With support from tutors, you will be encouraged to develop an independent attitude to learning, such as making decisions about how to tackle key subjects, and researching and discussing them with fellow students.
This approach will prepare you for life as a qualified doctor or dentist, when you will take responsibility for keeping your knowledge up-to-date through continuing professional development.
The teaching methods will ensure that you can both understand the principles of medicine or dentistry and apply your knowledge in the same way when treating a patient.
Formal lectures play a small part compared with more traditional programmes.
Medicine students talk about the MBBS curriculum, Problem Based Learning and early clinical exposure.
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In the early part of the programme, sessions take place in our laboratories equipped with computers and closed-circuit television.
You will have practical training in interviewing techniques and special sessions devoted to communication between doctors or dentists and their patients.
This will bring you into contact with the local community: in the early stages of the programme this will involve working with GPs and community tutors.
This is a central element of the medical curriculum (A100 and A101). PBL involves groups of eight to ten students working together to understand and explain the central issues of a problem under the guidance of a tutor.
Effective teamwork is essential for PBL, and undertaking independent research and presenting your findings to the group will help you retain the information, developing your communication skills. The early use of clinical scenarios will help you apply your knowledge.
Please note that whilst there is some use of PBL in the dental curriculum this is to a much lesser extent.
If you are a dental student, you will become involved in the care of patients at an early stage. You will take part in examination, diagnosis, assessment and prevention and management of disease, working alongside therapists and hygienists also training at the School.
More about our dentistry programme, including a student video.