Further information

1. Application and admission

Most students gain admission to the Sydney Medical Program after completing an undergraduate degree with a track record of good academic performance, achieving a good score in the Australian or US graduate medical student admission test, and performing well in a multiple mini interview.

About 10 percent of domestic students in each cohort gain admission through a double-degree program, for which school leavers are eligible if they achieve an exceptional final high-school score. These applicants undertake modified interviews that include peer interactions.

Successful applicants may then enter one of the following double-degree programs:

Bachelor of Commerce / Doctor of Medicine
Bachelor of Economics / Doctor of Medicine
Bachelor of Medical Science / Doctor of Medicine
Bachelor of Music Studies / Doctor of Medicine
Bachelor of Science (Advanced) / Doctor of Medicine

If they maintain a credit average result in the undergraduate program of their choice (among these five), they may then pass directly into the Sydney Medical Program without any further testing.

For up to date details on admission and application requirements for entry into the University of Sydney Medical Program, visit:
sydney.edu.au/medicine/future-students/medical-program/admissions/index.php

2. Disclosure

All applicants must fully disclose all information relevant to Sydney Medical School's decision about an offer of admission. All such information known to the applicant must be disclosed at the time of initial application.

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.

If an applicant fails to disclose any information relevant to Stage 3 (Years 3 and 4) and Sydney Medical School'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then the applicant's offer of admission or subsequent enrolment in the University of Sydney Medical Program will be rescinded.

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.

3. Outline of the curriculum

The four curriculum themes (outlined above) that continue throughout the four years of the Sydney Medical Program ensure that students' knowledge and skills develop systematically.

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 judgement.

The academic year runs from early February to late November for Stages 1 and 2, and mid-January to November for Stage 3, Years 3 and 4.

The teaching is delivered in five blocks throughout each year. In Stages 1 and 2, the blocks range from four to 10 weeks’ duration. All Stage 3 blocks are of eight weeks’ duration. Between most blocks, the timetable allows for a break of at least one week.

Please note that the Medical Program does not follow the normal semester pattern undertaken by other courses offered by the University of Sydney.

Importantly, please note that Medical Program is a full-time course. Students are expected to be available to attend classes or other assigned activities five days per week.

The broad curriculum structure for each year in the Medical Program is outlined in the table below.

Stages 1 and 2

The 10 Blocks in Stages 1 and 2 are as follows.

Stage 1
1	Foundation Studies; Infection & Immunology
2	Musculo-skeletal System
3	Respiratory System
4	Haematology
5	Cardiovascular System

Stage 2
6	Neurosciences and Vision
7	Endocrinology and Sexual Health
8	Kidney and Urology
9	Gastrointestinal System, Nutrition, Drug & Alcohol
10	Oncology & Palliative Care

Within each Stage 1-2 Block, the curriculum is structured so that each week gives coherent coverage of a major aspect of the relevant body system or field of medicine.

A problem-based learning (PBL) session serves to integrate and reinforce the week’s learning. Approximately three hours are devoted to PBL each week in a mixture of student- and tutor-led formats.

PBL sessions are designed to develop students' ability to relate clinical problems to basic sciences, enhance their clinical reasoning abilities and enhance their teamwork skills. PBL tutors act as guides and facilitators of the reasoning process rather than subject experts. Attendance at the PBL tutorials is compulsory for all students.

Students attend at least six plenary lectures each week. Lectures provide up-to-date information and a broad context for students’ own detailed learning. Increasingly, traditional didactic lectures are being replaced by seminars, interactive sessions and prescribed online learning. Seminars are usually longer than lectures (1.5-2.0 hr compared with 1.0 hr) and often involve two or more speakers giving complementary expert perspectives on a topic.

A variety of interactive formats are being introduced. They often depend on students’ completion of some self-directed learning before the scheduled session, with classroom time used for highlighting essential knowledge and reasoning processes as well as asking questions. Most plenary sessions are recorded and can be viewed online soon afterwards.

Students are strongly encouraged to attend all plenary sessions because of the benefits of ‘being there’ – direct interaction with staff and students undoubtedly affords some additional learning.

Students also attend at least two laboratory sessions each week. Many laboratory sessions are linked to online materials, enabling students to be fully prepared for practical work.

