Teachers of the MB ChB
Teaching is largely delivered by doctors who are actively practising medicine and who are frequently involved in medical research. Thus students are taught by experienced teachers who are at the forefront of modern practice and who are working to advance the boundaries of knowledge.
Clinical academics are employed by the University to do teaching and research, but also have honorary contracts with the NHS and therefore combine their academic career with the practice of medicine. The organisation and design of the MBChB curriculum is largely the responsibility of clinical academics. However, much of the teaching is provided on a day to day basis on the wards and in the clinics, by NHS doctors. In a large teaching hospital such as Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, consultant physicians and surgeons are employed by the hospital trust to do clinical work, but also have honorary appointments with the University and thus take part in teaching, and often research.
GP practices all over the North East of Scotland and in the Highlands and Islands also take students on attachments.
There is no substitute for the experience of observing an expert in the course of his or her daily clinical practice. However, there is much to be learned from other healthcare professionals, and the course is enriched by the diversity of scientists, nurses, pharmacists, sociologists, clinical psychologists and others who contribute to teaching over the five years.
Management of the Curriculum
Various College Committees oversee different aspects of the MBChB programme, but the Curriculum Steering Group (CSG) is the executive committee which is responsible for its day to day operation. The co-ordinators of the four main phases of the (current, i.e pre-2009)curriculum are key members of this group, together with others who represent specific themes that run vertically throughout the course.
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Dr Rona Patey has overall responsibility for the delivery of the MBChB programme and chairs the Curriculum Steering Group. She co-ordinates the activities of the Year and Phase Co-ordinators and the many other academic, NHS, administrative and secretarial staff who contribute to the planning, delivery and evaluation of teaching and assessment. She is a Consultant in Anaesthetics and Director of the Clinical Skills Centre in Aberdeen and is involved in teaching clinical skills to to medical students, junior and senior doctors and many other members of the healthcare team |
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Dr Stephen Davies is responsible for the planning and co-ordination of Year 1. He is a Physiologist and teaches both science and medical students. He has a special interest in Neuroscience and his research interests are in this area. |
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Dr Alan Denison is responsible for the planning and co-ordination of Year 2. He was appointed as a Clinical Senior Lecturer and NHS Consultant in Radiology and Nuclear Medicine in 2006. His areas of clinical expertise include imaging of lung dieases and functional imaging. He has imaging research interests in cancer imaging and teaching interests in assessment, 3D visualisation of anatomy and the application of tablet computing to undergraduate medical education. |
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Dr Sarah Ross is responsible for the planning and co-ordination of Year 3. She is a Clinical Pharmacologist with a particular interest in prescribing education. She is also responsible for Personal and Professional Development in the undergraduate curriculum. Her research interests include prescribing errors and student support. Her clinical work is in acute and general internal medicine. |
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Professor Helen Galley is responsible for the planning and co-ordination of the Intercalated BSc in Medical Science. Students who choose to undertake this extra one-year Honours degree enter either at the end of their third year or the end of their fourth year of the MBChB studies. Prof Galley's special interest is in Anaesthetics and Intensive Care and her research interests are immune and inflammatory responses in critical illness and gender issues in science and medicine. |
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Professor Steven Heys is responsible for the planning and co-ordination of Phase III (one third of third year and fourth year). His special interest, both as a practising surgeon and as a researcher, is in breast cancer. In Phase III he co-ordinates a week of specialist teaching in "Breast Disease". |
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Dr Maggie Cruickshank is responsible for the planning and co-ordination of Phase IV (Final Year). Dr Cruickshank is a consultant in Gynaecology and participates in specialist teaching in this area, including co-ordination of the Phase III Reproductive Health block. Her clinical interests are colposcopy and vulva disorders and her research interests are focus on cervical screening and HPV related disease. |
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Dr Sue Tracey is the Director of Teaching (Inverness) and is responsible for the planning, delivery and co-ordination of teaching in Inverness and the Highlands. This includes the Remote and Rural Option in Phase III.. Dr Tracey is a GP and is involved in Postgraduate General Practice Education as training Programme Director for GP Speciality Training as well as co-ordination of the undergraduate Phase III GP, Public Health and Occupational Medicine Block. |
Undertaking clinical placement(s) in Inverness is an integral part of the MBChB programme, particularly in Phase III. The teaching of medical students is now managed in the University of Aberdeen Highland Medical Education Centre.