Section VIII - School of Medicine: Regulations for the Degree of Bachelor of Medicine Five Year Programme with Foundation Year

Regulations for the Degree of Bachelor of Medicine Five Year Programme with a Foundation Year (Year 0)

The programme leading to the degree of Bachelor of Medicine shall be of six years' duration.
Candidates for admission to the programme must satisfy the following requirements:

Admission to. and continuation on, the programme is subject to completion of satisfactory health and Criminal Records Bureau screening. Students are required to inform the Head of School of health problems relevant to future employment as a health professional.

Candidates would normally be expected to satisfy two of the following:

First generation applicant to Higher Education.
Parent, guardian or self in receipt of a means tested benefit.
Living in supported accommodation, or independently of financial support apart from state provision.
Eligible to receive EMA (Educational Maintenance Award) or similar grant.
Resident in an area with a postcode which falls within the lowest 20% of the IMD (Index of Multiple Deprivation) or a member of a travelling family (*this will be authenticated by the University).

5 GCSEs grades A-C, to include Mathematics, English and Double Award Science.

and
AS/A levels at a minimum of 200 points to include passes at a minimum grade B in AS level Biology and Chemistry OR a minimum grade C in those subjects at A level.
Equivalents may be accepted for GCSEs, such as Key Skills Numeracy at level 3 and Communication at level 3 (as alternatives for GCSE Mathematics and GCSE English, respectively).
Equivalents may be accepted for the 4 Advanced Subsidiary levels. These include:

The Advanced Vocational Certificate in Education at grade B with Advanced Subsidiary levels at grade B in Chemistry and Biology

or

The National Diploma in Health Studies with passes at Merit level in 8 units plus Advanced Subsidiary level Chemistry at grade B. These 8 units would normally include; Unit 3 Applied Science, Unit 4 Human Anatomy and Physiology, Unit 6 Psychology and Development, Unit 12 Biochemistry, Unit 13 Microbiology, Unit 17 Advanced Physiology A, Unit 18 Advanced Physiology B, plus a choice of one other.

The degree of Bachelor of Medicine may be awarded with honours.
Except as provided in the regulations for the Bachelor of Medicine four-year graduate entry programme and the five-year programme, in order to qualify for the degree of Bachelor of Medicine candidates must:
1. have followed the six-year medical curriculum and have passed the four compulsory Year 0 units, Primary examination, the Intermediate examination and the Final examination and satisfactorily completed the fourth year Study in Depth; and
2. have completed satisfactorily all practical work, clinical work and other coursework as required.
Progress from one year of the programme to the next will depend upon the successful completion of the appropriate examination and course work requirements, satisfactory completion of clinical and other practical work, and freedom from health, behavioural and conduct problems relevant to future employment as a medical practitioner. Failure to achieve this may lead to a recommendation from the School Board for termination of programme, a requirement to pass an examination (Year 2), or to a requirement to repeat a year of the programme. Students undertaking Year 0 of the programme have the right to resit the assessment of each individual Unit but are not normally permitted to undertake a repeat year. Those students in subsequent years who are permitted to repeat the year as a result of previous poor academic performance will be required to demonstrate satisfactory attendance, and will be expected to pass each assessment at the first attempt in order to progress. Failure to meet these requirements will normally result in termination of the programme. Students who fail the BM Final examination at the first attempt will normally be required to repeat the final year before retaking the examination. Failure to pass the BM Final examination at the second attempt will normally result in a recommendation for termination of the programme.

Students may apply for the award of the following exit qualifications if they successfully complete a proportion of the Bachelor of Medicine programme but leave the programme, for whatever reason, before successfully completing 6 years. Credit Accumulation and Transfer (CATS) points will be awarded for completion of every component of a whole year only and will not be awarded for separate components or a partially completed year (CATS points are not awarded for Year 0):

Award	Exit Point	CAT Points
Certificate in Biomedical Sciences	Successful completion of Year 1	120 lvl 1
Diploma in Biomedical Sciences	Successful completion of Year 2	120 lvl 2
Bachelor of Medical Sciences	Successful completion of Year 3 including the Intermediate examination	120 lvl 2
Bachelor of Medical Sciences (Honours)	Successful completion of Year 4	120 lvl 3
Bachelor of Medicine	Successful completion of year 5	120 lvl 3

Should the student be permitted to rejoin the BM programme within two years of the award of the certificate, diploma or degree, the exit qualification would be converted to a BM degree following successful completion of the BM programme.

