PBL @ Manc (current students, please read)

[Coco]

Hello, I'm deciding on my firm, and I really really want to put down Manc (I love the city, uni etc etc) but i have some reservations about the course. so i was wondering if any current students could help me out with a couple questions i have?

i was wondering if pbl is really as bad as people say it is - no supervision, dont know what to learn and in how much depth, nobody to ask for help, crap PBL tutors, not knowing whats going to be on your exams (i've heard that some pbl groups with good tutors will cover everything they need to eg. psychosocial aspects, but others dont and therfore do bad in their exams because of it). its just really worrying me that i wont be able to do as well as i should do academically cus of the lack of the support that i will get if i chose manc, comapred to other places (that arent so PBL heavy). do u really know what u are meant to be doing? or is it pot luck, based on which PBL tutor u get?

i want to put down manc as my firm, but this is the only thing holding me back, and u have to be honest, its a pretty major thing!

ty for any help.

[belis]

I naver had this sort of problems to be honest but then I was quite lucky with my groups and tutors. I always knew what to learn, finding the motivation to do it is another matter though.

Learning objectives are usualy quite obvious plus in first two years you have lectures that offer you some guidance as to what you need to cover and in how much depth.

Psychosocial is treated as a bit of a joke by some students so if you get a group like that be perepered to do your own work. Usualy after first set of exams people realise that there is no escape from the psychosocial and will pay more attention to it.

In the end though Manchester is DIY medicine for most of the time.

[Coco]

would you say its a good way of learning medicine though? do you regret your choice in coming here?

thanks for your help/post btw

[NV05]

You can get bad PBL tutors, there's no question about that.

As for PHI (psychology, sociology, epidemiology, healthcare ethics & law, history of medicine) they continuously try to improve the way its delivered and the feedback that we give is that they need to give us more theatre events and symposia to assist us with learning it. If your PBL tutor cannot help you, you are encouraged to make direct contact with one of the lecturers or strand leaders who are and they do help you. For example, our PBL group wasn't too sure what to learn about complementary and alternative medicines. One of the PHI leads contacted me quickly to offer good advice on what to learn.

[-Petrie-]

so it's really not that bad? I have to admit it is something that I've been worried about as well.

how about around exam time? do you know what you need to know?
overall, whould you say the academic support being adequate? or is it really DIY?

[NV05]

Academic support is adequate if you make use of it. I know people who complain about not being given any support and I've asked them if they've ever e-mailed lecturers etc and often they won't have even done that, so that's their mistake. DIY medicine is an unattractive term to use: the old guard really can't accept it.

Exam time is horrible, but as the grade boundaries are 'normal referenced', you are in exactly the same boat as the rest of your cohort.

[belis]

would you say its a good way of learning medicine though? do you regret your choice in coming here?

I have never regreted coming to Manchester. I think the course suits me. I am not a big fan of lectures so PBL works better for me. I think it is as good way as any as long as it suits you personaly. In the end whatever type of course you are following it all will come down to what you put in. As NV05 said, resources are there. It is up to you to show initiative and use them.

I didn't contact tutors much for individual guidlines but at times when I needed help there were brilliant both in terms of academic stuff and pastoral support.

[persianmedic]

Originally Posted by Coco

Hello, I'm deciding on my firm, and I really really want to put down Manc

There's a mistype in your signature then

[-Petrie-]

How many hours of lectures do you have a week?

[belis]

Somone correct me if things changed but I would say about 7 hours in preclinical years. For clinicals it vary from hospital to hospital. At MRI 2 hours tops, usually less.