Several other learning and teaching modalities are used in Years 1 and 2. These include:

Small-group tutorial and discussion sessions (other than PBL)
Large-group interactive tutorials (e.g. on literature searching skills, statistical skills)
Online tutorials
One-on-one interviews with staff
Written assignments.

Teaching in the Clinical Schools is mostly conducted in small groups. The teaching sessions include bedside tutorials, tutorials in simulation laboratories to learn basic procedural skills, and SCORPIO (structured, clinical, objective, referenced, problem-based, integrated, organised) sessions in which students rotate through a number of stations with a short lecture-demonstration at each station.

Training in communication skills includes the use of actors, and training in physical examination skills includes the use of volunteers. Large-group interactive tutorials, such as clinico-pathological conferences, are designed to link clinical learning and learning about pathology.

In addition to the formal teaching, students are expected to visit the wards singly or in pairs and (with appropriate permissions and consent) talk to patients and practice taking clinical histories and performing physical examinations.

Block 4 (Haematology, Stage 1) and Block 10 (Oncology & Palliative Care, Stage 2) are taught mainly in the Clinical Schools. They are intended to give students periods of immersion in a clinical setting, providing the opportunity for significant development of clinical skills. PBL tutorials and other teaching sessions are conducted in each Clinical School, while large-group plenary sessions are concentrated in one day on the main University campus.

Stage 3 (Years 3 and 4)

Students in Years 3 and 4 undertake a total of nine eight-week terms and one four-week term. Barrier assessments are held after the fourth term (in Year 3) and after the ninth term (in Year 4). The four-week term is a Pre-Internship Term, held after the final written assessment.

The nine eight-week terms are used for the following Blocks:

Medicine (Year 3)
Medicine (Year 4)
Surgery
Critical Care/ Surgery
Community
Perinatal and Women's Health
Child and Adolescent Health
Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine
Elective.

Medicine (Year 3), Medicine (Year 4), Surgery and Critical Care/ Surgery are called 'Core Blocks'. Community (i.e. primary care), Perinatal and Women's Health, Child and Adolescent Health and Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine are called 'Specialty Blocks'.

Each cohort of students is divided into four streams, each does these eight of these Blocks in a different order. The timing of the elective is fixed for all four streams to be undertaken between January and March of Year 4.

All four streams begin Year 3 with a Core Block. The last Block before the final assessment in Year 4 is also a Core Block.

Practical clinical experience forms the substrate for all learning in Years 3 and 4, supported by a continuing structured teaching program. A balance is maintained between clerkship-based activities and scheduled teaching sessions. Formats used include:

Lectures and seminars relevant to all four themes
Evidence-based medicine tutorials
Structured 'hands-on' demonstrations
Interactive case presentations
Clinical reasoning sessions supported by information technology
Basic science updates
Clinico-pathological correlation sessions.

Core Blocks

As described, the four Core Blocks in Years 3 and 4 are:

Medicine 3
Medicine 4
Surgery (SURG)
Critical Care (CC).

In all of these Blocks, students participate in ward services and outpatient clinics in the teaching hospitals of their allocated Clinical Schools. Students are exposed to mainstream medicine and surgery as well as to some subspecialty areas such as geriatrics, ophthalmology, urology and ear, nose and throat surgery. The Critical Care Block includes anaesthetics, emergency medicine and intensive care medicine.

One day each week (Friday) is dedicated to structured teaching, with topics drawn from all four curriculum theme areas. Time is also allocated for self-directed learning. At least half of each week is spent directly involved in the activities of the clinical service to which students are attached. A progressive increase in clinical responsibility is expected as students progress through Stage 3 towards their final assessments and their Pre-Internship Term.

Students are allocated to one or more clinical supervisors for each of their Medicine, Surgery and Critical Care Blocks. The clinical supervisors are senior clinicians from the Disciplines or Sub-Disciplines where the student is located. For example, a neurologist and a geriatrician might act as supervisors for a student undertaking a Medicine Block which is composed of attachments to Clinical Departments of Neurology and Aged Care. Supervisors 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 assists in formulating an assessment of the student's progressive mastery of the knowledge and clinical skills relevant to the field concerned.

Specialty Blocks

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

The four Specialty Blocks are:

Community (CR)
Perinatal and Women's Health (PWH)
Child and Adolescent Health (CAH)
Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine (PAAM)

As in the Core Blocks, students undertaking Specialty Blocks participate in a variety of clinical activities in hospital wards and outpatient clinics and community-based clinics.

