4. Medicine and Surgery

Undergraduate courses comprise diplomas, advanced diplomas and bachelor’s degrees. Some bachelor’s degrees, such as the University of Sydney Medical Program, require a previous bachelor’s degree for admission. These are considered graduate entry undergraduate degrees.

The information in this chapter is in summary form and is subordinate to the provisions of the relevant degree resolutions in chapter 5.

Undergraduate course information

Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS)

Course code: KH006

Aims of the Medical Program

The University of Sydney Medical Program aims to produce medical graduates who are committed to rational, compassionate health care and medical research of the highest quality.

The program encourages the enrolment of students from diverse backgrounds and aims to help them to become graduates responsive to the health needs of individuals, families and communities and committed to improving the health care system at all levels.

The success of the program will be measured by the extent to which University of Sydney graduates maintain lifelong, self-directed learning and the pursuit of evidence-based medical practice, and the extent to which they initiate, lead and support advances in clinical medicine, research, education and community service.

Curriculum themes

The University of Sydney Medical Program is organised into four curriculum themes which describe the important professional characteristics students will acquire by the completion of the program.

The four themes are:

• Basic and Clinical Science
• Patient and Doctor
• Population Medicine
• Personal and Professional Development

The themes provide the framework for the goals of the program, the curriculum and assessment. The learning within the four themes necessarily overlaps and their program objectives should therefore be read as a single collective statement. Students are required to demonstrate satisfactory performance in all four themes.

Distinctive features of the program

Graduate students from diverse backgrounds

Students enter the program as successful graduates from a diverse range of academic and life experiences, having made a singular commitment to the study of medicine.

Each individual will have made a mature decision to participate in the University of Sydney Medical Program as their preferred route for entry into the medical profession.

A four-year integrated learning curriculum

Learning in the Medical Program is integrated across disciplines and the four themes listed above, carefully building from year to year.

A major component of the learning process in the first year (known as Stage 1) and the second year (known as Stage 2) consists of clinical problems presented in problem-solving tutorials in which concepts of health and disease are related to the basic biomedical sciences. This ensures the knowledge and problem-solving abilities which underpin medical practice has a strong scientific foundation.

Clinical contact from the first week

From the very first week of the program, students spend one day each week in their assigned Clinical Schools, where they learn clinical and communication skills. University of Sydney Medical Program Clinical Schools and their satellites are located in large metropolitan hospitals, peripheral metropolitan hospitals and hospitals in major rural centres throughout NSW. This offers students a balanced view of urban and rural health care and their differences.

See www.medfac.usyd.edu.au/futurestudent/clinschool/index.php for further information about the clinical experience. In the third and fourth years of the University of Sydney Medical Program, which together comprise Stage 3. Almost all of the teaching and learning experience occurs in the Clinical Schools.

Problem-based learning with online support

The focus on problem-solving teaches students how to define and analyse clinical problems and seek the information needed to formulate and resolve diagnostic hypotheses and identify treatment options.

This approach also encourages students to become skilled independent learners, able to identify their own learning needs and evaluate their progress. See the following website for more information: www.medfac.usyd.edu.au/futurestudent/clinschool/index.php.

The problem-based learning in Stages 1 and 2 is supported by a comprehensive set of online resources which are used to present an authentic clinical case and give extensive guidance for both group and independent learning.

An evidence-based approach

The evaluation of evidence from research is an essential part of clinical problem-solving and decision-making. Students learn the skills of critical appraisal in Stages 1 and 2 and practice applying these skills to the published medical literature. In Stage 3 they develop their ability to practice evidence-based medicine in their clinical encounters.

See www.medfac.usyd.edu.au/futurestudent/education/ebm.php for more information about evidence-based medicine.

Degree regulations

The information presented in this handbook must be read in conjunction with the University of Sydney (Coursework) Rule 2000 and the Senate and faculty resolutions pertaining to the degrees of Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery. See the Policy Online website: www.usyd.edu.au/policy, for copies of University policies.

The faculty resolutions and this handbook are the official statement of faculty policy. If a conflict is perceived between the faculty resolutions and this handbook on the one hand and information available elsewhere, the faculty resolutions and this handbook shall always take precedence.

For clarity, sections of the faculty resolutions are included in this handbook and are shown in italics.

Section 1

1. Admission
2. Units of study
3. Requirements for the pass degree
4. Honours degree

Section 2

1. Goals of the University of Sydney Medical Program
2. Outline of the curriculum
3. Discontinuation of enrolment without permission
4. Suspension of candidature
5. Time limit
6. Assessment and progression

Section 1

1. Admission

Applicants will be considered for admission according to the following criteria:

• Academic performance in the applicant’s most recent bachelor’s degree;
• Performance in the Graduate Australian Medical Schools Admission Test (GAMSAT);
• Performance in an interview process.

In the interest of equity and fairness to all applicants, those applicants who do not meet the faculty’s admission criteria, including the required Grade Point Average (GPA) and GAMSAT results, will not be considered for admission to the University of Sydney Medical Program. The GPA and GAMSAT results requirements shall apply, regardless of circumstances such as illness, misadventure or disadvantage during the bachelor’s degree or test.

No preference or advanced standing is offered to any applicant.
No credit is given for previous units of study.

Except as provided for under section (1) (n) below, no exemptions from units of study are offered.

Transfer of enrolment between medical schools is not possible except in very exceptional circumstances and only with the approval of the deans/heads of the two schools involved.

Transfer from other medical schools into the University of Sydney Medical Program will not be considered if an applicant has previously applied to the program but has been rejected.

Applicants for transfer must have met the requirements for admission to the University of Sydney Medical Program that were in place at the time of admission to the prior medical school.

Applicants for transfer must complete at least 50 per cent of the University of Sydney Medical Program (ie transfers will only be considered for entry into Stage 1, Stage 2 or the start of Stage 3).

Matters the Dean may consider in reviewing an application for transfer:

• whether the medical program curriculum undertaken by the applicant at the prior institution is comparable to that of the University of Sydney Medical Program, as determined by the Faculty of Medicine, University of Sydney
• the academic performance of the applicant in the prior medical school, and
• the recommendation of the dean/head of the prior medical school.

(1) Bachelor’s degree

The University of Sydney Medical Program is a graduate-entry degree program. Applicants must demonstrate academic achievement and successful completion of studies in a tertiary educational environment.

(a) Applicants must have completed, or be in the final year of, a bachelor’s degree comprising at least three full-time equivalent years of study, either from an Australian university listed in sub-category (ii) of the Australian Qualifications Framework (universities and other self-accrediting higher education institutions), or from an overseas university listed in the National Office of Overseas Skills Recognition Guide. The bachelor’s degree must be completed by 5 January of the year in which the applicant intends to commence the University of Sydney Medical Program.

(b) Performance in the bachelor’s degree is assessed by a grade point average (GPA), determined on a scale of 0 – 7 from each mark or grade on the official academic transcript issued by the institution where the bachelor’s degree was undertaken. Applicants must achieve a GPA of 5.5 or greater (equivalent to a credit level at the University of Sydney). The GPA is calculated on the last three full-time years, or six semesters, of the most recent bachelor’s degree, including an honours year if undertaken.

(c) Subjects are grouped according to calendar year, not academic year level. Each year is weighted equally. Percentages are used when available rather than grades. If subject weightings are not available, a value of one is assigned. If an applicant studies part-time or undertakes any Summer/Winter School units he/she should divide all the subjects into three roughly equal groups, based on the order in which he/she completed them. Postgraduate research or coursework qualifications are excluded.

(d) Applicants enrolled in the final year of a bachelor’s degree will be considered on a provisional basis if their record at the time of application yields a GPA of 5.5 or greater. First semester results of applicants who are applying whilst in the final year of their degree are not included in the assessment of applicants for interview.

(e) For applicants who have undertaken a combined degree or parallel degree program, only the final three years will be included in the calculation of the GPA, whether or not they count towards the award of the degree.

(f) Applicants with a degree where results in one-third or more of the units of study are awarded on a pass/fail basis only must provide official documentation, signed by the dean of the relevant faculty, indicating that they are ranked in the top 40 per cent of their cohort.

(g) The GPA levels and graduate qualifications of successful applicants will be recorded for periodic review of selection criteria and procedures.

(h) Where an applicant's bachelor’s degree contains credit from an institution other than the institution awarding the degree, the following conditions apply:

• Students must study for at least two years’ full-time equivalent at the degree awarding institution.

• Any qualification for which credit was given towards the bachelor’s degree used as the basis for admission will be included in the calculation of GPA; applicants must submit original transcripts. Where credits are unspecified, the GPA will be calculated from all subjects completed in the first institution, and will contribute towards credits allocated by the second (degree awarding) institution.

(i) Applications from individuals who have completed an appropriate two-year bachelor’s degree in an accelerated program (eg a program comprising three semesters per year) will be considered only after the individuals have completed the two-year degree.

