UCLMS MBBS curriculum map July 2012

UCL MEDICAL SCHOOL

MBBS PROGRAMME OVERVIEW & CURRICLUM MAP
INTRODUCTION
Educating doctors is a complex process. An MBBS programme needs to deliver an under-
graduate education and also to induct students into the profession. As a professional
programme, a significant proportion of the learning is workplace based. Students need to learn
the knowledge and skills of the practice of medicine, and to develop the orientations and
attributes appropriate for practice as a doctor.
This document provides an overview of the structure of the MBBS programme at UCL, the
outcomes for graduates and some of the ways in which these outcomes are addressed
through learning and teaching activities. It also maps the programme activities and learning
opportunities to the expected outcomes for graduates as defined by the GMC in Tomorrows
Doctors 2009.
As a professional programme and one where a significant proportion of the programme is
workplace based, students are expected to take responsibility for their learning and, with
support, to learn to make the best use of all learning opportunities, whenever and wherever
they arise. This curriculum map therefore demonstrates some of the foci of planned learning
opportunities whilst acknowledging the unique richness of clinical placements and workplace
based learning, in relation to achieving the outcomes of the curriculum overall.
PROGRAMME STRUCTURE
The MBBS at UCL is a six year integrated programme of study. The themes of each year are:
Year 1: Fundamentals of Clinical Science 1
Year 2: Fundamentals of Clinical Science 2
Year 3: Integrated BSc
1

Year 4: Integrated Clinical Care
Year 5: The Life Cycle and Specialist Practice
Year 6: Preparation for Practice
Running through the six year programme are the Vertical modules:
The Integrated Vertical Strands:
o Anatomy and imaging
o Clinical skills and practical procedures
o Pathological sciences
o Use of evidence
o Use of medicines
The Overarching Themes:
o Mental health
o Social determinants of heath
o Synthesis and professional practice
Student Centred Learning, Patient Centred Learning:
o The portfolio
o The student selected components
o The patient pathways

1
Students who are already graduates are exempt from the integrated BSc and move directly from year 2 to year 4
UCLMS MBBS curriculum map July 2012

Elements of choice for students within the programme include:
Student selected components (SSCs) in years 1, 2 and 6
The integrated BSc in year 3
The elective period in year 6
The SSCs cover four broad domains to allow students to pursue special interests and develop
a range of generic skills:
Clinical/vocational
Underpinning science (clinical or basic sciences)
Research oriented/library projects
Arts/humanities/social sciences.
Students are permitted an eight week elective period of study in a subject and geographical
area of their own choice. Some project work is expected from the students during this time.
The integrated BSc provides a whole year of selective study and includes a research project.
SSC and the elective period are required course work and must be completed to a
satisfactory standard in order to progress.
EDUCATIONAL AIMS OF THE PROGRAMME
Overarching aim:
The MBBS programme aspires to educate the UCL Doctor: a highly competent and
scientifically literate clinician, equipped to practise patient-centred medicine in a constantly
changing modern world, with a foundation in the basic, medical and social sciences.

Outcomes for graduates:
The overall aims of the MBBS 2012 Programme at UCL are for graduates to:
Demonstrate a genuine understanding of the fundamentals of clinical science and how
science underpins medical practice
Demonstrate competence in a range of professional skills necessary for patient care,
including history taking and consultation skills, examination skills and clinical reasoning
skills
Diagnose and manage, under supervision, a range of common and important clinical
problems
Understand the basic ethical, professional and legal issues related to clinical practice
Understand the epidemiological, environmental, psychological and sociological aspects
of health and illness and their application for both the treatment and prevention of
disease
Consider how knowledge of disease pathology is applied in care and prevention
Be able to assess patients healthcare needs, taking into account their physical and
mental health and personal and social circumstances, and apply their knowledge and
skills to synthesise information from a variety of sources in order to reach the best
available diagnosis and understanding of the patients problem
UCLMS MBBS curriculum map July 2012

Demonstrate an appreciation of the determinants of health: how health behaviours and
outcomes are affected by the diversity of the patient population and how, from a global
perspective, health, disease and variations in health care delivery and medical practice
are determined and interact
Employ a patient centred approach to practice
Deliver the most appropriate care by considered and careful use of limited resources
Demonstrate the attitudes and behaviours appropriate to being a good doctor by their
behaviour with patients, relatives and colleagues
Appreciate the nature of contemporary practice including an understanding of: the
modern NHS; the need to work in teams to ensure patient safety and improve
healthcare; providing leadership and advocacy; and being able to adapt to the changing
landscape of medical knowledge and healthcare delivery and transnational challenges to
global health
Be well prepared to enter the Foundation Programme
Be prepared to fulfil a lifelong commitment to requirements of the GMC enshrined in
Good Medical Practice (GMC 2012) including a commitment to reflective practice, and
working continually to improve their own performance
UCLMS MBBS curriculum map July 2012