Not all of the teaching hospitals associated with the Clinical Schools offer a full range of specialty clinical services, and all students therefore rotate through sites other than their allocated base Clinical School. These include The Children's Hospital at Westmead (for at least part of the Child and Adolescent Health Block) and private-sector general practice (for attachments during the Community Block).

All students will undertake 7 weeks of general practice and community health placements in a variety of settings including rural, remote area and urban practice.

Elective Block

The eight-week Elective Block, timetabled for the beginning of Year 4, provides students with an opportunity to extend their knowledge and understanding of healthcare through clinical and/or research placements. These placements may be undertaken in Australia or overseas.

As the intent is to expose students to healthcare settings other than those with which they are most familiar, students may not undertake electives in their own Clinical School other than in exceptional circumstances.

Elective placements and nominated local supervisors must be approved prospectively by Sydney Medical School. Supervisors are required to provide a report on the student's performance at the end of the elective. Students are required to complete a number of tasks relevant to their placement(s). These include appropriate preparation for the placement and a written report to be completed on return.

Students themselves are expected to fund travel, accommodation and other expenses for electives. While on approved placements, enrolled students are indemnified by the University of Sydney.

Pre-Internship Term

The Pre-Internship (PRINT) Term aims to provide the final preparation for internship, ensuring that interns will be competent and confident in their role.

In PRINT, each student is responsible for his/her own learning, and must also complete specified assessable tasks under observation by the allocated PRINT Supervisor. The PRINT Supervisor is responsible for making a recommendation to a final Sydney Medical Program Examination Committee on the student's readiness (or otherwise) for graduation and internship.

The PRINT Block is normally of four weeks’ duration.

Rural placements

In line with Australian Government policy, 25 percent of domestic students must complete 50 percent of their clinical experience in Stage 3 (Years 3-4) at the School of Rural Health, which has Clinical Schools at Dubbo and Orange Base Hospitals, or at a University Department of Rural Health (Lismore and Broken Hill).

Accordingly, domestic students may opt to undertake an extended rural placement in Year 3 or Year 4 at one of these sites. Rural placements are usually very popular and a ballot is held in Year 2 for allocations. Sydney Medical Program provides self-contained accommodation and comprehensive study facilities at all four sites.

International students, while not required to undertake rural placements, are encouraged to spend time at rural teaching facilities associated with Sydney Medical School when opportunities arise.

4. Suspension of candidature

Sydney Medical School may permit students to suspend their candidature in the Sydney Medical Program for the following purposes:

To undertake a higher degree. With the permission of the Dean, a student may interrupt candidature in order to enrol for another degree in the University of Sydney (such as a higher degree by research) or any other institution approved by the Dean. The student may resume the Sydney Medical Program at such time and under such conditions as were agreed by the Dean at the time permission to suspend was granted.
For any other purpose, at the discretion of the Dean, including but not limited to, serious illness, misadventure and appropriate professional development.

In most instances, students seek to suspend candidature for an entire academic year. Periods of suspension for less than an academic year, or periods of suspension that begin during an academic year, cause difficulties because of the integrated nature of the Medical Program and because the scheduling of teaching Blocks does not conform with University semesters.

The faculty will grant approval for a suspension from candidature only after a student has completed at least one semester of enrolment.

The precise arrangements and academic requirements for any interruption of candidature during an academic year will be determined on a case-by-case basis at the discretion of the Director of the Medical Program, in accordance with available capacity, Faculty provisions and University policies.

Requests for suspension of candidature submitted after the Higher Education Contribution Scheme (HECS) census dates (31 March for Semester 1 and 31 August for Semester 2) will result in a HECS fee liability for at least half of a year's fees.

Students should note the requirement to complete the Medical Program in a maximum of five academic years. This does includes any period of suspension of up to two semesters. Students should be aware that if a student suspends candidature for more than one academic year (two semesters) and is required to repeat a year because of academic failure, he or she may be at risk of being required to show cause because of a breach of this rule.

Suspension of candidature for any one period of more than 12 months will not be permitted, other than in exceptional circumstances and with the approval of the Dean (see Rules).

5. Assessment

See also the University of Sydney Assessment Policy (as amended) and Assessment Procedures (as amended).

