Succeeding in Your Medical Degree

′This book provides interesting and easy-to-digest information for medical students in all stages of their studies. Pre-clinical students will benefit from chapters on assessment and career planning, while the chapters on clinical placements, leadership and professionalism provide useful information for students in later years′ -
MedEdWorld
I very much enjoyed reading the book as it very eloquently covers the non-technical professional skills and underpinning knowledge our students need to develop into successful practitioners. It is a perfect read for students (and aspiring students) and allows them to become more socially aware, be clear that medicine is beyond developing science/clinical skills. The case studies are particularly helpful allowing the reader to further understand the principles outlined in each chapter. -- Aedin Cassidy * drupal *
I like that it is linked to the specific outcomes of Tomorrow′s Doctors and I think this will make the book more meaningful to the students -- Alna Robb * drupal *
It is aimed at medical students and highlights the key themes in medical education and how Tomorrow′s Doctors will affect their careers. It will help students to understand their course. -- Angela Rowlands * drupal *
The book is easy to understand abnd clearly written and would give a great overview of the course to someone thinking of taking medicine as a career. However, the evidence provided for the inclusion of some subjects into the curriculum is far too basic. For example we teach communication skills for more important reasons that [sic] they are in Tomorrow′s Doctors: there is evidence that communication skills increase compliance, reduce complaints, enhance the patient experience etc etc. -- Angela Rowlands * drupal *
It is clearly structured and accessibly written. I would like some more attention to Ethics and Law.
I think that this would be a valuable resource for any student involved in staff/student committees, as student reps on boards of medical studies or doing an SSC in Medical Education. I think it would also be useful for anyone considering applying to Medical School and their advisers. -- Bryan Vernon * drupal *
I like the boxes with case studies and activities. Much seems to be a rather general background. It might be of interest to some students - the target audience - but also to teachers new to medical education. -- Chris Stephens * drupal *
I think that it is a useful text for medical students which describes important non-clinical aspects of medical training mapped to the Tomorrow′s Doctors framework. It has an easy to read, accessible layout with factual information balanced against activities, case studies, evidence and summaries of key points. -- Dr Andrew Brown * drupal *
I think this book is excellent for students doing a BSc in Medical Education and for medical educators wishing to outline to students the rationale and expectations for them in their course. I will certainly recommend it for them and will let my colleagues who run the BSc have the copy.
I do not think that undergraduate medical students would read it however so I cannot fill in the recommendation above. Although an excellent book in outlining the historical background and developments in medical education it is rather misleading in its title and most of the activities involve looking up further sources of information. -- Dr Annie Cushing * drupal *
The greatest asset is the clarity of the writing, and in the editing together of the contributions from a range of authors to form a seamless whole. Using the theme of tomorrow′s doctors unifies the book and places it in the appropriate contemporary context. Thr practical nature of the volume is an advantage as is the structured objectives within each chapter which are educationally congruent with the needs of medical students. Small criticism would be the ′What′s the evidence′ section which is a little redundant and I might suggest a chapter directed to prospective medical students. -- Dr Anton Emmanuel * drupal *
The book provides a useful overview of many aspects of a medical degree that would be of interest to students particularly during the first year or two of their studies.
I will probably recommend students who I work with as Year 2 Academic Year Tutor and/or as a personal mentor to specific chapters to help them address anxieties or difficulties that they are experiencing with the course. -- Dr Celia Woolf * drupal *
The book is nicely presented and I like the consistent format of the different chapters. The case studies are quite useful on the whole. However I won′t be recommending the book for the reading list for our MB ChB course as I feel the writing is quite dry and I feel it is therefore unlikely to engage student readers. Chapter 5 on assessment is a particular example of this. All students are naturally interested in assessment, and it would be be relatively easy to write a more engaging account. I feel the authors have concentrated too much on writing a theoretical and evidence-based account. Although this is worthy and respectable in itself, they need to strike a balance between this and writing from the students′ perspective. -- Dr Chris Harrison * drupal *
Pro: - Contemporary, well designed, various activities suggested.
Cons: - Linked too closely to ′Tomorrow′s Doctors 2009′ - and will therefore become obselete when a further revision of Tomorrow′s Doctors is published. -- Dr Clive Weston * drupal *
This is a very interesting book and the first of this genre that I have seen. The early chapters have particularly good source material although wether the book works well as a whole is less clear as the first half is primarily about evidence for learning and curricular and the second more practical professional advice. -- Dr Colin Macdougall * drupal *
This book purports to be a student guide exploring the links between the new Tomorrow’s Doctors (2009) and students’ medical education and future careers. Individual chapters helpfully start with a TD excerpt top signpost the reader as to their direct relevance. \
In general I found the book clearly presented and written, with a neat consistent style across different authors. Referencing was good and clear, the in principle the idea of frequent activities made the book interactive and useful for self study.\
My main general concerns are that I could not see how students would use the book, or why they should. There is a difference between the knowledge that as curriculum leaders and educators we recognise the importance of Tomorrows’ Doctors to students’ education, and the books premise that students need to know the direct relevance. Surely students, most students, will be content to learn in the context of Ds (e.g. about communication skills, or informatics) without the background as to why? In particular each chapter starts with a suggestion that “this chapter will help you begin to meet the requirement so of”…..(e.g. communication skills)., They won’t . They simply signpost how the medical school and NHS will support you in meeting these requirements. The book therefore might be useful to medical educators, and I found it a useful summary in many areas, but not I think to students.\
More specific points:\
Likes: \
· Many chapters were a useful summary for medical educators or curriculum planners and help translate TD (2009) into simple practical action points,\
· Some chapters were useful for students, e.g. Peer tutoring, Career planning.\
· Some activities were simple but challenging – e.g. where papers for debate were presented, e.g. Simulation (p72)\
Dislikes: \
· As a potential national text there were rather too many Liverpool examples, all perhaps relevant but it gave the flavour that this was an internal curriculum text not something for others to use.\
· Most chapters were, I believe , not relevant to students. Especially the more theoretical chapters – on the GMC, on Medical Education, on assessment, on leadership, on communication. The areas are important, the detail not I think important for a student audience.\
· Some activities seemed pitched at too junior a level, e.g. activities in chapter 1 read as school projects. They might work as group exercises with facilitation, but not in a student text.\
· As a student guide the text is rather theoretical and flat – no links to websites, few bullet points, little variety, \
In summary I won’t be recommending it currently for our MBChB or IC courses, although a couple of chapters might be useful to our educators and will be shared (and duly acknowledged). -- Dr David Pearson * drupal *
It reads well but I was disappointed that the cases described were not followed by a further explanation e.g. Case study on page 29.