(j) An applicant whose bachelor’s degree was conferred 10 or more years before 1 January of the year in which the applicant intends to commence the University of Sydney Medical Program must have obtained either a second bachelor’s degree or a graduate diploma or a master’s degree or a doctoral degree, either from an Australian university listed in sub-category (ii) of the Australian Qualifications Framework (universities and other self-accrediting higher education institutions), or from an overseas university listed in the National Office of Overseas Skills Recognition Guide, in the 10 years before 5 January of the year in which the applicant intends to commence the University of Sydney Medical Program.

(k) There are no prerequisite course units.

(l) Any student who is currently enrolled or has previously been enrolled in an Australian or New Zealand medical degree program or dental degree program is not eligible to be considered for admission to the University of Sydney Medical Program for a period of two years after the year of last enrolment in the previous medical or dental degree program.

(m) No advanced standing will be available for applicants to the University of Sydney Medical Program and exemptions from participating in any part of the University of Sydney Medical Program will not be granted.

(n) Notwithstanding the above, applicants who have completed the Bachelor of Dentistry at the University of Sydney may request consideration for exemption from the non-clinical components of Stages 1 and 2 of the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery.

(o) Applicants who have previously been excluded from any university because of academic misconduct will not be considered. Applicants who are excluded from any university at the time of application will not be considered. Applicants who have previously been excluded from any university for other reasons will be referred to the Admissions Committee for consideration before being considered for an entry interview. A major factor considered in these circumstances will be academic performance after the period of exclusion.

(2) Graduate Australian Medical Schools Admissions Test (GAMSAT)

The Graduate Australian Medical School Admissions Test (GAMSAT) was developed by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) in collaboration with Australian graduate-entry medical schools for use in selecting applicants to all Australian graduate-entry medical schools. The test is administered, conducted and assessed by ACER.
The GAMSAT is designed to serve five major purposes:

• to ensure that all commencing students have appropriate analytical and problem-solving skills and basic competence in the biological and physical sciences

• to ensure that commencing students have a broad understanding of basic concepts in the social sciences and humanities, which are considered advantageous to the study and practice of medicine

• to ensure that commencing students have an acceptable standard in written communication in English

• to provide valid and reliable information that will allow ranking of applicants

• to indicate to potential applicants the background knowledge necessary to commence the course and the standards required (how an applicant gains this knowledge is an individual choice).

(a) In the selection process, the faculty will use each of the three GAMSAT sections, ie
(i) reasoning in humanities and social sciences
(ii) written communication in English
(iii) reasoning in biological and physical sciences, which comprise chemistry (40%), biology (40%) and physics (20%), described by ACER as being at levels comparable to those of Year 12 in Australian high schools for physics and first-year university for chemistry and biology.

(b) The ACER will supply a score out of 100 for each of the three sections and an overall score weighted as follows: humanities and social sciences (25%); written English (25%); and biological and physical sciences (50%). The faculty will use the ACER scores for ranking of applicants.

(c) Applicants must achieve a minimum level in all three sections of GAMSAT and will be ranked according to their overall performance for the purpose of selection for interview. In the first instance, applicants who achieve the highest overall score will be invited for interview. Invitations will then be made to those achieving progressively lower overall scores until the total number invited for interview is between approximately 1.5 and 2 times the total number of places available for admission (or until the minimum score acceptable to the faculty is reached).

(d) The minimum acceptable score in any section of GAMSAT is 50.

(e) GAMSAT scores are valid for two years.

(f) There is no restriction on the number of times a candidate may sit the GAMSAT. Candidates may select their preferred valid annual GAMSAT results and the Admissions Committee will not have access to GAMSAT results from other years.

(g) The GAMSAT scores of successful applicants will be recorded for periodic review of selection criteria and procedures.

(3) The multiple mini interview

Applicants who achieve an adequate ranking in the GAMSAT are invited to an interview as part of the selection process. The interview has been designed to assess specific personal qualities, according to criteria that the faculty considers to be important for success in the University of Sydney Medical Program and in a career in medicine. These qualities are:

• good communication skills
• a sense of caring, empathy and sensitivity
• an ability to make effective decisions
• an ability to contribute as a member of a team
• an appreciation of the place of medicine in the wider context of healing, and
• a sense of vocation, motivation and commitment within the context of medicine.

(a) Selection of applicants for interview will be according to GPA and GAMSAT results as described in sections 1 and 2 above.

(b) The interview aims to sample applicants’ qualities in order to gain a picture of individuals’ strengths and weaknesses in relation to the requirements of the University of Sydney Medical Program. To achieve this, each applicant has several brief interviews with different interviewers, a process known as multiple mini interview (MMI).

(c) All interviewers are volunteers who will have completed a training program either by written instruction or face-to-face training sessions. They are recruited from the following groups:

• Academic and clinical academic members and staff of the Faculties of Dentistry and Medicine
• Senior students in and graduates of the University of Sydney Medical Program or the University of Sydney Dentistry Program
• Persons drawn from the wider community.

(d) Applicants selected for interview are required to travel to the interview location at their own expense.

(e) The interview process is subjected to regular evaluation, including exit questionnaires from applicants and comment by silent, trained observers.

(4) Offers to applicants

(a) The MMI ratings will be used to determine the offer of admission for each applicant.

(b) Applicants are required to meet or exceed a minimum MMI score which will be determined by the Admissions Committee. Applicants are then ranked on the basis of their GAMSAT performance (50%) and their MMI performance (50%). This generates a single ranked list of applicants. Offers are made in sequence commencing with the applicant with the highest ranked score. If applicants ranked equally need to be separated, the overall GAMSAT scores will be used.

(c) If necessary, the applicants’ performance in the bachelor’s degree will next be used to separate applicants for an offer of admission.

(d) The applicants most highly ranked will be offered places first according to their preferences (applicants are required to number their preferences from the options detailed below). If a particular type of place is no longer available (ie all places have been offered to applicants ranked more highly), applicants will be offered their next preferred available place.

• Commonwealth supported places (CSP, formerly HECS)
• Medical Rural Bonded Scholarship Scheme places (MRBSS) *
• Bonded Medical Places (BMP) *

* Only Australian citizens or permanent residents are eligible for MRBSS places and BMPs. New Zealand citizens must be permanent residents of Australia to be eligible to apply.

(e) Firm offers of admission will be made only to applicants who have already completed their bachelor’s degree.

(f) Provisional offers of admission will be made to applicants who have not completed the final year of their bachelor’s degree at the time of interview. The provisional offer will be rescinded if the applicant does not complete the final year of the bachelor’s degree by 5 January of the year in which the applicant intends to commence the University of Sydney Medical Program, or if the applicant fails to achieve a GPA of 5.5 or greater on completion of the bachelor’s degree.

(g) Successful applicants will be notified in writing and will be given a firm date by which the faculty must receive written acceptance of the offer of admission. If a written acceptance is not received by that date, the offer of admission will lapse. Extension of time for written acceptance of an offer of admission will not be allowed.

(h) The faculty may keep a small reserve list of applicants who are unsuccessful in the first round of offers, but who may be offered admission in a second round, if places remain unfilled after the first round is completed.

(i) Other than in exceptional circumstances, applicants who accept an offer of admission and then fail to enrol, without notifying the University of their decision, or who enrol and then subsequently withdraw or discontinue without prior approval, will not be reconsidered for admission to the University of Sydney Medical Program for a period of two years from the date of enrolment or the date of withdrawal or discontinuation, whichever is the later.

(5) Deferrals

The faculty is committed to supporting medical research and to offering opportunities to students interested in undertaking research. The faculty resolutions concerning deferral of enrolment in the University of Sydney Medical Program reflect this commitment.

Deferral of enrolment after acceptance of an offer of admission or deferral after first enrolment may only be permitted under the following circumstances:

(a) Deferral for one year may be permitted in the event of serious illness or misadventure that could not have been foreseen at the time of application. Appropriate evidence and documentation acceptable to the faculty must be provided to support such a request for deferral.

(b) Deferral for one year may be permitted to allow suitably qualified applicants to undertake an additional research year for an honours degree (ie those applicants enrolled in the final year of a bachelor’s degree which leads directly to a one-year research program for an honours level degree).

(c) Deferral for up to three years may be permitted to allow applicants who are enrolled in a higher research degree at a tertiary institution at the time of application to the University of Sydney Medical Program to complete that higher degree.

(d) In exceptional circumstances, the dean may permit deferral for one year to allow suitably qualified applicants to complete a non-degree postgraduate research year at an institution approved by the faculty.

(e) Requests for deferral must be in writing and must be received by faculty by 30 November. Requests will be considered by the Admissions Committee and the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine.

(6) Applicants in special categories

(a) Indigenous Australian applicants

Facilitated entry is available for applicants who identify as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Advice on this can be obtained from the Koori Centre, University of Sydney.

Proof of receipt of Abstudy will not be accepted as proof of Aboriginality unless accompanied by one of the documents approved by the Koori Centre.

