Progression Requirements
The CGC MB, BChir completion rate has been around 100 % with most students passing at first attempt; poor performance was not a factor in the two withdrawals from the first five CGC cohorts.
Requirements throughout the course
Placement Records: Specialty Directors/Undergraduate Specialty Tutors provide a report on each student at the end of a placement, their purpose is to:
- Monitor attendance and performance - information is held in a student’s personal electronic record;
- Identify students with specific problems ensuring that early action may be taken;
- Monitor the quality of education provided.
Although in-course performance does not directly contribute to Final MB, satisfactory completion of all placements is a pre-requisite for admission to examinations. Students whose performance in a subject is unsatisfactory may have to gain more experience in the subject or defer sitting Final MB. Students are able to view their own Placement Records on ERWeb as soon as they are released by tutors.
Student Performance Report: a summary of the Placement Record information is produced in the form of a ‘Student Performance Report’ at various stages during the course:
- A the end of Level 1;
- At the end of Level 2;
- Towards the end of Level 3;
- For any student with a consistently poor record to be brought to the attention of the CGC Director.
Clinical Supervisor Reports: Colleges require Supervisors to provide termly reports on student progress; the Senior Tutor/Director of Studies refers any serious difficulties to the CGC Director.
College Reports: at the end of each University Term, College Personal Tutors may invite students to complete a self-assessment form and offer them an opportunity to review their term’s Supervision reports and progress.
MB Examinations: students may ask their College Tutor for mark breakdowns – these are circulated by the Board of Examinations to College Tutorial Offices at the end of each examination period.
Level 1 requirements
At the end of Clinical Skills 1, 2 and 3, each student meets with a CGC Tutor for discussion of the Supervision Reports, portfolio of cases, Performance Report, feedback from hospital and GP tutors and assessment results. The student is made aware of his/her progress; problems are identified by the student or CGC Tutor and addressed by agreement of a personal programme of study which may include spending the SSC 1 period on remedial work and reassessment; a Student would then undertake an SSC 1 project during half of the final-year elective. Students who fail the Level 1 Assessment will be given an opportunity to resit.
Students who fail a Second MB examination at the end of year one or year two will resit in September; students resitting year two examinations will be based in Cambridge for their first Level 2 placements where support for revision is provided.
A Student who fails any resit examination is immediately removed from the Medical Student Register and leaves the course. Where there are extenuating circumstances, the student may apply for a further attempt; while the application is considered, the student remains suspended from the Register.
Level 2/Final MB Part I and Part II
At the mid-point and end of Level 2, CGC Tutors meet students individually to discuss each Performance Report, elective plans and general concerns about progress.
Students who do not satisfactorily complete a placement and students who fail one of the June Final MB examinations may need to make arrangements at short notice to shorten or cancel their elective to enable them to prepare for the resit.
Students who fail the reassessment or two Level 2 placements may be required to repeat the Level 2 year.
Level 3/Final MB Part III
Students who do not satisfactorily complete a placement are given the opportunity to attend remedial teaching during the Level 3 holiday and self-directed study periods.
Level 3 OSPE results are circulated by E-mail, a member of the Clinical Deanery team holds individual discussions with students whose performance is unsatisfactory to agree a personal programme of study.
Towards the end of Level 3, an appointment with a CGC Tutor is made for each student to discuss performance. Students with major problems will have already been identified and seen by the CGC Director or Clinical Dean – in exceptional circumstances, a formal warning of withdrawal of permission to sit Final MB may be issued.
Students who fail one Final MB written component may resit in July; students will be expected to repeat Level 3 and resit all Final MB components if they fail:
- More than one written component at the first sitting in June;
- A clinical component (SCEE or CE) at the first sitting in June;
- A written component resit in July.
Students are permitted two attempts at each Final MB examination; if there are extenuating circumstances, the Faculty Board of Clinical Medicine may give permission for an additional attempt; a programme of revision and clinical placements to maintain their skills is organised.
Repeat Placements
Students who, for whatever reason, are required to repeat a placement must satisfy all the attendance and assessment requirements for that component of the course again - even if these have previously been satisfied.