Also, we already cover the topics and suggest the activities that are recommended e.g. discussion about GMC and fitness to practice; definitions(s) of professionalism;leadership; reflective learning journal, SEAs and peer feedback. -- Dr Elizabeth Muir * drupal *
Thank you for this inspection copy. Interesting and thought provoking.
Likes - An excellent book. Many relevant themes coveres, easy to read and applicable to teaching and practice
The focus on Tomorrow′s Doctors Outcomes within the intro to the chapters-sets the scene and provides a link to the relevance of the chapter. Case studies and opportunities for developing the curriculum.
No dislikes.Suggestion - on page vii reference to the Tomorrow′s Doctors Outcomes could read in the same way as the GMC Tomorrow′s Doctors doc page 6 ie. Outcome One: The doctor as scholar and scientist. Outcome Two: The doctor as a practitioner. Outcome Three: The doctor as a professional. -- Dr Fiona Muir * drupal *
The book was well presented and easy to read. I′d recommend it to first year students and would even recommend it to those in secondary schools who are interested in pursuing a career in medicine. The activities are clear and relevant to each chapter. I think this book is extremley useful and should be recommended to students as a good overview of medicine. -- Dr Janine Carroll * drupal *
Good coverage of professionalism, career guidance, communication skills. Would have liked more on ′what you can do in hospital when you have nothing to do′ & study skills/learning from patients. Not all this info re other med schools is accessible…rather Liverpool heavy! -- Dr Jonathan Fuller * drupal *
I think it is a useful book that I would recommend to my advisees however not directly enough related to my teaching area for me to put on any specific reading lists. -- Dr Leah Marks * drupal *
Goes beyond the core curriculum. Lots of practical basic information which is often learnt accidentally, related to TD 2009. Activity boxes and ′what′s the evidence?′ really useful. Easy to read layout. -- Dr Leena Patel * drupal *
My above selection isn′t really being fair (I am forced by your list to choose ′unsuitable′) We won′t be putting it on our reading list because it isn′t really main stream enough.
However it is a useful resource, and I think some students (those motivated and interested) will find it helpful. I will however recommend it at an individual level to students -- Dr Mary Jane Platt * drupal *
It is a very useful book for curriculum planners. The linking of GMC competencies to the curriculum and evidence boxes were nicely set out. I′m not sure students would do the activities spontaneously but as I lecturer I would use them in my teaching. Only suggestion would be more focus on PBL, a PBL edition would be excellent. -- Dr Pauline Bryant * drupal *
I like the scenarios which tutors can use to highlight issues around professionalism. -- Dr Penny Lockwood * drupal *
This is a very useful book, and ideally should be read after the a level results are out and before university starts.Medical training has changed, and includes far more softer subjects that are essential for a successful career in medical school, and in a medial career. These include team working, leadership, personal development and career planning. Developing an understanding how the curriculum fits together, and how factual knowledge, patient care, professionalism and clinical wisdom all contribute to the role of a doctor cannot be started too early. This book looks at the role of the GMC, and Tomorrow′s Doctors and places medical student training in a broader context. In looking at professionalism and leadership it encourages student to reflect on how this impacts on their time as medical undergraduates. Focussing on assessment, teaching and the use of simulation and special study components medical students can be prepared. -- Dr Rhona Knight * drupal *
Provides an excellent overview of making the most of being a medical student. I felt it put in context a lot of the learning tasks students undertake and how they can maket the most of them. My main criticism is that there is no chapter of the pressures of the course, times of self doubt and how to manage these/seek help. -- Dr Robert Jones * drupal *
It is interesting and comprehensive. -- Dr Rodger Charlton * drupal *
Very good at covering non scientific learning on the MBChB and particularly why these elements are in the curriculum (i.e. links to tomorrow′s doctors). Only caveat is some is written as applicable to all MBChB courses, so would need to be introduced with a disclaimer. Also very brief in sections - good to get the student thinking, but doesn′t have all the answers!
Am going to recommend it be added to the reading list. -- Dr Rosemary Fricker * drupal *
easy reader. Clear basic text. -- Dr Ruth Sugden * drupal *
Good range of topics, I like the activites which will get students thinking. All authors from Liverpool - a broader range of institutions could have made it more authoritative (on face value) for all medical students. -- Dr Simon Budd * drupal *
Well written, concise and relevant. -- Dr Stephanie Hughes * drupal *
This book brings together a lot of useful information about the structuring of medical degrees and the legal framework and pedagogic research behind them. As such, I think it would be of the greater use to course creators than to students. I expect the key information on sensible study strategies etc to be imparted to students by their teachers. Irritatingly, the students who would derive the most benefit from reading this book will be the last ones to pick it up! -- Dr Sue Smith * drupal *
The book provides a relevant and up-to-date introduction to many key aspects of Personal and Professional Development. I think it is a good idea to link to the subsections of GMC Guidance. My main con...