Applicants will be selected for interview if they satisfy the requirements of their bachelor’s degree at a pass level and if they reach the minimum acceptable levels of performance in the GAMSAT as defined by the faculty. Applicants will also be expected to achieve a suitable level of performance at interview.

(b) Rural origin applicants

Facilitated entry is available for applicants who identify as being of rural origin. A person of rural origin is defined as an individual who has resided (according to principal home address) in a rural area for at least five years (consecutively or cumulatively) from commencement of primary school. A rural area is an area classified in categories 3-7 of the Rural, Remote and Metropolitan Areas (RRMA) classification system (see www.health.gov.au). Applicants are selected for interview if they satisfy the requirements of their bachelor’s degree at credit level and if they reach the minimum acceptable levels of performance in the GAMSAT as defined by the faculty. Facilitated entry may be offered conditional on the production of one of the following forms of proof of rural origin at the time of application:

• A letter of support from local school principal, doctor or minister of religion (not a family member). The letter should include current contact details.
• School records.

Applicants who have difficulties obtaining this documentation should contact the Admissions Office.

(c) Refugee medical student applicants

The Faculty of Medicine has developed a policy for the admission of refugee medical students to the University of Sydney Medical Program:

• A sub-quota of up to four Commonwealth supported places in the University of Sydney Medical Program will be available annually for refugee medical student applicants whose applications will be assessed on a case by case basis.

• Applicants must have been granted refugee status and Australian residency by the Australian Government.

(d) Medical Rural Bonded Scholarship Scheme (MRBSS)

These places are funded by the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing and are additional medical school places for Australian citizens or permanent residents who enter into a legally binding contract with the Commonwealth Government. For details, please visit the website http://www.health.gov.au/mrbscholarships.

• A quota of places will be available for students accepting Commonwealth Medical Rural Bonded Scholarships. This quota will be in addition to the standard places available to Australian citizens and permanent residents and New Zealand citizens.

• The number of MRBSS places to be offered each year will be negotiated by the faculty and the Department of Health and Ageing.

• The selection criteria for MRBSS places will be the same as for standard places in the University of Sydney Medical program.

• The faculty will bear no responsibility in respect of any student’s decision to accept or decline the Commonwealth MRBSS offer.

• Any student who, having been admitted to the University of Sydney Medical Program in an MRBSS funded place, subsequently relinquishes the Medical Rural Bonded Scholarship, will also relinquish his/her place in the University of Sydney Medical Program, effective from the date of relinquishing the scholarship.

• A MRBSS student is not allowed to transfer to any other type of place during the entire duration of his/her MBBS studies.

(e) Bonded Medical Place (BMP)

These extra places are intended to provide for localities with a shortage of doctors. For more details see: www.health.gov.au/bmpscheme

• A quota of places is available for students accepting Bonded Medical Places. This quota is additional to the standard places available to Australian citizens and permanent residents and New Zealand citizens.

• The number of BMPs to be offered each year will be negotiated by the faculty and the Department of Health and Ageing.

• The selection criteria for BMPs will be the same as for standard places in the University of Sydney Medical program.

• The faculty will bear no responsibility in respect of any student’s decision to accept or decline the BMP offer.

• Withdrawal from a BMP at any time prior to completion of the University of Sydney Medical Program will mean that the BMP will be terminated and enrolment in the University of Sydney Medical Program will be cancelled.

• A BMP student is not allowed to transfer to any other type of place during the entire duration of his/her MBBS studies.

(7) International students

The University of Sydney and the Faculty of Medicine welcome applications from international applicants to the University of Sydney Medical Program on a full-fee basis. Selection is based on criteria similar to those used to select local applicants. The quota for international students is additional to the quota for local students (i.e. students who are Australian citizens or permanent residents or New Zealand citizens). The number of places available for international students is determined by the faculty, taking into account the student demand and staff teaching capacity.

(a) Selection criteria for full-fee paying international students are similar to those for local applicants, i.e. weighted GPA of 5.5 or greater in the bachelor’s degree, performance in the GAMSAT or American Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) and performance in an interview.

(b) International applicants may take either the GAMSAT or MCAT.

(c) As with local students, offers of interview will be made to applicants with the highest scores in each section of the GAMSAT or MCAT and then to applicants with progressively lower scores in each section, until the total number of interviews offered is between approximately 1.5 and 2 times the number of places available, or until minimum scores acceptable to the faculty are reached.

(d) The MCAT scores are valid for two years from the date of the test.

(e) The minimum acceptable MCAT scores are M in the writing sample and 8 in sections given numerical scores.

(f) The minimum acceptable scores in GAMSAT are 50 in each section.

(g) International applicants whose GPA falls slightly below 5.5 may be considered if good levels of performance in the GAMSAT or MCAT have been achieved.

(h) International applicants whose GAMSAT or MCAT scores fall slightly below the acceptable minimum may be considered if a good GPA has been achieved.

(i) Offers of admission will be made by the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, initially to those applicants who are considered most suitable at interview, then progressing through the suitable categories, until all the places have been offered.

(8) Change in immigration status

There are two possible situations relating to the position of international applicants to the University of Sydney Medical Program who change their immigration status:

• The applicant's status changes before an offer is made.
  If an international student is granted permanent resident status (or New Zealand citizenship) before an offer is made, his/her application will be void. He/she may re-apply for a local place in a subsequent intake.

• An international student becomes a permanent resident of Australia (or a New Zealand citizen) after an offer is made.
  An international student who is granted permanent residency (or New Zealand citizenship) after an offer is made will transfer to a local fee paying place if a place is available. The date of becoming a permanent resident status is the date stamped on the student’s passport or a “Certificate of Evidence of Resident Status” from the Commonwealth Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC), not the date on which the application for status is made. If the student obtains permanent residency or advises the University after the census date, the student will be classified as an international student for the remainder of that semester. The student will be classified as permanent resident from the following semester or term.

(9) Appeals

(a) An applicant who believes that his or her performance at interview has been compromised by serious illness or misadventure, may appeal in writing. The written appeal, with supporting documentation, must be received by the faculty within two working days of the interview.

(b) An Admissions Appeals Committee, established by the faculty for this purpose, will determine what, if any, further action is required and the decision of this committee will be final.

(c) Appeals will be conducted by direct communication between the applicant and the faculty. Correspondence with third parties will not be entered into.

(10) Disclosure

(a) All applicants must fully disclose all information relevant to the faculty’s decision about an offer of admission. All such information known to the applicant must be disclosed at the time of initial application.

(b) Relevant information includes (but is not limited to) academic performance and transcripts, citizenship and permanent residency, details of any exclusions and certification of completion of previous bachelor’s degree by the time of enrolment in the University of Sydney Medical Program.

(c) If an applicant fails to disclose any information relevant to the faculty’s decision about an offer of admission and that information would have resulted in a decision not to offer admission, then the applicant’s offer of admission or subsequent enrolment in the University of Sydney Medical Program will be rescinded.

(d) Presentation of false or forged documents by an applicant may constitute a criminal offence and the university may take appropriate action in such cases, including (but not limited to) cancellation of an application for admission, cancellation of an offer of admission or termination of enrolment.

2. Units of study

Academic Stage 1 (Year 1)

Teaching period 1 UoS code and name	Credit points	Assumed knowledge
GDMP1011 Basic and Clinical Sciences 1	12
GDMP1012 Patient and Doctor 1	6
GDMP1013 Population Medicine 1	3
GDMP1014 Personal and Professional Development 1	3
Following studies in: Foundation Studies, Musculoskeletal Sciences, Drug and Alcohol

Teaching period 2 UoS code and name	Credit points	Assumed knowledge
GDMP1021 Basic and Clinical Sciences 2	12
GDMP1022 Patient and Doctor 2	6
GDMP1023 Population Medicine 2	3
GDMP1024 Personal and Professional Development 2	3
Following studies in: Respiratory Sciences, Haematology, Cardiovascular Sciences

Academic Stage 2 (Year 2)

Teaching period 1 UoS code and name	Credit points	Assumed knowledge
GDMP2011 Basic and Clinical Sciences 3	12	Academic Stage 1
GDMP2012 Patient and Doctor 3	6	Academic Stage 1
GDMP2013 Population Medicine 3	3	Academic Stage 1
GDMP2014 Personal and Professional Development 3	3	Academic Stage 1
Following studies in: Neuroscience, Vision, Behaviour, Endocrinology, Nutrition, Gastroenterology

Teaching period 2 UoS code and name	Credit points	Assumed knowledge
GDMP2021 Basic and Clinical Sciences 4	10	Academic Stage 1
GDMP2022 Patient and Doctor 4	6	Academic Stage 1
GDMP2023 Population Medicine 4	3	Academic Stage 1
GDMP2024 Personal and Professional Development 4	3	Academic Stage 1
GDMP2025 Independent Learning Activity	2	Academic Stage 1
Following studies in: Renal Sciences, Reproduction, Sexual Health, Cancer Services, Palliative Care

Academic Stage 3 (Years 3 and 4)

UoS code and name	Credit points	Assumed knowledge
GDMP3101 Medicine Year Three	10	Academic Stage 2
GDMP3102 Medicine Year Four	10	GDMP3101 Medicine Year Three
GDMP3103 Surgery	10	Academic Stage 2
GDMP3104 Critical Care	10	Academic Stage 2
GDMP3105 Community	10	Academic Stage 2
GDMP3106 Psychological and Addiction Medicine	10	Academic Stage 2
GDMP3107 Perinatal and Women’s Health	10	Academic Stage 2
GDMP3108 Child and Adolescent Health	10	Academic Stage 2
Incorporating studies in: Basic and Clinical Sciences Theme Patient and Doctor Theme Population Medicine Theme and Personal and Professional Development Theme
GDMP3109 Elective or GDMP4110 Honours/Research Project	12	Academic Stage 2
GDMP4025 Pre-Internship Term	4	Academic Stage 2

From 2009, Years 3 and 4 of the University of Sydney Medical Program will run as a two-year integrated 'Stage 3'. All students in Stage 3 will be allocated to one of four streams. The new units of study reflect the clinical terms that students undertake. In each stream, students will complete 10 clinical terms over the two-year period. This equates to 96 credit points.