(a) Responsibility for setting and administering assessments

Responsibility for administering assessment in the University of Sydney Medical Program is vested in the Assessment Unit, reporting to the Co-Directors of the Sydney Medical Program.

Responsibility for administering assessment for the award of MBBS (Honours) and assessment of MD research or capstone projects is vested in the Sub-Deans (Honours) or Sub-Deans (MD Research).

For the purposes of the Academic Board Assessment Policy 2011, the coordinator of the relevant Theme or Block acts as the 'program coordinator'.

For each Stage, the Dean, on the recommendation of the Head of the Medical Program, appoints one or more principal examiners. Each coordinator conveys the recommendations of the relevant group on individual students’ results to the Assessment and Evaluation Unit. Staff of the unit compile data on results to a Stage-specific Examination Committee.

(b) Examination Committees and processes for determining assessment outcomes

In Stages 1-2, assessment data are compiled by the Assessment and Evaluation unit for presentation to an Examination Committee.

In Stage 3, the relevant Theme, Block, Elective or PRINT coordinator and other responsible clinicians and academics together make an academic judgement on the performance of each student, based on Clinical School performance as well as examination data compiled by the Medical Program's Assessment and Evaluation Unit. These academic judgements form recommendations for consideration by the relevant Examination Committee.

The role of an Examination Committee is to receive and consider recommendations from the relevant academic staff regarding eligibility for progression or graduation of individual students. The Committee's determination is based solely on students' performance in the relevant summative assessments in relation to the requirements for progression. It takes into account any appropriately documented applications for Special Consideration for illness or misadventure (see 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 Sydney Medical School for final determination.

Examination Committees are appointed for each of the three Stages of the Medical Program. Their membership comprises the following:

Dean or Delegate, Sydney Medical School (Chair)
Director Sydney Medical Program, who may chair the Committee in the absence of the Dean
Associate Dean, Assessment and Evaluation, who may chair the Committee in the absence of the Dean
The Associate Dean responsible for MD research
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 or their Delegates, who must be members of the academic staff or academic title holders
Coordinators of Foundational Studies and Clinical Studies
Relevant Sub-Deans

The following may also attend:

Clinical School Medical Educators
Coordinators of the Core Blocks (for Stage 3)
Coordinators of the Specialty Blocks (for Stage 3)
Coordinator of the Elective Block
Coordinator of the Pre-Internship Block
Sub-Deans (Honours /MD Research)
Clinical School Executive Officers may attend in an observer capacity.
Assessment Unit (OME) academic and general staff may attend to report on assessment results and analysis and in a secretarial capacity.

The chair of each Examination Committee notifies the Manager of the Assessment and Evaluation Unit of the results that are to be released to individual students. The Unit is responsible also for forwarding the results to the Student Centre of the University by the due date.

(c) Levels of assessment

The Sydney Medical Program applies three types of assessment to determine students' eligibility for progression (or graduation) and/or provide feedback to individuals:

Formative assessments. These give students feedback on their progress in learning. The results of formative assessments do not contribute directly to decisions about progression (or eligibility for graduation) or grading, although students should be aware that participation in these assessments is noted.
Required formative assessments (RFAs). RFAs are specific assessments that are compulsory. They include formal designated examinations, online tasks, clinical and other practical tasks and written assignments. Students must attend and/or participate in all designated RFAs, and the fact of attending or participating is a part of the summative assessment requirements. Students' actual performance in RFAs is not taken into account directly in making decisions about grading, progression or graduation. The submission of formative work for review and assessment is considered to be professionally appropriate behaviour. Failure to attend or participate in RFAs conscientiously and in an orderly and timely fashion constitute a breach of the Medical Program's Statement of Expectations.
Summative assessments are used for the purpose of making decisions about grading, progression and graduation. Some summative assessments are 'barrier' assessments - they determine eligibility for progression or graduation. Other than in exceptional circumstances, summative assessments constitute the sole basis on which decisions regarding progression or graduation are made.

(d) Assessment schedule

At the beginning of each year, the Sydney Medical Program publishes that year's assessment schedule online. 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.

6. Progression

The details of requirements for progression (or eligibility for graduation) and for the provision of remediation and reassessment are set out in the Progression Requirements and Outcomes for the Sydney Medical Program, available from the current students website.

