base units

[tiny_tom]

I was wondering if people can fill me in on the base units stuff in phase 2?
where are all the base units?
how is it decided where you go?
how many times do u have to change base units?

ToM

cheers

[M Clayton]

Ok, here goes - no apologies for length!

As you've identified already, phase 1 (ie year 1 and 2 of 5 year course, or year 1 of accelerated 4 year course) takes place at the medical school and consists of the lectures, clinical skills, anatomy etc - traditionally preclinical stuff.

Phase 2 is the clinical part of the course and consists of 3rd (or 2nd in the case of accelerators) and Final year base unit placements. The system has just changed to make it impossible to spend 3rd year and Final year in the same base unit (ie, you will not be in the same base unit in 3rd year as you are in Final year).

Where are they?


The base units encompass a number of acute trusts and include both primary care and mental health trusts within the locality.

The base unit most closely associated with the university is the Tyne base unit. The furthest away is Tees. Northumbria encompasses a large geographical area and Wear is just Wear!

Tyne
The hospitals associated with the Tyne base unit are;
- The RVI
- The Freeman
- The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Gateshead
- Newcastle General Hospital

Northumbria
The hospitals associated with the Northumbria base unit are;
- North Tyneside General Hospital
- Wansbeck Hospital
- Hexham General Hospital
- Cumberland Infirmary (Carlisle)

Wear
The hospitals associated with the Northumbria base unit are;
- Sunderland Royal Hospital
- University Hospital North Durham (Dryburn)
- South Tyneside

Tees
The hospitals associated with the Tees base unit are;
- James Cook University Hospital & The Friarage (Middlesbrough and Northallerton)
- University Hospital of North Tees (Stockton)
- Hartlepool Hospital
- Darlington Memorial Hospital & Bishop Auckland Hospital

How are the places allocated?

Roughly equal numbers of students are allocated to each base unit (slightly fewer to Northumbria). The process takes place in the autumn of 2nd year and is a web based ranking system - you rank the base units in order of preference. The list of students is randomised and, essentially, they go down the list giving you your first choice until that base unit is full, then second choice and so on. It's apparently pretty fair although most people that end up in Tees and who wanted Tyne seem not to think so!

How often do you change?
Once.

3rd year in one base unit.
4th year - first 12 weeks at the medical school
- final 18 weeks doing SSCs anywhere you like
5th year in another base unit

Hope that answered the question!

[emm]

hey tiny tom and dr clayton!
tiny tom you read my mind...i sent mail to uni to elborate on where base units are located! Thanks a million DR Clayton. I have one question that i'd be grateful for any info... are cadavers still used for dissection in GEP programme? I've my interview in early jan..hence interview prep.. i'm very nervous but excited at the same time. just need to deliver -an outstanding- interview performance to be considered... will also pay the lotto on the same day!!

[emm]

dr clayton.

I've another question... sorry!...it says in prospectus that in phase 2 'Stage 4 begins with a 12-week course in clinical sciences and investigative medicine, followed by a 30-week period of student-selected components and elective study. In this period you select topics, each lasting six weeks, in clinical and non-clinical areas. '

what types of topics are these?do they vary each year?

Any info on this would be greatly appreciated.
thanks

[M Clayton]

hey tiny tom and dr clayton!
tiny tom you read my mind...i sent mail to uni to elborate on where base units are located! Thanks a million DR Clayton. I have one question that i'd be grateful for any info... are cadavers still used for dissection in GEP programme?

Just plain old Mr Clayton at the moment - or Mark if you like! Glad you found my waffle helpful. To the best of my knowledge, GEP anatomy is taught in exactly the same way as 5 year course anatomy. So it's the use of prossected specimens and models.

I've another question... sorry!...it says in prospectus that in phase 2 'Stage 4 begins with a 12-week course in clinical sciences and investigative medicine, followed by a 30-week period of student-selected components and elective study. In this period you select topics, each lasting six weeks, in clinical and non-clinical areas. '

what types of topics are these?do they vary each year?

The 30 week block after Christmas consists, as they've said, of the three UK based SSC blocks and the 10 week Overseas Elective period. The topics available in the SSC blocks are pretty varied. As an example, I did 3 clinical blocks (one each in A&E Medicine, Paediatrics and Anaesthetics & Critical Care) but my friend did 2 clinical and 1 non clinical (Medical Law, Radiology and Immunology). Essentially, there's a huge list of placements available on the web and, if nothing strikes your fancy, you can create your own! I organised my own A&E placement since it was at a hospital near my home rather than up in the Northern region.

HTH