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Last modified: 29 Apr 2026 11:46
While the second theme expands on the previous years teaching on Human Factors in healthcare.
Human Factors is a both a scientific discipline and a practice. The science is all about the study of how humans interact with the systems in which they work. The knowledge gained through this study (and the methods and tools developed) are then applied in practice to achieve twin aims: Optimising system performance and improving human wellbeing and therefore patient safety.
Students will undertake a range of activities and are based around the Chartered Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors Guidance on Effective Writing of Procedures.
| Study Type | Undergraduate | Level | 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Term | Second Term | Credit Points | 15 credits (7.5 ECTS credits) |
| Campus | Aberdeen | Sustained Study | No |
| Co-ordinators |
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The SSC contributes to two of the ten GMC curricular outcomes: maintaining good medical practice and working with colleagues. It will also help students address important learning outcomes set out in ‘Promoting Excellence’: selecting appropriate treatments; critical appraisal; finding relevant literature to answer questions; acquiring, assessing and applying new knowledge; establishing the foundations for life-long learning.
During the SSC III, students will work in groups to determine clinical effectiveness based on a clinical research question as well as Human factors in healthcare and Patient Safety
The Clinical effectiveness strand will be self-directed, guided by a tutor and will result in a group report (a review of the topic developed using systematic review methodology, to answer your research question) and a group oral presentation, given in the final week.
The transferable skills to be developed in the SSC III course include:
• Co-operative group work
• Literature searching
• Critical appraisal of the literature
• In-depth study of a single topic
• How to cite and reference other people’s work
• Co-operative production of a report
• Presentation skill
This Human Factors strand sits within the Year 3 Student-Selected component. There are three separate elements:
1. A Keynote seminar that aims to put Human Factors in context, and help you understand the reasons why the GMC has mandated Human Factors competencies within the MBChB curriculum.
2. You will work in groups to explore systems factors that influence everyday work. You will carry out tasks as directed by written work procedures and see if it is indeed possible to follow such a procedure! Will your procedure support your work, or undermine it? How will contextual factors influence success or otherwise? Exploring work in this way requires you to have some knowledge and understanding of Human Factors. You have already covered some of the key principles (such as the importance of systems frameworks that we covered in Year 1, during the Drug Therapy lectures). We will build on this theory during the first part of the workshop session.
3. Finally, there will be a ‘washup’ seminar, where you will see how your Human Factors knowledge, skills and competencies will be developed as you move through your senior years (and why it matters!). You will also hear from your peers that chose to study Human Factors as part of their Medical Humanities block
Information on contact teaching time is available from the course guide.
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 10 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | 44 | Feedback Weeks | 46 | |
| Feedback |
Results are provided to the individual with feedback from the marking tutor. |
|||
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Factual | Analyse | Evaluate in-depth, an area of medicine or health from a population perspective through conducting database and internet resource searches and then critically appraise evidence from the results. |
| Factual | Evaluate | Demonstrate the ability to work effectively within a team to produce a written report under time constraints. |
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 10 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | 41 | Feedback Weeks | 42 | |
| Feedback |
Results are provided to the individual with feedback from the marking tutor. |
|||
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Factual | Analyse | Evaluate in-depth, an area of medicine or health from a population perspective through conducting database and internet resource searches and then critically appraise evidence from the results. |
| Factual | Evaluate | Demonstrate the ability to work effectively within a team to produce a written report under time constraints. |
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 40 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | 44 | Feedback Weeks | 46 | |
| Feedback |
Results are provided to the group with feedback from the marking tutor. |
|||
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Factual | Analyse | Evaluate in-depth, an area of medicine or health from a population perspective through conducting database and internet resource searches and then critically appraise evidence from the results. |
| Factual | Evaluate | Demonstrate the ability to work effectively within a team to produce a written report under time constraints. |
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 15 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | 44 | Feedback Weeks | 46 | |
| Feedback |
Results are provided to the group with feedback from the marking tutor. |
|||
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Factual | Analyse | Evaluate in-depth, an area of medicine or health from a population perspective through conducting database and internet resource searches and then critically appraise evidence from the results. |
| Factual | Evaluate | Demonstrate the ability to work effectively within a team to produce a written report under time constraints. |
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 15 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | 44 | Feedback Weeks | 46 | |
| Feedback |
Results are provided to the individual with feedback from the marking tutor. |
|||
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Understand | Understand the current health and social care context that means that Human Factors is considered the appropriate approach for optimising outcomes. |
| Procedural | Apply | Apply a systems framework to explore work-as-done for carrying out a written procedure. |
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 10 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | 44 | Feedback Weeks | 46 | |
| Feedback |
Results are provided to the individual with feedback from the marking tutor. |
|||
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Factual | Analyse | Evaluate in-depth, an area of medicine or health from a population perspective through conducting database and internet resource searches and then critically appraise evidence from the results. |
| Factual | Evaluate | Demonstrate the ability to work effectively within a team to produce a written report under time constraints. |
There are no assessments for this course.
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Factual | Analyse | Evaluate in-depth, an area of medicine or health from a population perspective through conducting database and internet resource searches and then critically appraise evidence from the results. |
| Reflection | Evaluate | Reflect on how an understanding of Clinical Effectiveness and Human Factors can support your own work as you move into your clinical years (and beyond). |
| Procedural | Apply | Apply a systems framework to explore work-as-done for carrying out a written procedure. |
| Conceptual | Understand | Understand the current health and social care context that means that Human Factors is considered the appropriate approach for optimising outcomes. |
| Factual | Evaluate | Demonstrate the ability to work effectively within a team to produce a written report under time constraints. |
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