Preparing to Start

Preparing to Start

Timetable of Events

March: St Andrews Briefing for Departing Students

At this session, you should have been given forms from Aberdeen for completion that must be returned to the St Andrews School teaching office:

  • Student Information Admissions form for Direct Entrants
  • Financial Guarantee form
  • PVG Disclosure form, photo ID and payment
  • Occupational Health Form -to be completed online - http://gohealthservices.com/uastudents/screening 

These documents will be forwarded to Aberdeen on your behalf.

May: Selection of Topics for Humanities Block

  • You will be contacted via email with details of the Humanities Block to be undertaken in November/December. This is a unique block that comprises course options that are chosen by the student. The aim of most options is to give students an opportunity to acquire an alternative ‘take’ upon medicine and/or health, sickness or disability, which is not provided by the mainstream medical curriculum.
  • To allow you to view details of the Block and how to make your choices.
  • Your choices must then be returned to Miss Simpson.

June: Documentation you will receive from Aberdeen

  • We will send you a Certificate of Acceptance that contains your student ID number and MBChB start and finish dates
  • Information about generating a university photo ID card will be sent.  These cards also serve as library cards and security swipe cards for out-of-hours access to the Medical School and will be issued at the start of term.
  • You will receive information about online application for university accommodation (if this is what you choose) using your student ID number.
  • Information about University accommodation can be found here.

June/July/August

  • If you prefer to rent private accommodation, don’t leave this too late otherwise you will be competing with the Freshers.
  • From 3rd year, many students elect to share one of the many houses or self-catering flats available for rent near to the Foresterhill site. When students undertake clinical attachments outwith Aberdeen, they usually maintain a home base locally, but whenever possible, accommodation and travel is paid for during distant placements by University or NHS sources.
  • For information about private accommodation, see: https://www.ausa.org.uk/ausaadvice/accommodation/
  • Alternative web searches for private accommodation in Aberdeen could include the following property list of letting agencies at: http://www.citylets.co.uk/letting-agents/aberdeen/

August: Joining Pack

You will receive an Aberdeen University‘ Joining Pack’ that includes the following:

  • Information about Online Registration.
  • Timetable for Joining Activities in September

September: Commencement of Studies

Welcome, Introduction and Joining the MBChB Programme

You will be required to attend a week before the start of the Year 3 term to allow for all the necessary registration checks to be made. A timetable of activities will be undertaken including:

  • A welcome to Aberdeen
  • Information about the curriculum you will be joining
  • Introduction to the members of staff with whom you will have close contact, including the St Andrews Students Clinical Tutor
  • Information about learning in a clinical environment
  • Details of the Bridging teaching
  • Other activities will include:
    • Issue of both university ID and hospital ID cards
    • Information on the use of MyMBChB (a web-based intranet resource)
      including access to the Year 3 Learning guides. These are on-line comprehensive course booklets that support each individual System or block of teaching and also direct students towards the further researching of topics
    • Attendance at Occupational Health for blood tests (helpful to bring previous immunisation certificates)
    • Registration with a GP
    • Clinical orientation at Foresterhill

At the Beginning of Term

Registration for Year 3: You will already have registered during the previous week's joining activities.

University ID cards: Your university ID card also serves as a library card and security swipe card for access to the Medical School Buildings outwith the times of 8am to 6pm.

Hospital ID cards: Your Hospital ID card should be worn at all times within the confines of all the hospitals and clinical areas you attend, when you should also ensure that staff and patients are aware that you are a medical student.

Dress Code: The wearing of white coats is no longer a requirement when you visit the hospital wards, however students are expected to appear clean, tidy and wearing reasonably smart clothes. Jeans and trainers are not permitted. In addition, male students should not wear a tie and shirt sleeves should be short or rolled up.

Regent: You will be assigned a Regent and invited to come and meet him/her at an informal Regents' Event during Freshers Week.

Once you have your University accounts, you can retrieve useful information from the MyMBChB, including hospital maps, personal timetables and course materials. You should check your email accounts daily and keep them trimmed. Electronic contact is the means by which the MBChB office will make contact with you.