Postgraduate Taught

This award has been designed to facilitate the learning of the generic skills and knowledge essential to successful higher clinical practice. The emphasis is on Obstetrics and Gynaecology but also covers areas such as an understanding of Medical Education, Leadership for Health Professionals, Clinical Effectiveness and Research Methodology.

Each module consists of a mixture of different types of delivery, with some on line learning and face to face teaching, utilising a mixture of seminars, group work or short lectures.

There are a number of CORE modules and then a wide range of other generic modules that are optional. We have designed the award to be as flexible as possible, including enabling students to study some modules from other Keele awards. The award and modules have been mapped onto the Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology professional curriculum.

Course Director: Professor Khaled Ismail

The MMedSci (Obstetrics and Gynaecology) programme is new for 2011. Professor Ismail is a Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Keele University and Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at the University Hospital of North Staffordshire.

You will need to be a doctor actively engaged in surgical training in Obstetrics and Gynaecology to apply for this award. Certain individual modules are open to other professionals with appropriate experience.

Course Modules

Practical Surgical Skills (Obstetrics and Gynaecology) (15 credits) CORE

This module enables students undertaking a career in Obstetrics and Gynaecology to augment their professional portfolio with further academic study in order to develop a greater understanding of the various components of this.  Students will develop essential, softer skills of reflection and feedback not available in regular teaching on obstetrics and gynaecology.  The ability to look closer into evidence based clinical practice will enable the student to develop their career into research and teaching of this specialty whilst undertaking their required professional training.

Advanced Training Skills (Obstetrics and Gynaecology) (15 credits) CORE

This module will allow students in Obstetrics and Gynaecology specialist training to study to a much higher level than their standard professional qualifications.  This will allow them to illustrate their academic interest and ability above that of a normal specialist in training.  This will stimulate their self directed learning and the diversification of training into academic and teaching which will benefit both the student’s career development and the teaching and research interests within the hospital. 

Independent Practice-based Study (30 credits) CORE

Module Leader: Professor Khaled Ismail
This module will allow the student, in consultation with an educational supervisor, to develop and execute a personal learning plan based on analysis of best practice and evidence and their own thoughts to challenge present day care in their chosen area.  Students will be assessed on the evidence provided against learning outcomes previously negotiated with the student and their educational supervisor.

Contemporary Challenges in Healthcare Ethics and Law (15 credits)

To provide students with a high quality introduction to ethical and legal issues in healthcare and the knowledge and skills to enable further work on the subject.

Statistics and Epidemiology (15 credits)

A basic appreciation of epidemiology and statistics is invaluable in understanding published literature and in designing studies, both research and audit studies.

Research Methods (15 credits)

This module aims to introduce students to issues in health research and to research methodology.  Areas covered include qualitative and quantitative methods and include the use of focus groups and ethical aspects of research. 

Communication Skills for Health Professionals in Clinical Practice (15 credits)

The module aims to develop excellent communication skills through an approach based on skills and values, to explore the theory and evidence underpinning communication skills teaching and to enable participants to use a skills-based approach to teach others.

Medical Education (15 credits)

Much of a doctor’s professional life is concerned with facilitating the learning of junior medical staff, as well as contributing to the education of other health professionals and patients. This module blends active learning on a teaching the teachers course with a virtual learning environment online – to enable you to study at a time and place more convenient to you.

Health Informatics (15 credits)

This module aims to acquaint participants with the ways in which information technology can support clinicians, patients and managers.

Health Service Management (15 credits)

A significant part of a clinician’s professional life is spent as a leader and dealing with managers and aspects of management, often despite minimal experience and training in this area.

Clinical Effectiveness (15 credits)

To familiarise students with the methods and processes of critical evaluation of the professional literature and applying this clinically and as a self-learning model.

Reflective Practice (15 credits)

This module explores the nature of professional practice, using the paradigm of ‘The Reflective Practitioner’. It uses a variety of methods and participants’ current clinical practice to develop skills of ‘reflection in action’.

Dissertation

The award of an MMedSci (Obstetrics and Gynaecology) follows successful completion of the taught modules which make up the Diploma in Medical Science and submission of a further 60 credits worth of learning. This latter may be a research dissertation on a subject related to the individual’s specialty, in which case candidates will also be expected to have completed the Research Methods and usually the Statistics and Epidemiology modules. A practice based project is another possibility, such as evaluation of changes implemented in a clinical setting, educational projects, or exploration of ethical dilemmas in policy and/or practice. It is expected to be a significant piece of work, and we encourage all students to consider aiming for publication of their findings. All candidates will be expected to have a local clinical supervisor for their project and educational supervision will continue to be provided by the award team. Previous experience has shown us that this is an extremely popular component of the Degree. Candidates have often published or presented their dissertation at Regional and National meetings.