CURRICULUM MAP
1. ACHIEVING THE UCL MBBS OUTCOMES
Below is a brief outline of how each of these outcomes is addressed within the programme
2
:
Demonstrate a genuine understanding of the fundamentals of clinical science and
how science underpins medical practice
In year 1 and 2, this includes the basic medical and social sciences to a degree
sufficient primarily to inform students clinical studies but also to prepare students to
undertake an integrated BSc (Hons) degree in a clinical domain or one of the medical
or social sciences allied to medicine
In years 4-6, this includes further developing this understanding in the context of
providing good clinical care and clinically focused teaching
Some SSC choices further develop learning that addresses this objective
Throughout the course, students are exposed to cutting edge clinical and biomedical
scientists, as teachers, project supervisors and personal tutors
Demonstrate competence in a range of professional skills necessary for patient care,
including history taking and consultation skills, examination skills and clinical
reasoning skills
The foundations of these skills are developed within the vertical modules Synthesis
and professional practice and Clinical skills and practical procedures. Practice-based
and patient-based learning apply this learning, further developing the students
expertise in this domain
Throughout the course, students will work with clinical staff who are professional role
models, demonstrating through their own practice, the professional skills the students
are expected to develop
Diagnose and manage, under supervision, a range of common and important clinical
problems
In year 1 and 2, the vast majority of teaching and learning opportunities are based
around the core conditions and presentations, and the top 100 drugs formulary. The
underpinning scientific principles in diagnosis and management are emphasised. The
patient pathways in community and integrated care and in cardiometablic illness
address chronic disease diagnosis and management
Learning In years 4-6, which builds on knowledge and principles developed in years 1-
3, involves development of this understanding in the context of clinical care. Again, the
vast majority of teaching and learning opportunities are based around the core
conditions and presentations and the top 100 drugs formulary but they will also
include other patient presentations during the course of clinical placements
The SSCs and elective period in year 6 provide further opportunities to develop this
knowledge and understanding
All clinical placements provide opportunities to observe and discuss clinical diagnosis
and management in action
Understand the basic ethical, professional and legal issues related to clinical
practice
In years 1,2,4,5 and 6, this includes teaching within the vertical module Synthesis and
professional practice, through the patient-based and practice-based experiences and

2
The exact choice of BSc will determine the extent to which some objectives are addressed in year 3
UCLMS MBBS curriculum map July 2012

placements and through Case of the Month. Some SSC choices further develop
learning that addresses this objective
Throughout the course, in clinical placements, students are exposed to observation of,
and discussion related to, authentic clinical, professional, legal and ethical dilemmas
Understand the epidemiological, environmental, psychological and sociological
aspects of health and illness and their application for both the treatment and
prevention of disease
In years 1,2,4,5 and 6, this includes teaching within the vertical modules Use of
evidence, Social determinants of health, Mental health and Synthesis and professional
practice, and through patient-based and practice-based experiences and placements
All clinical teachers and firm leads are expected to emphasise this aspect of healthcare
as being everybodys business
The elective period further extends learning in this domain
Some SSC choices further develop learning that addresses this objective
Consider how knowledge of disease pathology is applied in care and prevention
In years 1,2,4,5 and 6, this includes teaching within the vertical modules Pathological
sciences, Anatomy and imaging, Mental health (to some extent), in the health
promotion aspects of Social determinants of health and in horizontal module based
teaching, particularly in years 1 and 2 but also in years 4-6. This knowledge is also
developed through the patient-based and practice-based experiences in clinical
settings
The elective period, particularly if carried out abroad, further extends learning in this
domain
Some SSC choices further develop learning that addresses this objective
Be able to assess patients healthcare needs, taking into account their physical and
mental health and personal and social circumstances, and apply their knowledge
and skills to synthesise information from a variety of sources in order to reach the
best available diagnosis and understanding of the patients problem
The foundations of these skills are developed within the vertical modules Synthesis
and professional practice, Mental health, Social determinants of health and the Patient
pathways. Practice-based and patient-based learning then applies this learning to
further develop students expertise in this domain
The complex nature of healthcare needs is emphasised in all clinical placements,
especially in year 4 and in primary care placements
Demonstrate an appreciation of the determinants of health: how health behaviours
and outcomes are affected by the diversity of the patient population and how, from a
global perspective, health, disease and variations in health care delivery and medical
practice are determined and interact
This is both a knowledge-based and attitudinal objective which is emphasised
throughout the course, but highlighted in specific teaching as illustrated below
In years 1,2,4,5 and 6, this includes teaching within the vertical modules Social
determinants of health, Mental health (to some extent) and Synthesis and professional
practice and through patient-based and practice-based experiences and placements,
particularly the Patient pathways and the elective period
Some SSC choices further develop learning that addresses this objective
UCLMS MBBS curriculum map July 2012

