Inverness has a long tradition of teaching senior clinical medical students on attachment from Aberdeen, international elective and exchange students. Feedback regarding quality of teaching has been very positive. We hope this reflects our commitment to teaching and the high level of personal contact with Consultants and other members of medical staff.
The University of Aberdeen and NHS Highland has established a state-of-the-art teaching centre within the Centre for Health Science building. The Highland Medical Education Centre is the hub of campus administration. Highlights of the centre include:
- Comprehensive IT and AV equipment
- Videoconferencing facilities
- High-level simulation models
- Training wards for resuscitation practice and simulated ward teaching
- The most updated 3-D head and neck simulated teaching model, under development with the Glasgow School of Art and Design
Medical students come to Inverness for systems-based block teaching in years 4 and 5. Time here is spent consolidating knowledge within the clinical setting, and they will be attached to Medicine, Surgery, Psychiatry and GP. Structured objectives within the curriculum ensure that medical students are able to maximise their learning through regular tutorials, bedside teaching and operating theatre sessions. Additional skills teaching sessions are offered to complement training.
We also offer a Remote and Rural training programme, which is very popular and unique to the University of Aberdeen. Students who express an interest in this programme are attached to community hospitals and GP practices in the Highlands and Islands, with regular sessions in CFHS to touch base. Here, they have the opportunity to experience medicine as practised in remote and rural areas, learn about issues specific to rurality and develop different skills in managing patients away from tertiary medical centres.
- Teaching Team
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We have a dedicated team of consultants, registrars and teaching fellows who have a keen interest in medical education and who support the teaching program. We have established regular bedside and ward-based teaching, practical skills sessions for teaching basic and advanced skills and a simulated patient programme. Medical students here have dedicated, protected teaching time with real ward patients as well as practise sessions with simulated patients and models. During ward attachments, students are expected to see patients and are encouraged to think about patient management from an FY1 point of view.
There are ample opportunities to take histories, practice examinations and present cases in preparation for final year exams and FY1. The medical teams in the wards encourage hands-on involvement from students on attachment, according to their level of training. In addition, students will be able to sign up to learn or refresh skills such as insertion of cannulas and venflons, NG tube insertion and suturing skills, to name a few.
In addition, students who rotate through Inverness Campus will have the opportunity to undertake placements in remote and rural GP practices. This has the added advantage of enabling the students to experience community healthcare in a remote and rural setting. Students have found being able to build a rapport with doctors, healthcare professionals and patients within the small community a positive experience.
Inverness Campus is a major part of the University of Aberdeen and plays a vital role in delivering a quality undergraduate medical education programme. We have a good track record of positive student experience and a queue of medical students applying to return to take up posts in Raigmore Hospital as FY1s. This certainly speaks for itself!
- Accommodation
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Accommodation is provided on campus for medical students rotating through Inverness. Accommodation blocks are all less than a 5 minute walk from the hospital and campus.
Each flat has three floors and contain the following
- Bedrooms with bed linen and towels provided
- Internet ports with fixed cables and also wireless access
- Fully equipped kitchen for cooking
- Shower and toilet facilities
- Common room
There is a laundry room with a washing machine and dryer on in each block. Tokens can be purchased at Kyle Court between the hours of 0900 - 1630, and are £1.50 per token.
There is a small gym equipped with basic weights, cycling machines, treadmills and weights machines. With a £10 deposit, you can access this 24/7. To find out more, contact the Sports and Social Club Administrator on extension 4351.
Mail can be delivered addresses to you at the Highland Medical Education Centre, Centre for Health Science, Old Perth Road, Inverness, IV2 3JH. You will be contacted to collect any items.
There is a dining room located within Raigmore Hospital at Zone 9, and a cafe at the entrance for hot and cold food, tea, coffee and cold beverages.
Car parking spaces are available outside the accommodation. You will need to register your vehicle with the accommodation office, but you can park there for free. Bicycle sheds are also available. You may request for keys to bike lockers at the Highland Medical Education Centre.
- Clinical Skills Centre
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The Clinical Skills Centre is a purpose built facility in the Centre for Health Science adjacent to Raigmore Hospital. The Centre has been designed for simulation teaching and training for all medical, nursing and allied health professionals.
The centre is fully equipped with a state of the art observation system (SMOTS - Scotias Medical Observation and Training System) for training and peer review. An example being - recording of year 5 medical students assessing a critically ill patient (HAL Simulator) and implementing a management plan. The students are given immediate feedback and provided with a DVD of their recording to enable reflection.
The Centre facilities include:
- 5 Seminar Rooms equipped with VC/IT/AV System
- A four bedded simulated ward area including a simulated ITU bed space
- A high tech Practical Skills Lab which will be used for the teaching of surgical techniques
- Two large training rooms for the delivery of Resuscitation, Health and Safety training.
- Four "mid fidelity" simulators which are tether less - (HAL, Paediatric HAL, NOELLE (Midwifery) and baby NOELLE)
- A large number of clinical skills simulator models
- Access to a purpose built simulation suite