Streams	Year 3 2009
	Term A	Term B	Term C	Term D	Term E
Stream 1	CC GDMP3104	CR GDMP3105	MED(3) GDMP3101	PAAM GDMP3106	CAH GDMP3108
Stream 2	MED(3) GDMP3101	PAAM GDMP3106	SURG GDMP3103	CR GDMP3105	PWH GDMP3107
Stream 3	MED(3) GDMP3101	SURG GDMP3103	CR GDMP3105	PWH GDMP3107	PAAM GDMP3106
Stream 4	SURG GDMP3103	MED(3) GDMP3101	PAAM GDMP3106	EL/HONS GDMP3109/ GDMP4110	CR GDMP3105
Streams	Year 4 2010
	Term A	Term B	Term C	Term D	Term E
Stream 1	EL/HONS GDMP3109/ GDMP4110	MED(4) GDMP3102	PWH GDMP3107	SURG GDMP3103	PR GDMP4025
Stream 2	EL/HONS GDMP3109/ GDMP4110	CC GDMP3104	CAH GDMP3108	MED(4) GDMP3102	PR GDMP4025
Stream 3	EL/HONS GDMP3109/ GDMP4110	CAH GDMP3108	CC GDMP3104	MED(4) GDMP3102	PR GDMP4025
Stream 4	CAH GDMP3108	PWH GDMP3107	MED(4) GDMP3102	CC GDMP3104	PR GDMP4025

Transitional arrangements for 2009:

Students enrolled in Stage 4 of the University of Sydney Medical Program in 2009 only, will continue in the same units of study as Stage 4 students in previous years as follows:

UoS code and name	Credit points	Assumed knowledge
GDMP4011 Child & Adolescent Health	10	Academic Stage 3
GDMP4012 Perinatal and Women’s Health	10	Academic Stage 3
GDMP4013 Community	10	Academic Stage 3
GDMP4014 Psychological and Addiction Medicine	10	Academic Stage 3
GDMP4015 Elective Term	4	Academic Stage 3
GDMP4025 Pre-Internship Term	4	Academic Stage 3

3. Requirements for the pass degree

(1) Requirement for award of the degree

Total credit points required: 192
All prescribed units must be completed for award of the degree.

(2) Progression requirements

No candidate shall be permitted to enrol in any academic stage unless that candidate has satisfied all the requirements prescribed for the preceding stage. A candidate who has failed to satisfy the requirements for a particular academic stage shall be required to repeat that stage and, in doing so, shall complete all prescribed units of study for that stage.

4. Honours degree

The Honours program is an optional additional program that is offered to provide research training opportunities to students enrolled in the University of Sydney Medical Program. The Honours program is integrated into the rest of the course and allows students to develop a more complete understanding of an area of medical science or clinical research under the supervision of an academic member of staff or adjunct staff (eg staff of hospitals who hold academic appointments with the University). Honours will be assessed by a thesis and research seminar and will be graded to reward and recognise academic achievement.

(1) Objectives of the Honours program

1. To provide training in the core research skills required to undertake future medical research.

2. To recognise high academic achievement throughout the University of Sydney Medical Program.

(2) Timing of Honours application, research work and thesis submission

Students can apply to undertake Honours any time between the end of Block 4 in Stage 1 and 31 March of Year 3. Work on the Honours research project is done between the time of acceptance of the application and 30 June of Year 4, by which time the Honours thesis must be submitted. However, formal enrolment in the Honours/Research Project unit of study (GDMP4110) occurs during the Elective Term, at the end of Year 3.

(3) Eligibility

To be eligible for the award of an MBBS (Honours), students must achieve the following grades in assessments throughout the four years of the University of Sydney Medical Program:

Assessment	Grade required to be eligible for Honours
Year 1 written exam	Satisfactory
Years 1-3 portfolios on Personal and Professional Development	Satisfactory
Year 2 written exam	>75 competency
Year 2 OSCE – practical exam	Satisfactory
Year 3 long case practical exam	Satisfactory
Years 3 and 4 written exams	Average >75 competency

Students receive their Stage 1 and Stage 2 assessment results in a form that allows them to determine whether or not they are eligible for entry into the Honours program. Since the Honours program is integrated into the University of Sydney Medical Program, students may embark on an approved Honours research project if they meet the criteria given in the table above for Years 1 and 2, but can only be awarded Honours if they satisfy the criteria for Years 3 and 4. A student who does not satisfy these criteria but successfully completes a research project that was intended as an Honours project will receive an acknowledgement on his or her academic transcript showing that he or she completed a project worth 12 credit points.

Honours students whose research project is graded as unsatisfactory will be required to undertake an elective at the end of the University of Sydney Medical Program as an additional unit in order to achieve the number of credit points required for the award of the MBBS degree.

(4) Honours research projects

Honours research projects may be in any of a wide range of areas, including clinical fields, medical sciences, rural health, public health, and medical education. Students are encouraged to use the Honours research project as an opportunity to undertake research in international settings. This could, for example, include an off-shore clinical placement that may provide opportunities for data collection in both laboratory and clinical settings.

Projects suitable to be undertaken in Rural Clinical Schools will be made available, potentially in collaboration with metropolitan researchers. Students assigned to Rural Clinical Schools may need a rural co-supervisor. Projects involving innovative teaching methods are also welcome, particularly if there is evaluation of effectiveness in comparison with traditional learning methods.

A six-monthly review of each Honours student’s progress will be conducted by the local Honours Coordinator.

Potential Honours candidates should complete their proposal for review by their supervisor and local Honours coordinator by September 30 in the year prior to submission.

A formative Honours seminar should be held within the relevant Discipline or Clinical School.

(5) Honours supervision

At least one supervisor will be appointed by the faculty for each honours student. A sole supervisor is acceptable, provided they have successfully supervised at least one MBBS honours candidate.

The supervisor and the candidate should meet on a regular basis and at least once each month. Training and guidelines for supervisors will be provided. The supervisor will be fully engaged in the project and involved in any publications that result from the honours project.

The supervisor must give written acknowledgement of acceptance of supervisory responsibilities. They must also give written agreement on the submission of the thesis. The honours student is also expected to give an evaluation of the quality of supervision.

(6) Time commitment

The honours/research project unit of study represents 12 credit points and is equivalent to a load of 312 hours.

(7) Assessment and grading

A new system of grading of honours will be introduced in 2011. It will apply to students entering Stage 1 of the University of Sydney Medical Program in 2009.

Assessment and grading of honours will be based on: (1) a research seminar (10% of the honours mark), given in the department or discipline in which the student undertakes the honours research; and (2) a thesis comprising about 10,000 words (90% of honours mark). Three examiners assess the thesis – the supervisor and two others who are experts in the field.

The classes of honours that may be awarded are:

• First Class (where the honours mark is in the range 80-100)
• Second Class Division 1 (75-79)
• Second Class Division 2 (70-74)

Honours grades will be assigned according to the student's final Honours weighted average mark (HWAM). The HWAM will be calculated from the 80 core credit points in Stage 3 plus the Honours mark, which will be given double weighting. Students who achieve an HWAM > 90% may be awarded a University Medal.

Section 2

1. Goals of the University of Sydney Medical Program (USydMP)

The University of Sydney Medical Program is organised, for the purposes of design, implementation, assessment and evaluation, around four themes. The substance of the four themes is necessarily overlapping and the following program objectives should therefore be read as a single statement.

Basic and Clinical Science Theme

Graduates of the University of Sydney Medical Program will demonstrate the ability to:

• apply an understanding of normal and abnormal human structure, function and behaviour to the diagnosis, management and prevention of health problems

• use the best available evidence on outcomes to prevent or cure disease, relieve symptoms or minimise disability

• analyse clinical data and published work to determine their validity and application

• participate in the generation, interpretation, application and dissemination of significant advances in medical knowledge

• recognise the limits to scientific knowledge and understanding, and the continuing nature of all scientific endeavour.