Employ a patient centred approach to practice
This competency requires knowledge, know-how, clinical skills and professional skills,
as well as attitudinal development. It is a fundamental component of all patient related
teaching across all years
As the MBBS is a vocational course, this preparation begins in year 1 and becomes
the increasing focus of learning until year 6 when it becomes the main focus of the
year. Learning opportunities occur in every year and every module; horizontal and
vertical, but particularly in workplace based learning and in the vertical modules Patient
pathways, Synthesis and professional practice, Mental health and Social determinants
of health
Deliver the most appropriate care by considered and careful use of limited resources
In years 1,2,4,5,& 6, this includes teaching within the vertical modules Use of
evidence, Social determinants of health, Use of medicines and Synthesis and
professional practice and through the patient-based and practice-based experiences
and placements
Some SSC choices further develop learning that addresses this objective
The elective period further extends learning in this domain
Clinical placements in NHS environments with serious resource constraints allow
students to observe and discuss the difficult decisions being made in practice
Demonstrate the attitudes and behaviours appropriate to being a good doctor by
their behaviour with patients, relatives and colleagues
This competency requires knowledge, know-how, clinical skills and professional skills
as well as attitudinal development
As the MBBS is a vocational course, this preparation begins in year 1, and continues
until year 6. Learning opportunities occur particularly in workplace based learning and
in the vertical modules: Patient pathways and Synthesis and professional practice
Students have the opportunity to observe and reflect upon the professional behaviours
healthcare professionals in all clinical placements: from year 1 to year 6
Appreciate the nature of contemporary practice including: an understanding of the
modern NHS; the need to work in teams to ensure patient safety and improve
healthcare; providing leadership and advocacy; and being able to adapt to the
changing landscape of medical knowledge and healthcare delivery and transnational
challenges to global health
This is both a knowledge-based and attitudinal objective which will become clear
during clinical placements. All NHS Trusts that provide placements for students have
developed sophisticated policies and procedures in these areas, which we encourage
our students to engage with and learn from
In years 1,2,4,5 and 6, this experiential learning is supported by additional teaching
within the vertical modules, particularly Synthesis and professional practice but also in
Use of evidence, Social determinants of health, Use of medicines and through patient-
based and practice-based experiences and placements
Some SSC choices further develop learning that addresses this objective
The elective period further extends learning in this domain
Be well prepared to enter the Foundation Programme
This competency requires knowledge, know-how, understanding, intellectual skills,
clinical skills, professional skills and attitudinal development
UCLMS MBBS curriculum map July 2012

As the MBBS is a vocational course, this preparation begins in year 1 and becomes
the increasing focus of learning until year 6 when it becomes the main focus of the
year
Learning opportunities occur in every year and every module, horizontal and vertical
Year 6 concentrates on embedding of the skills required to be a foundation doctor. The
whole academic year encourages shadowing opportunities, and the chance of learning
by observation of, and contribution to, clinical practice in a variety of settings
Be prepared to fulfil a lifelong commitment to requirements of the GMC enshrined in
Good Medical Practice (GMC 2012) including a commitment to reflective practice,
and working continually to improve their own performance
Students are informed of the work of the GMC at many stages of the programme and
asked to reflect on their performance in relation to Good Medical Practice as part of the
portfolio
Learning opportunities occur particularly in relation to workplace based learning,
maintenance of the portfolio, reflective writing and in the vertical modules Patient
pathways and Synthesis and professional practice
2. ACHIEVING THE OUTCOMES FOR GRADUATES DESCRIBED IN THE GMC
DOCUMENT TOMORROWS DOCTORS 2009
The course structure, assessments, and outcomes for graduates are based on the curricula
recommendations outlined in the General Medical Councils document Tomorrows Doctors
(2009). The following table maps the MBBS programme at UCL to these expected outcomes,
outlining how and when these outcomes are achieved across the programme.