The Progression Requirements are to be read in conjunction with the University of Sydney Student Academic Progression Policy.

Students are also urged to refer to the Medical Program’s statement on Attendance Requirements, which are updated from time to time and made available on the Sydney Medical School current students website.

Students are strongly advised against entering into travel or other commitments that may be disrupted if they are required to undertake remediation and/or additional (e.g. supplementary) assessments prior to or after any summative assessment. Commitment to non-refundable travel costs will not be accepted as an excuse for non-attendance at remediation or additional assessments.

Because of the integrated structure of the Themes and Blocks, a student who is required to repeat Stage 1 or 2 of the Sydney Medical Program (see below) must repeat the whole Stage, and will be reassessed in all Themes and Blocks in that Stage.

7. Special consideration and Illness and Misadventure

(a) Special consideration: general points

Students who seek Special Consideration in respect of an assessment because of short-term illness, injury or misadventure during a Block or Term, or at the time of examination, should read the University's Assessment Policy and Procedures.

Further information can be found in the student administration website.

Applications for Special Consideration, accompanied by supporting documentation, must be submitted to the Sydney Medical School inquiry office on the main University campus (Room 230, Edward Ford Building A27).

Electronic submissions should be addressed to Ria Deamer

.

In the case of illness or misadventure during a Block, the application must be submitted within five working days of the first assessment for which Special Consideration is sought.

In the case of illness or misadventure during an assessment, the application must be submitted within five working days of the last day of the relevant assessment.

Applications for Special Consideration relate to specific, relatively brief episodes of illness, injury or misadventure. Students who experience longstanding or ongoing problems, such as permanent impairments or chronic illness, should contact the University's Disability Services unit.

Special Consideration cannot be sought in relation to longstanding conditions.

A student may submit an application for Special Consideration in relation to a supplementary assessment. However, even if Special Consideration is granted, no further supplementary examination may be conducted, and the student will therefore not be permitted to progress if he/she performs unsatisfactorily. A student who has been granted Special Consideration and performs unsatisfactorily in a supplementary assessment may therefore still be required to repeat the academic year. Under some circumstances, such a student may be permitted to sit for the next scheduled summative assessment in the Block in which he or she has done badly. This latter opportunity, which will mostly arise only in Stage 3, will usually follow a remediation pathway determined by the Director of the Medical Program and designed to maximise the student's capacity to achieve a satisfactory result.

At the discretion of the Examination Committee, where a student undertakes a supplementary assessment in the context of Special Consideration, the result in the summative assessment may be the result that is recorded for the purposes of assessing eligibility for progression and grading on transcripts (for Stage 3 students) and (for MBBS students) Honours.

(b) Illness or misadventure during a Stage

A student who does not attend scheduled activities for prolonged periods because of serious illness or adverse circumstances should seek an early interview with the relevant Sub-Dean or Clinical School Associate Dean. Even if the absence does not exceed the specified minimum attendance requirement, a student may wish to consider applying for a suspension of candidature pending the resolution of the illness or adventure.

In general, students who miss more than 10 percent of any specified type of activity or Block must catch up for what they have missed.

Details of requirements are available in the Sydney Medical Program Attendance and Leave Guidelines link. In some situations it will be impossible for students to make up for what they have missed; and if students have not been granted Special Consideration in these circumstances, they will be graded as ‘not satisfactory’ in the relevant Block or Stage.

In most circumstances, if a student is absent for more than 20 percent of a specified type of activity or Block, he or she is unlikely to be able to meet the requirements for progression. However, if such a student is granted Special Consideration, he or she may be allowed to repeat the Block or Stage without academic penalty.

It should be noted that Sydney Medical School has an over-riding rule that students who do not complete the Medical Program within five years are required to show cause as to why they should be allowed to continue their candidature. This rule applies regardless of the circumstances. It is upheld even where a student has been granted Special Consideration, or where a year is repeated without academic penalty.

(c) 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 in accordance with the University's Assessment Policy and Procedures.

8. Mandatory and voluntary notification requirements

The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) in partnership with the Medical Board of Australia implement the National Regitration and Accreditation Scheme under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law Act 2009 (known as 'the National Law'), as in force in NSW.