Patient and Doctor Theme

Graduates of the University of Sydney Medical Program will demonstrate:

• understanding of the therapeutic nature of the patient-doctor relationship and the effects on that relationship of the individual characteristics of both patient and doctor

• the ability to listen, to identify issues of concern to patients, families and carers and to respond to those concerns, using whatever means are necessary for effective communication;

• the ability to elicit and interpret clinical symptoms and signs by interviewing and examining patients systematically and with sensitivity, and to use this information to guide further investigations

• the ability to perform important clinical procedures, particularly those vital in life-threatening situations

• ethical behaviour in meeting the needs of patients, families, colleagues and the broader community

• concern for confidentiality and respect for individual autonomy, enabling patients and their families to make informed decisions in relation to their medical care.

Population Medicine Theme

Graduates of the University of Sydney Medical Program will demonstrate the ability to:

• evaluate the distribution of and risk factors for disease and injury

• understand prevention practices in the care of individual patients and communities

• make evidence-based, ethical and economically responsible decisions about the most appropriate management of health problems in individuals and in communities

• identify the economic, psychological, occupational and socio-cultural factors that contribute to the development and/or continuation of poor health and to explain how poor health affects individuals and communities

• evaluate the economic, political, social and legal factors which determine the way that individuals and communities respond to health problems and to describe how public and population health strategies are systematically planned and implemented.

Personal and Professional Development

Graduates of the University of Sydney Medical Program will:

• show commitment to compassionate, ethical professional behaviour

• be able to work cooperatively as a member of a team, accepting and providing leadership as appropriate

• have the capacity to make rational and sensitive decisions based on the best available evidence, recognising that many decisions will inevitably be made in the face of uncertainty

• be able to recognise their personal physical and emotional needs and responses to stress, and be open to assistance when it is required

• show commitment to the advancement of learning within a community of medical scholars

• have skills in the recording, organisation and management of information, with appropriate use of information technology.

2. Outline of the curriculum

The theme structure ensures that students' knowledge and skills develop systematically over the four years of the University of Sydney Medical Program. The relative contributions of the themes vary at different stages of the curriculum. The initial focus is on basic sciences and basic clinical skills, with progressively increasing emphasis on clinical knowledge, skills and judgment.

The teaching year runs from February to November. The broad curriculum structure for each year in the University of Sydney Medical Program is outlined in the table below. The major themes for every year continue throughout.

• BCS Basic and Clinical Sciences
• P/M Population Medicine
• P/D Patient and Doctor
• PPD Personal and Professional Development

Stage 1
BCS	Foundation Studies	Drug & Alcohol / Musculoskeletal	Respiratory Sciences	Haematology	Cardiology
P/M
P/D
PPD	Block 1	Block 2	Block 3	Block 4	Block 5

Stage 2
BCS	Neurosciences Vision & Behaviour	Endocrine, Nutrition, Gastroenterology	Renal, Reproduction, Sexual Health	Oncology & Palliative Care
P/M
P/D
PPD	Block 6	Block 7	Block 8	Block 9

Stage 3, Year 3
BCS	Term A	Term B	Term C	Term D	Term E
P/M
P/D
PPD

Stage 3, Year 4
BCS	Term F	Term G	Term H	Term I	Pre-Internship
P/M
P/D
PPD

(1) Stages 1 and 2

During Stages 1 and 2, most learning occurs on campus, with one day per week available for Patient and Doctor sessions in the Clinical Schools to which students are assigned. Two Blocks – Block 4 (Haematology) and Block 9 (Oncology) – are taught entirely in the Clinical Schools.

Aspects of all the major clinical disciplines are introduced in Stages 1 and 2, via the following learning and teaching activities:

• three 1.5 hour problem-based learning sessions each week
• up to six lectures related to the weekly problem, covering issues relevant to all themes but with an emphasis on basic sciences
• two 1.5 hour Basic and Clinical Sciences sessions each week
• two 1.5 hour Patient and Doctor sessions in the Clinical School each week
• either one Population Medicine session or one Personal and Professional Development session or a joint session for 1.5 hours each week.

(a) Problem-based learning

The core of the students’ learning is problem-based learning (PBL) which extends throughout the University of Sydney Medical Program. In Stages 1 and 2, PBL tutorials are designed to develop students' ability to relate clinical problems to basic sciences, enhance their clinical reasoning abilities and enhance their skills in working in groups. Each week, students are introduced to a clinical problem (usually relating to a particular patient). The process of thinking through the problem enables students to integrate knowledge and skills within and across the four themes. PBL tutors act as facilitators of the reasoning process rather than subject experts. Attendance at the PBL tutorials is compulsory for all students.

(b) Self-directed learning

During Stages 1 and 2, students develop skills in locating and acquiring information relevant to their studies. By the time they reach Stage 3, students have an independent capacity to direct their learning and find essential information.

(c) Other learning activities

Students attend up to six lectures each week. Lectures provide a broad context for detailed learning and background understanding to assist in the resolution of the weekly problem. Theme sessions are offered for each theme. Some preparatory work (eg readings) may be recommended for preparation beforehand. Basic and Clinical Sciences sessions usually offer opportunities to gain hands-on practical experience and to learn from images, models, slides and specimens. Attendance at these lectures and theme sessions is at the discretion of students, based on their prior experiences and learning needs. In the Population Medicine Theme, sessions are interactive, encouraging debate, and are presented in a variety of formats. Personal and Professional Development Theme sessions are diverse, including aspects of personal development, evidence based medicine, ethics, patient safety and medical humanities. Attendance at these sessions and clinical tutorials is compulsory.

(d) Evidence-based medicine

The University of Sydney Medical Program has a major focus on the critical appraisal of evidence to underpin medical decision-making. From the start, students learn the skills of searching for, identifying and appraising published literature. In Stage 3, they apply these skills in the diagnosis and management of individual patients.

(e) Clinical Schools

The weekly program in the Clinical Schools introduces students to the generic skills of communication with patients, relatives and health professionals involved in their care, as well as specific history-taking, observation and physical examination skills in the body system being studied each week. Students can practice their skills and gain experience, not only by visiting patients but also by using the Clinical Schools’ simulation laboratories. By the end of Stage 2, students are expected to begin integrating knowledge and skills as they communicate with and examine patients.

Block 4 (Haematology, Stage 1) and Block 9 (Oncology, Stage 2) are taught entirely in the Clinical Schools. This is intended to give students two five-week periods of immersion in a clinical setting, providing the opportunity for significant development of clinical skills. PBL tutorials, lectures and theme sessions are conducted in each clinical school. Related computer-based materials are available through the University of Sydney Medical Program website.

(f) Independent Learning Activity

In Stages 1 and 2, students are required to extend the range and depth of their learning by enrolling in an Independent Learning Activity. Choices for Independent Learning Activities are varied and encompass seminar programs, small projects of various types including research, skills-based programs for small groups (eg dissection), education related projects (eg developing computer-based materials or undertaking an evaluative study). Many Independent Learning Activities are generated by students themselves, but others are offered by staff. A list of possible Independent Learning Activities is provided, inviting students to indicate their interest. Independent Learning Activity projects require faculty approval.

(2) Stage 3 (Years 3 and 4)

While practical clinical experience forms the substrate for all learning in the final stage of the University of Sydney Medical Program, there is also a structured teaching program throughout this part of the course. A balance is maintained between clerkship-based activities and scheduled teaching sessions. In general, formal teaching sessions are reduced in number and frequency. Formats used include:

• Lectures and seminars relevant to all four themes
• Evidence-based medicine presentations
• Structured 'hands-on' demonstrations
• Interactive case presentations
• Problem-based learning exercises supported by information technology
• Basic science updates

(a) Core Blocks

These consist of 8 week periods of study in Medicine (2 Blocks), Surgery (1 Block) and Critical Care (1 Block) which occur during years 3 and 4. The core blocks include time allocated to assessment and review. The experience involves student participation in ward services as well as out-patient clinics in the teaching hospitals of the clinical schools. Students are exposed to mainstream medicine and surgery as well as to some subspecialty areas such as ophthalmology, urology and ear, nose and throat surgery.

One day each week (Friday) is dedicated to the structured teaching, with topics being drawn from all four curricular theme areas. Time is also allocated for self-directed learning. Between 50 and 60 per cent of the week is spent directly involved in the clinical activities of the service to which students are attached. A progressive increase in clinical responsibility is expected as the students progress through Stage 3 of the program.

One or more clinical supervisors is appointed for each student for each of their Medicine, Surgery and Critical Care Blocks. The clinical supervisors will be senior clinicians from the Disciplines or Sub-Disciplines where the student is located. For example, a neurologist and a geriatrician would act as supervisors for a student undertaking a Medicine Block which is composed of attachments to Clinical Departments of Neurology and Aged Care. Supervisors will have responsibility for making formal contact with the student(s) under their supervision on at least a weekly basis. A protocol of scheduled tasks must be completed to the supervisors’satisfaction over the duration of the attachment or Block. This will assist in formulating an assessment of the student’s progressive mastery of the knowledge and clinical skills relevant to the field concerned.