Year 0 of the Medical Curriculum

Year 0 of the medical curriculum consists of 4 units which are all compulsory (two units per semester). There are no option units. Each unit consists of approximately 240 learning hours of study. Approximately one third of the study hours of each unit will involve direct tutor contact, one-third tutor directed learning and one third self-directed study. Candidates are normally required to pass all four units before proceeding to Year 1. The four units are:

Human Structure and Function I and II
Professional Practice I and II

The two Human Structure and Function units incorporate aspects of Biology and Chemistry and key skills. The Professional Practice units include work-based learning, key skills, sociology and psychology.

The First Year of the Medical Curriculum

Instruction in the first year of the Medical Curriculum will take place on an integrated basis. There will be a Foundation Course, which will introduce the Biological Basis of Medicine and Psychology and Sociology. Candidates will also undertake the Interprofessional Learning Unit 1: Collaborative Learning.
During the rest of the year instruction will be organised according to the systems of the human body, and will cover the biochemical, morphological, pathological, pharmacological and physiological aspects of the following systems:

Cardio-vascular
Respiratory
Locomotor
There will also be instruction in the relevant aspects of Psychology and Sociology.
During the year candidates will take part in a scheme for gradual introduction to patients and to patient care in a variety of health care settings, particularly during the Medicine in Practice component.
The Primary examination will take place in June, and will include papers covering subjects studied during the year. A candidate's performance in course work and in the practical part of the examination (including 'problem-solving') shall be taken into account in deciding the examination result. Candidates will also be required to pass the Medicine in Practice course and Interprofessional Learning Unit 1 in order to progress.
A Distinction in the BM Primary Examination may be awarded to candidates who achieve a grade A standard in this examination at the first attempt.
A candidate who fails to satisfy the examiners in the June examination will be re-examined in September. Failure at the second attempt will normally result in a recommendation for termination of the programme. Students who fail the Medicine in Practice course and/or the Interprofessional Learning Unit 1 will be required to satisfactorily complete a repeat period of study before September in order to progress.

The Second and Third Years of the Medical Curriculum

Instruction in the second year of the medical curriculum shall cover the following:

Nervous Systems Course
Endocrine Systems Course
Renal Systems Course
Reproductive Systems Course
Gastrointestinal Systems Course
Student Selected Unit
Medicine in Practice course
Interprofessional Learning Unit 2: Team Working
In addition, students will cover subjects such as biochemistry, human genetics, oncology, infection, immunology, sociology and psychology, many of which will have begun in Year 1 and will continue to Year 3.

Some of the subjects will be incorporated in a topic-based, integrated course throughout the third year entitled 'The Scientific Basis of Medicine' as well as within the clinical attachments. There will also be instruction in the relevant aspects of Public Health, Sociology, Psychology, Research Methods and Critical Appraisal.

In order to progress to Year 3, students must achieve an overall average mark for the two semesters of at least 50% and should not have scored less then 40% for either semester. If these conditions are not satisfied, students will be required to successfully complete the Progression to Year 3 examination in September. Students who fail the Medicine in Practice course and/or the Interprofessional Learning Unit 2 will be required to satisfactorily complete a repeat period of study before September in order to progress.
The third year of the medical curriculum shall extend over forty-two weeks and shall include clinical attachments (mainly undertaken in health care settings in the Southampton area) in the following:

