information about student finance.

As a medical student, you have unique responsibilities to take care of your health. You should inform WMS about any serious health problems or any aspect of your health that could affect your training, this is so that WMS can provide you with appropriate adjustments and support. You can self-refer any health problems to the HWP group (see below).

You are expected to act professionally at all times, even when you are not studying. You should declare any criminal convictions or police cautions, you should also come and discuss any legal proceedings that could call into question your fitness to practise medicine. You shouldn't wait until legal proceedings have been concluded before you do this. You can self-refer any conduct problems to the HWP group (see below). Your personal tutor/clinical personal tutor and other members of the students support team are here to support you. Please make early contact so that you can be offered the appropriate support.

The General Medical Council have provided guidance for medical students.

GMC Professional behaviour and fitness to practice

GMC Achieving Good Medical Practice

WMS 'Health, Welfare and Professionalism' (HWP) Group

WMS HWP group meet regularly to offer support for students who have self-referred or been referred with problems relating to health/welfare/conduct/criminal behaviour/professional behaviour. See this link for more information about HWP. Students are encouraged to self-refer early. If you would like advice about whether to self refer, please discuss it with your personal tutor/clinical personal tutor. If your tutor is not available, please contact the deputy senior tutor for your cohort, or the senior tutor, Dr Anne Marie Chilton , a.chilton.1@warwick.ac.uk You can also contact the Chair of HWP, Neil Stockton for advice, N.Stockton@warwick.ac.uk; External: 024 765 75770; Internal: 75770

I have a health problem which I would like to declare

If you have a health problem which is affecting your studies, please discuss it with your personal tutor/clinical personal tutor. If your tutor is not available, please contact the deputy senior tutor for your cohort, or the senior tutor, Dr Anne-Marie Chilton, a.chilton.1@warwick.ac.uk.

I have a problem which has called into question my honesty or character

If something has happened which may have called into question your professionalism, honesty or character, please come and discuss it with your personal tutor/clinical personal tutor or a member of the student support team. The GMC have published guidance for medical students, 'Professional behaviour and fitness to practise'. You can self-refer to HWP, 'Health, Welfare and Professionalism' group, there is a form for you to complete and submit. WMS offers support to all students.

WMS Fitness to Practise (FtP) Committee

Sometimes things don't always go as smoothly as we would like. If a student may have crossed a threshold related to professional behaviour/criminal behaviour /fitness to practise and there is concern about fitness to practise, the case will first be discussed by the HWP group to ensure that students are offered the appropriate support. The HWP group may refer students to WMS Fitness to practise Committee which follows University regulations and the GMC guidance on Professional behaviour and fitness to practise

Any student undergoing FtP process will be offered support by the WMS student support team. Please discuss it with your personal tutor/clinical personal tutor. If your tutor is not available, please contact the deputy senior tutor for your cohort, or the senior tutor, Dr Anne-Marie Chilton, a.chilton.1@warwick.ac.uk

Professional behaviour: Use of Social Media

The GMC have issued specific guidance regarding use of social media including Facebook, Whatapp and Twitter. Please see this link for more information

Many students have successfully combined studying for MBChB and parenthood. We are here to support you, please ask your PT/CPT/deputy senior tutor and/or senior tutor for advice. General advice for students with dependants can be found here.