(b) Specialty Blocks

The Specialty Blocks in Stage 3 are also of 8 weeks duration (including time for assessment and review), and are distributed throughout years 3 and 4. The four Specialty Blocks are:

• Psychological and Addiction Medicine
• Child and Adolescent Health
• Perinatal and Women's Health
• Community

(c) Elective Term

The primary objective of the Elective Term is to provide the student with experience, including research, in a specific area of medicine or surgery of their own choice. Students arrange for their elective placement to be approved prospectively by the faculty, nominating a supervisor who is required to provide a report on the student’s performance at the end of the elective. Each student is required to produce their own report on the work undertaken during the Elective Term. A minimum of eight weeks of supervised experience is required for this term. The term is located at the beginning of year 4.

(d) Pre-Internship Term

The Pre-Internship Term aims to ease the transition to internship. Students are placed in approved locations for intern training (accredited by IMET), with programs modified to meet the special needs of final stage students.

Each student in the Pre-Internship Term is responsible for his/her own learning, but with clear requirements to be endorsed at the end of year 4. The term supervisor is responsible for making an end of term recommendation to the Examinations Committee concerning the student’s readiness for graduation and internship.

The Pre-Internship Term is normally be undertaken during a period of eight weeks.

(e) Rural practice

In line with Australian Federal Government policy, 25% of local students will complete 50% of their clinical experience in years 3 and 4 (Stage 3) at the Rural Clinical School and University Departments of Rural Health, which have clinical teaching facilities at Dubbo, Orange, Bathurst, Broken Hill and Lismore.

In addition, all local medical students must spend at least eight weeks in rural practice. There are opportunities for rural experience in a number of the Core Blocks as well as during the Specialty Blocks (including four weeks during the Community Block) and in the Pre-Internship Term.

International students, while not required to undertake rural practice, are encouraged to spend time at rural teaching facilities associated with the faculty.

(f) Part-time enrolment in Stage 3

Students may be granted approval to undertake part-time enrolment in Stage 3. This would normally be at the block level. For more information, contact the Office of Medical Education.

3. Discontinuation of enrolment without permission

A candidate who discontinues candidature for the degrees of Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery without having obtained the permission of the dean may be permitted to resume candidature at such time and under such conditions as shall be specified by the dean.

4. Suspension of candidature

A candidate may be granted approval for a suspension from candidature only after completing at least one semester of enrolment. A candidate must obtain approval from the faculty in advance to suspend their candidature. Each application for suspension will be considered on its individual merits including, but not limited to, for the purpose of undertaking a higher degree, serious illness, misadventure and appropriate professional development. A candidate who has been permitted to suspend candidature shall complete the requirements for the degrees under such special conditions, if any, as the faculty may prescribe.

(1) For the purpose of undertaking a higher degree

With the permission of the dean, a student may interrupt candidature in the University of Sydney Medical Program in order to enrol for another degree in the University of Sydney or any other institution approved by the dean. The student will be permitted to resume the University of Sydney Medical Program at such time and under such conditions as were agreed by the dean at the time permission to suspend was granted.

(2) For any other purpose including, but not limited to, serious illness, misadventure and appropriate professional development

The unit of study structure of the University of Sydney Medical Program is divided into semesters in the following way during 2009:

Stage 1 (Year 1) Semester 1: from start of Block 1 to end of Block 2
Stage 1 (Year 1) Semester 2: from start of Block 3 to end of Block 5
Stage 2 (Year 2) Semester 1: from start of Block 6 to end of Block 7
Stage 2 (Year 2) Semester 2: from start of Block 8 to end of Block 9
Stage 3 (Year 3) Semester 1: from start of Term A to end of Term B
Stage 3 (Year 3) Semester 2: from start of Term C to completion of Term E
Stage 4 Semester 1: from start of Rotation 1 to end of Rotation 2
Stage 4 Semester 2: from start of Rotation 3 to end of Pre-Internship Term

Satisfactory completion of units of study for each semester is a prerequisite for enrolment in subsequent semesters.

Suspension of candidature may be permitted until the commencement of the corresponding academic stage and semester in the following calendar year.

Requests for suspension of candidature submitted after the HECS census dates (31 March for Semester 1 and 31 August for Semester 2), will result in a HECS liability being incurred for the full semester. Suspension of candidature for any one interval of more than 12 months will not be permitted, except in exceptional circumstances and with the approval of the dean (see Section 5, Time limit).

5. Time limit

A candidate enrolled full-time for the MBBS degree must complete all the requirements for the MBBS within five calendar years from and including the year of first enrolment in the University of Sydney Medical Program, unless the dean specifically permits otherwise.

6. Assessment and progression

See also the Academic Board Policy “Assessment and Examination of Coursework” available from the University’s Policy Online website: www.usyd.edu.au/policy.

(1) Responsibility for assessment

Responsibility for assessment in the University of Sydney Medical Program is vested in the Sub-dean, Assessment.

Responsibility for assessment for the award of Honours is vested in the Honours Committee.

For the purposes of the Academic Board Policy “Assessment and Examination of Coursework”, the coordinator of the relevant Theme acts as the “Head of Department responsible for all academic aspects of the conduct of assessments in the coursework units of study”. Each theme coordinator “shall ensure that the assessments are conducted in accordance with the policies and directions of the Academic Board and the faculty".

For each stage, the dean, on the recommendation of the Office of Medical Education (OME), appoints one or more principal examiners, responsible for the development of all written, practical or other assessments for that stage, and for the recruitment of assessors and/or markers for each assessment. Staff of the Assessment Unit will support the work of the coordinators and principal examiners.

The relevant Theme, Block, Elective or Pre-Internship Coordinator convenes an assessment group to make an academic judgment in respect of the performance of each student in each Stage, on the basis of data supplied by the Assessment Unit. The academic judgments made by each assessment group form recommendations for consideration by the relevant Examination Committee. Each assessment group records and retains such evidence (e.g marking sheets, examination scripts, transcripts of group meetings) as may be required when and if an appeal process requires it.

Each coordinator conveys the recommendations of the relevant group in respect of the result for each student for each unit of study to OME of the faculty, for distribution with any other business papers to the Examination Committee for the relevant academic stage of the program.

(2) Examination Committees

Examination Committees are appointed for each of the three academic stages of the program and comprise the following:

• Dean (Chair)
• Head, Office of Medical Education, who shall chair the committee in the absence of the dean
• Head of Assessment (OME)
• Coordinator of the Basic and Clinical Sciences Theme
• Coordinator of the Patient and Doctor Theme
• Coordinator of the Population Medicine Theme
• Coordinator of the Personal and Professional Development Theme
• Clinical School Associate Deans
• Relevant Stage Coordinators (OME)
• Coordinator of the Clinical Attachments (for Stage 3)
• Coordinators of the Blocks and of each of the Block Committees (for Stage 3)
• Coordinator of the Elective Term (for Stage 3)
• Coordinator of the Pre-Internship term (for Stage 3)
• Chair of the Honours Committee (for Stage 3)

The role of an Examination Committee is to receive recommendations from the respective coordinators of the Themes, the Blocks, the Electives and the Pre-Internship Term, and to determine eligibility for progression or graduation as the case may be. The committee's determination is based solely on student performance in the relevant summative assessments and the requirements for progression (see section (5) below). However, it takes into account any appropriately documented requests for special consideration on account of illness or misadventure (see section (6) below).

Each Examination Committee determines the results of all summative assessments for its respective stage. However, an Examination Committee may refer a special case to the dean of the faculty for final determination.

The coordinator of each Examination Committee will notify the OME’s Assessment Unit of the results that are to be transmitted to students.

The Assessment Office will be responsible for forwarding the results to the Student Centre of the university by the due date.

(3) Levels of assessment

The faculty provides three levels of assessment of student progress and achievement:

(a) Formative assessment gives students feedback on their progress in learning. The results of formative assessments do not contribute to decisions about progression or graduation.

(b) The submission of formative work for review and assessment is considered to be professionally appropriate behaviour. Some formative assessments are therefore designated as Required Formative Assessments (RFAs). Students must attend and participate in all the specific formative assessments that are designated as RFAs, as part of the summative assessment requirements. However, performance in RFAs is not routinely taken into account in making decisions about students’ grading, progression or graduation.

(c) Summative (barrier) assessments are used for the purpose of making decisions about grading, progression and graduation, and, other than in exceptional circumstances, constitute the sole basis on which such decisions are made.

(4) Assessments

At the beginning of each stage of the University of Sydney Medical Program, the Office of Medical Education publishes an assessment schedule for the stage. The assessment schedule identifies all RFAs and Summative Assessments that an enrolled student is required to complete in order to satisfy the requirements for progression. The schedule fulfils the relevant requirements set out in the Academic Board Policy 'Assessment and Examination of Coursework'.