Introduction to Year 3
Medicine and Elderly Care
Palliative Care
Surgery and Surgical Specialties
Child Health
Obstetrics and Gynaecology
Mental Health
Primary Medical Care
Special Study Units
The Intermediate examination shall be held in the summer of the third year of the medical curriculum and shall consist of three components: two in-course assignments (submitted during the year), written examination and Objective Structured Clinical Examination. The written examination will consist of not more than two papers (essay and 'problem-solving') covering all the formal courses of instruction during the first, second and third years of the medical curriculum.
Students are required to pass each of the three components of the BM Intermediate examination (in-course assignments, Objective Structured Clinical Examination, written papers).
Candidates failing to satisfactorily pass their in-course assignment(s) will be permitted to submit a further in-course assignment, once, before the start of the supplementary examinations.
A candidate failing to satisfy the examiners in the examination in the summer will be required to undertake a Supplementary examination in the component(s) they have failed in the following autumn. Failure at the second attempt will normally result in a recommendation for termination of the programme.
A distinction in the BM Intermediate examination may be awarded to candidates who achieve a Grade A standard in this examination at the first attempt.
A candidate who reaches a sufficiently high standard in the Intermediate Examination may be allowed to undertake an additional year's study in the School of Biological Sciences for the degree of Bachelor of Science with honours. These degrees are awarded on the satisfactory completion of that year's courses and examinations, together with a related project to be completed by Easter of the following year. A candidate following this course will undertake the normal clinical elective after the third year and a further period of four weeks' clinical work before beginning the final year clinical attachments.

The Fourth Year of the Medical Curriculum

The fourth year of the medical curriculum shall extend over forty weeks at the beginning of which candidates shall undertake an elective clinical attachment of 8 weeks' duration in a specialty and hospital of their choice, following approval by the Elective Working Group. Candidates who are retaking the Intermediate examination, however, will be required to undertake this attachment in Southampton.
Candidates will undertake advanced study, including project work and submission of a project report at the end of the year in topics selected in consultation with the Head of School. There will also be instruction in Law and Ethics in Medicine, Research Methods and Critical Appraisal. A candidate whose project report is judged to be unsatisfactory will be required to submit a revised report by November of the fifth year. A candidate whose performance throughout the year is judged to be unsatisfactory will normally be required to repeat the year before progressing to the final year. If a repeat year or a revised report is judged to be unsatisfactory, the School Board may recommend termination of the programme.
In addition to the elective attachment there will be an obligatory minimum number of clinical courses during the year in the following:

Cardio-pulmonary resuscitation
Dermatology
Genito-Urinary Medicine
Head and Neck
Neurology
Ophthalmology
Orthopaedic Surgery and Rheumatology
Interprofessional Learning Unit 3: Enabling change in practice

Students who do not satisfactorily complete their clinical work, their clinical elective attachment or their Interprofessional Learning Unit, may be required to undertake a directed elective during their final year or repeat study. In some cases, this may lead to a recommendation from the School Board for termination of programme or a requirement to repeat a year of the programme.

The Fifth Year of the Medical Curriculum

The fifth year of the medical curriculum shall extend over forty-eight weeks during which candidates shall undertake clinical attachments in appropriate subjects in hospitals and General Practices in Dorset, Hampshire, Surrey, Sussex and Wiltshire. The attachments shall be in the following:

Medicine
Surgery
Obstetrics and Gynaecology
Child Health
Mental Health
Primary Medical Care
Specialty Unit
Interprofessional Learning Unit 4: Problem Solving

Attachments in hospitals outside Southampton will be residential.
The final examination will be held in June. It will consist of clinical examinations together with written papers covering all the clinical subjects studied in the third, fourth and fifth years of the BM5 medical curriculum. Candidates may be expected to display background knowledge of other material.
An additional progression requirement will be that students are expected to satisfactorily attend all compulsory parts of the year, and satisfactorily complete all clinical attachments.
Partial exemption from the requirements for the clinical examination may be granted to candidates as a result of satisfactory performance in clinical work during the year.
Any candidate failing to satisfy the examiners in the final examination at the first attempt may present him/herself for re-examination on one subsequent occasion, i.e. the occasion immediately following a repeat of the final year. Failure at the second attempt will normally result in a recommendation for termination of the programme. Students who fail the Interprofessional Learning Unit will normally be required by the Postgraduate Dean to undertake repeat study during their time as a Pre-registration House Officer. Students who do not pass the stipulated clinical competencies will not meet the requirements to sit the BM Final examination.
A pass with Distinction in the BM Final Examination may be awarded to a candidate who has shown excellence in clinical studies, including the final examination.
A list of successful candidates will be issued with the names arranged alphabetically in honours and pass divisions.