All medical students enrolled in Australian medical schools are registered with the Medical Board of Australia in accordance with processes of the AHPRA. Information about student registration can be found on the Medical Board website: http://www.medicalboard.gov.au/Registration/Types/Student-Registration.aspx

AHPRA has developed guidelines under the National Law that provide direction to education providers, about the requirements for mandatory notifications. Students should make themsleves familiar with the Guidelines for Mandatory Notifications on the Medical Board of Australia website. More information about reporting requirements can be found at: http://www.medicalboard.gov.au/Registration/Types/Student-Registration.aspx

9. Appeals

Any student may appeal against an academic decision in the Sydney Medical Program.

Appeals may only be made, and their outcomes will only be determined, in accordance with the University of Sydney (Student Appeals Against Academic Decisions) Rule 2006 (as amended)

Students who wish to appeal against an academic decison are advised to read the policy and follow the prescribed steps in order for an appeal to be accepted.

In initiating an appeal, students should contact their Stage Coordinator (if in Stage 1 or 2) or Clinical School Associate Dean (if in Stage 3) to discuss their concerns. Students in Stage 3 appealing against an academic decision in a Specialty Block should contact the relevant Speciality Block Coordinator to discuss their concerns. . If the matter is not resolved to the student’s satisfaction by these discussions and the student wishes to lodge a formal appeal, they may do so by lodging their appeal through the Advocate system (link) and sending an email advising that the appeal has been lodged to smp.assessment@sydney.edu.au Students are strongly advised to refer to the advice contained in the http://sydney.edu.au/policies/showdoc.aspx?recnum=PDOC2012/253&RendNum=0 in preparing their appeal.

In accordance with the Policy, while an appeal is pending and a decision has yet to be determined, it is important for students to continue in their enrolment track as normal. There may be restrictions on students undertaking clinical placements, including overseas clinical placements. This may occur, for example, where a student is appealing in the context of academic failure, and the Faculty has concerns about the preparedness of the student for such a clinical placement.

10. Evaluation

Evaluation is an essential element of educational process. The Associate Dean (Assessment and Evaluation) has responsibility for the management of evaluation systems in the Sydney Medical Program.

Evaluation processes are designed to collect, analyse and apply information from students, staff and others involved in the delivery of the Medical Program. The emphasis is on ensuring that evaluation data are incorporated in decision-making. Evaluation goes hand-in-hand with assessment, seeking to determine how well the educational needs of students have been met and whether educational standards have been attained. By conducting evaluation throughout the four-year Medical Program and beyond, the Medical Program is assessed for educational quality, and the curriculum is regularly updated to ensure the most recent educational innovations are implemented. However, the effectiveness of evaluation depends on high response rates from the students and teachers who take part.

Students in the Medical Program are invited to become partners in evaluation - for their own benefit through improvements in the course, as a professional responsibility to develop skills as reflective learners, and to take part in the ongoing cycle of curriculum development for the benefit of future students.

Most formal evaluation processes are conducted online by means of questionnaires or surveys. A particularly valuable survey system was introduced in Stages 1-2 (Years 1-2) in 2012. In this system, each cohort is divided into 12 groups of approximately 25 students, and each group is responsible for completing a short online evaluation pro forma (which includes space for free text) on all of the plenary teaching conducted in a designated two-week period. Each group covers two two-week periods every academic year. This gives a relatively unbiased sampling mechanism and overcomes the main problems associated with voluntary feedback.

There is a strong, conspicuous track record of changes and improvements to the Medical Program resulting from student evaluation. Academic staff regularly meet with student representatives to discuss priorities and processes for introducing changes that enhance the educational experience.

11. Clinical Schools

Specific information on Sydney Medical School’s Clinical Schools can be found at the following websites:

Central Clinical School
Website: sydney.edu.au/medicine/central

The Children's Hospital at Westmead Clinical School
Website: sydney.edu.au/medicine/chw

Concord Clinical School
Website: sydney.edu.au/medicine/concord

Nepean Clinical School
Website: sydney.edu.au/medicine/nepean

Northern Clinical School
Website: sydney.edu.au/medicine/northern

Westmead Clinical School
Website: sydney.edu.au/medicine/westmead

School of Rural Health
Website: sydney.edu.au/medicine/rural-health

Sydney Adventist Hospital Clinical School
Website: sydney.edu.au/medicine/sah

University of Sydney Handbooks - 2016 Archive

The University of Sydney - Sydney Medical School Handbook 2016