(5) Requirements for progression

The requirements for progression from one stage to the next are summarised below. The details of requirements for progression, and the provision of remediation and re-assessment, are set out in the faculty's progression policy. Students are also urged to refer to the faculty’s attendance policy. These policies are available on the University of Sydney Medical Program website.

Students are strongly advised against entering into travel or other arrangements that may be disrupted if they are required to undertake remediation and re-assessment in the period immediately following any stage of the University of Sydney Medical Program.

(a) Repeating a Stage

On account of the overlapping and interlocking nature of the themes, a student who is required to repeat a stage of the University of Sydney Medical Program (see below) will be required to repeat the whole stage, and will be re-assessed in all themes summatively assessed in that stage.The following procedures will be followed when dealing with repeating students:

1. The Examination Committee will formally notify the coordinator(s) responsible for the Theme(s) in which the student failed and the associate dean of the student’s clinical school about the result and need to repeat.
2. The Examination Committee will request the coordinator(s) responsible for the Theme(s) in which the student failed to provide comments about the specific needs of the student to the associate dean of the student’s clinical school.
3. The Examination Committee will request that the associate dean of the student’s clinical school identify an appropriate supervisor and/or mentor for the repeating student.
4. Information from the coordinator(s) responsible for the Theme(s) in which the student failed will be made available to the student and the supervisor/mentor by the associate dean of the student’s clinical school.
5. Unless otherwise determined by the associate dean of the student’s clinical school, the student and the supervisor/mentor will meet at least monthly to review progress and identify any problems. Brief reports from these meetings will be submitted to the associate dean of the student’s clinical school.

(b) Progression at the end of Stage 1 (Year 1)

Progression at the end of Stage 1 (Year 1) depends on satisfactory performance in all four themes in all designated summative assessments held during Stage 1. These assessments cover material from Stage 1 and may include material regarded as a prerequisite for Stage 1.

A student whose performance fails to meet the theme criteria in one or two (but not more) themes may be reassessed in those themes before the start of the following academic year.

A student who meets the theme criteria on reassessment is eligible to progress to Stage 2.

A student who fails to meet the theme criteria after reassessment, or who fails to meet the theme criteria in more than two themes, is required to repeat Stage 1, and will be reassessed in all themes.

A student who fails to meet the theme criteria after repeating Stage 1 will be required to show cause why he/she should be permitted to re-enrol in Stage 1.

(c) Progression at the end of Stage 2 (Year 2)

Progression at the end of Stage 2 depends on satisfactory performance in all four themes in all designated summative assessments held during Stage 2. These assessments cover material from Stages 1 and 2.

A student whose performance fails to meet the theme criteria in one or two (but not more) themes may be re-assessed in those themes before the start of the following academic year.

A student who meets the theme criteria on re-assessment is eligible to progress to Stage 3.

A student who fails to meet the theme criteria on re-assessment, or who fails to meet the theme criteria in more than two themes, is required to repeat Stage 2, and will be re-assessed in all themes.

A student who fails to meet the theme criteria after repeating Stage 2 will be required to show cause why he/she should be permitted to re-enrol in Stage 2.

(d) Progression at the end of Stage 3

Progression during and at the end of Stage 3 depends on satisfactory performance in all four themes in all designated summative assessments held during Stage 3. These assessments will cover material from Stages 1, 2 and 3 and any material considered as a pre-requisite for Stage 1.

A student whose performance fails to meet the theme criteria in one or two (but not more) themes is required to undertake a remedial program under supervision, and will be re-assessed only in the deficient theme(s). For deficiencies in Year 3 the remedial program may take place during the period normally allotted to the first Clinical Block after the Year 3 summative assessment.

A student who meets the theme criteria on re-assessment iseligible to progress to Year 4, starting with the Elective, and undertaking the fourth Clinical Rotation during the period normally allotted to the Pre-Internship Term.

A student who fails to meet the theme criteria on re-assessment, or who fails to meet the theme criteria in more than two themes, is required to repeat Stage 3, and will be re-assessed in all themes.

A student who fails to meet the theme criteria after repeating Stage 3 will be required to show cause why he/she should be permitted to re-enrol in Stage 3.

(e) Progression in Stage 3 (2009)

A student must meet the theme criteria in all four themes in all designated summative assessments held during all four Clinical Rotations, and in the Elective Term, before progression to the Pre-Internship Term.

Due to the limited duration of each Clinical Rotation, it is not possible to provide time for remediation for students who fail to meet the theme criteria at initial assessment. Such students will be invited to undertake a supplementary assessment in the relevant theme(s), using assessment instruments which are either identical to those used in the first assessment, or are demonstrably similar in their validity and reliability.

A student whose performance at supplementary assessment fails to meet the theme criteria in the Basic and Clinical Sciences Theme and/or Patient and Doctor Theme in a single Block will be required to undertake a remedial block under supervision. Failure at supplementary assessment of the Clinical Service Project will require remedial repeat of the Community Block. Failure at a supplementary assessment will not prejudice scheduled participation in the Elective Term or in subsequent blocks; the remedial block will take place during the period normally allotted to the Pre-Internship Term. If more than one remedial block is required, the remedial blocks will be undertaken during subsequent terms. A student undertaking a remedial block will be assessed in all themes in that block.

Except in the case of the Clinical Service Project in the Community Block, a student whose performance in a supplementary assessment fails to meet the theme criteria in the Population Medicine Theme and/or Personal and Professional Development Theme in a single block will be required to undertake a remedial program under supervision of the chair of the relevant Theme Committee, or a delegate of the chair. The remedial program may entail monitoring and support in the theme during subsequent blocks. Summative re-assessment will occur before the start of the Pre-Internship Term, and will be the responsibility of the supervisors in the block in which the student’s performance was originally unsatisfactory, acting in consultation with the relevant Theme chair. A student who fails the summative re-assessment will be required to repeat the block in which his or her performance was unsatisfactory, and will be re-assessed in all themes in that block.

A student who meets all theme criteria in a single remedial block, or who for any other reason completes the requirements for progression to the Pre-Internship Term only at the end of the period normally allotted to the Pre-Internship Term, may enrol in a delayed Pre-Internship Term during the months of January, February and March. When all assessment requirements for that Pre-Internship Term are met, the student will have completed the requirements for graduation.

A student who is required to undertake more than one remedial block, or who is assessed as ‘not satisfactory’ on a repeat block, or who for any other reason is not eligible to progress to a delayed Pre-Internship Term, may enrol in the next scheduled Pre-Internship Term at the end of that academic stage.

A student who fails to meet the theme criteria after repeating a block will be required to show cause why he/she should be permitted to re-enrol in Stage 3, Year 4.

(f) Progression in the Pre-Internship Term

A student who fails to meet the Pre-Internship assessment criteria by the mid-point of the term will undergo intensive remediation and re-assessment in the second half of the term.

A student who fails to meet the assessment criteria at the end of the Pre-Internship Term will be given an opportunity to enrol in a delayed Pre-Internship Term (January to March).

A student whose first Pre-Internship enrolment is in a delayed Pre-Internship Term (January to March), and who fails to meet the Pre-Internship program criteria, may enrol in the next scheduled Pre-Internship Term at the end of that academic stage.

A student who fails to meet the assessment criteria in a second Pre-Internship Term will be required to show cause why he/she should be permitted to re-enrol in Stage 3, Year 4.

(g) Special consideration

The faculty’s guidelines to assist students who believe that they have grounds for special consideration on account of documented illness or misadventure are set out below. In general the guidelines follow those in the Academic Board Policy 'Assessment and Examination of Coursework'.

A request for special consideration, accompanied by satisfactory documentation (see section (j) below for information about satisfactory documentation) must be submitted to the Manager of the Medical Program Administration Unit of the faculty. In the case of illness or misadventure during a stage, the request must be submitted by no later than the day of the first summative assessment for which special consideration is being requested. In the case of illness or misadventure during an assessment, the request must be submitted within seven working days of the last day of the relevant summative assessment. Receipt of the request will be acknowledged in writing by the manager, and the relevant sub-dean, stage coordinator and associate dean will be notified. The request will be forwarded to the chair of the relevant Examination Committee for consideration by that committee.

Certificates and other documentation submitted in support of a request for special consideration will be held in confidence and will be made available only to the relevant Examination Committee and to the dean of the faculty. Special consideration will not be given when the condition is seen to be unrelated to performance in the examinations or is considered not to be serious.

In reviewing the assessment performance of a student who has submitted a request for special consideration, but who has not otherwise met the academic requirements for progression, an Examination Committee may, depending on the duration and seriousness of the circumstances satisfactorily documented by the student, and the quality of the summative assessment performance of the student, determine either:

1. that the student must undertake a specified remedial program (similar in duration to a remedial program specified for a student who has failed to meet the requirements for progression in the same stage) and that, if successful at assessment, the student has met the requirements for progression, or
2. that the student must repeat the stage but without academic penalty (as though it were their first enrolment in the stage).

A student who is enrolled in a remedial program, but who fails to meet the assessment requirements, shall be required to repeat the stage.

It is impossible to specify with precision the duration and seriousness of the circumstances which may lead an Examination Committee to make a particular determination, and it is acknowledged that particular circumstances may have different effects on students from different backgrounds. In general, short-term illness or misadventure that prevented an otherwise well-prepared student from sitting for an assessment or completing a particular assignment might lead to determinations (1) above, especially if the student’s performance at assessment had fallen not far short of the required standard.

On the other hand, the interests of a student who had experienced longstanding illness or difficulties which prevented him/her from attending classes or completing required work or which seriously interfered with his/her capacity to study for long periods, or who had performed poorly in the assessment, might be better served by determination (2) above (repeating the stage without penalty).

A student may submit an application for special consideration in relation to a supplementary examination if he or she is unable to sit for the supplementary examination because of illness or misadventure, or if he or she believes that his or her performance in a supplementary examination was affected by illness. However, even if special consideration is granted, no further supplementary examination may be conducted, and the student will therefore not be permitted to progress. However, if the student is granted special consideration, he or she will be eligible to sit for the next scheduled summative assessment corresponding to the student's stage in the University of Sydney Medical Program. The student's result in that summative examination will have the same status as the supplementary examination for which he or she was granted special consideration, for the purposes of assessing eligibility for progression and honours.

(h) Illness or misadventure during a Stage

A student who, because of serious illness or adverse circumstances, does not attend scheduled activities for prolonged periods should seek an early interview with the relevant sub-dean. Even if the absence does not exceed the period specified below, such a student may need to consider whether his/her best academic interests are served by obtaining permission to discontinue from the University of Sydney Medical Program until he/she is able to resume studies effectively.

A request for special consideration, and supporting documentation, should be submitted as early as possible, and not later than the day of the first summative assessment for which special consideration is being requested.

In general, a student who is absent from 10 per cent or more of those activities where attendance is specified as a requirement for progression in the Personal and Professional Development Theme in any Block (Stages 1 and 2), Clinical Attachment or Block (Stage 3) should make a submission to show why he/she should receive special consideration.

If a student is absent for more than a total of five weeks in Stage 1 or Stage 2, without a satisfactorily documented reason, the Examination Committee will require the student to repeat the stage. If the student has a satisfactorily documented reason, the Examination Committee may permit the student to progress to the next stage, provided that he or she meets all the assessment requirements.

If a student is absent from 50% of one Clinical Block (four weeks) in Stage 3, for a satisfactorily documented reason, the Examination Committee, may, if the student meets all the assessment requirements, save for the supervisor’s report for the missed Attachment, permit the student to progress to Year 4.

A student who is absent for more than four weeks (either consecutively or separately) in Year 3 for a satisfactorily documented reason, will be required to undertake a supplementary Clinical Block of two four-week attachments in lieu of the first Clinical Block in Stage 4 and will sit a supplementary assessment at the end of that term. Such a student who meets the assessment requirements will progress to Stage 4. A student who fails to meet the assessment requirements will be deemed to have failed and will be required to repeat Stage 3.

A student who is absent from more than 8 weeks in Stage 3, for a satisfactorily documented reason, will be required to repeat Stage 3 without penalty.

A student who does not satisfy the attendance requirements for a single Clinical Block in Stage 3 for a satisfactorily documented reason will be given an opportunity to complete the Block at a later date. This will result in delayed progression to the Pre-Internship Term. Requests to delay a Clinical Block for reasons other than illness or misadventure will not normally be considered.

A student who does not satisfy the attendance requirements for more than one Clinical Block in Stage 3 (whether consecutively or separately), for a satisfactorily documented reason, will be required to repeat the missed Block.

(i) Illness or misadventure at the time of an assessment

A student who believes that his/her attendance or performance at an assessment has been compromised by serious illness or misadventure has a right to request special consideration. The NSW Medical Practice Act requires Deans of medical schools to notify the Board of a student who may be suffering an impairment that might effect the person’s capacity to practise medicine on graduation. A referral to the Board is no barrier to a student progressing in the medical program.

In general, a student who becomes ill or suffers misadventure during the examination period or on the day of the examination is encouraged to sit the assessment(s) if at all possible even if special arrangements are needed – for example through the University Health Service – since it is preferable for the assessors to have some data on which to base a judgment rather than none.

Documentation in support of a request for special consideration should be submitted as early as possible, and in any event within seven working days of the last day of the relevant summative assessment. It is recognised that circumstances may make it difficult to assemble the documentation required quickly, and that students may have difficulty in delivering it in person. Nevertheless, the intention to request special consideration should be communicated either electronically or by telephone to the Manager, Medical Program Administration Unit, by or on behalf of the student, not later than the last day of the summative assessment for which special consideration will be sought.

Any illness or misadventure experienced by the student should be fully documented so that an appropriate evaluation of the circumstances and severity of the experiences can be made. The arrangements for assessment of the performance of a student who is unable to attend an assessment, or who is required to re-sit an assessment, will depend on the nature of the assessment.

A student who is unable to submit an assignment or other piece of work by the due date on account of satisfactorily documented illness or misadventure may negotiate a later submission date with the relevant Theme, Block or Pre-Internship Term Committee Chair.

A student who is unable to attend a clinical assessment on account of satisfactorily documented illness or misadventure may negotiate with the relevant Theme, Block or Pre-Internship Term Committee coordinator to be assessed on a later date.

In both these instances, the late submission or assessment must be sufficiently timely to allow the student’s performance to be assessed, and a recommendation made by the Theme, Rotation or Pre-Internship Committee to be considered, together with the request for special consideration, at the meeting of the Examination Committee at which the student’s performance would have been considered had they been able to submit or attend with their peers.

A student who has been granted leave for late submission or assessment, and whose performance fails to meet the assessment requirements, will be required to present him/herself for re-assessment at the time scheduled for re-assessment of students who have been required to undertake a remedial program and to be re-assessed.

A student who is unable to attend an observed structured clinical examination (OSCE) or one or more written papers, but whose request for special consideration has been granted by the Examination Committee, will be required to present him/herself for assessment at the time scheduled for re-assessment of students who have been required to undertake a remedial program and to be re-assessed.

Considerations of cost and security do not allow the faculty to provide assessments using these instruments for individual students who have been granted special consideration.

The case of a student who has been granted special consideration, and who subsequently fails to meet the assessment requirements, will be considered by the Examination Committee. In these circumstances, an Examination Committee may determine either:

1. that the student be deemed to have met the requirements for progression, or
2. that the student shall repeat the stage without penalty (as though it were the student’s first enrolment in the stage).

In reaching its determination in such a case (and only in such a case), the Examination Committee may take into account factors other than the assessment performance of the student.

A student who becomes ill or suffers other misadventure which affects his/her ability to progress in their studies, will be offered assistance and support through the Clinical School Associate Deans, the Sub-Deans and the Associate Dean Student Support.

The NSW Medical Practice Act requires deans of medical schools to notify the Board of a student who may be suffering an impairment that might affect the person’s capacity to practice medicine on graduation. A referral to the Board is no barrier to a student progressing in the program.

(j) Satisfactory documentation

(1) A Professional Practitioner Certificate form is supplied with the special consideration form and should be completed by a registered medical practitioner or counsellor for a student whose work during a teaching period or whose performance in an assessment task, including examinations, has been affected by illness or misadventure. Certificates signed by family members are not acceptable. The Professional Practitioner Certificate includes:

• dates of consultation(s)

• an evaluation by the practitioner of the severity and duration of the student's condition and its effect on the student's ability to attend classes, complete assessment requirements and/or undertake learning activities

• a description of the nature and seriousness of the student's condition, within the limits of confidentiality, so that an academic assessment can be made of the possible effects of the student's condition on his or her performance

• any other relevant information relating to the student's condition that may contribute to a fair and comprehensive academic assessment

• an authority for the University to contact the practitioner to confirm the authenticity of the Certificate.

The practitioner or the student may attach any other documentation that may be relevant.

(2) Other documentation will depend on the nature of the misadventure, but it should be provided to support the student's account of the circumstances and indicate the likely duration and the effect of the problem on the student's performance.

(3) The above information is publicised in handbooks and displayed on appropriate notice boards and websites. Where substantial absence has been documented during a Stage, the faculty should establish mechanisms to review each case to ensure that each student has been treated consistently by relevant departments.

(6) Appeals

Any student may appeal against a decision of an Examination Committee. The principles underpinning the procedures to be followed are set out in the Academic Board Policy 'Student Appeals Against Academic Decisions' available from the University’s Policy Online website www.usyd.edu.au/policy.

The faculty is currently reviewing the appeals policy. Please refer to www.ome.med.usyd.edu.au, the University of Sydney Medical Program website at www.gmp.usyd.edu.au under the Course Info page and the faculty's website: www.medfac.usyd.edu.au/currentstudent for Appeals policy information.