Graduate Entry Medicine Induction

We’re delighted that you’ll be joining us in September on the next part of your journey. You have much to look forward to, and we’re certain that our programme will provide you with the knowledge, skills and insights you need to become a doctor. GEM is intensive, and we’re sure most of you will be looking forward to a well-deserved break over the summer. We’re also conscious that many of you may want to use the time before you start for some preparation for Year One.

The Swansea University Medicine Society (MedSoc) has put together an excellent introduction to GEM, which I would recommend you read before arriving in September.This covers a wide range of topics and offers insights from your peers, who have experienced the programme and will be sent via email before the course starts.

We don’t require you to do any prescribed reading before the start of the programme, but a substantial part of your learning as a medical student will be self-directed and require you to seek out sources and learning material to help you put everything together. With the wealth of resources available online, you don’t need to buy books to prepare for GEM, particularly as you will have already identified resources while preparing for your GAMSAT test.

 If you do want to buy a book to revise anatomy and physiology, the following two provide very accessible, although not very detailed overviews:

• The Human Body: An Introduction to Structure and Function by Adolf Faller and Michael Scheunke, published by Thieme, 2004. ISBN 978-3131292711
• The Complete Human Body: The Definitive Visual Guide by Alice Roberts, published by Dorling Kindersley, 2016. ISBN 978-0241240458

If it’s been a while since your last exposure to Chemistry, Physics and Biology, the list above gives you of biomedical / medical science concepts and gives an idea of the level of background knowledge needed for some aspects of the course. Alongside the formal curriculum, you’ll have access to additional learning opportunities provided by Medical School staff and your fellow students, aimed particularly at those students who feel they need additional support in basic sciences.

We’re looking forward to seeing you in September!

The GEM Team

MedSoc 2023 Welcome Booklet

Graduate Entry Medicine students will be taught by a range of clinicians, world-leading researchers and academic staff based at the Medical School.

Principle staff for the Graduate Entry Medicine programme are:

Head of Graduate Entry Medicine: Professor Ffion Williams

Programme Director :Professor Kenneth Mckeegan

Academic Deputy Head: Dr Suzanne Edwards

Placements Lead :Prof Sujoy Banerjee

Community Based Learning Lead : DR Llinos Roberts

Lead for Primary Care Academy : Dr Heidi Phillips

Christian Cobbold: Senior Lecturer

Admissions Leads

Admissions Lead: Dr Arun Ramachandran and Dr Mike Gilbert

Year Leads

Year 1 Lead: Mr Carl Rowe

Student Support and Guidance Lead: Dr Claire Vogan

Clinical Skills and ICM

Year 1 ICM Lead: Mrs Sue Pugh

Year 2 ICM Lead: Dr Margaret Byrne

Year 3 ICM Lead: Dr Sue West-Jones

Year 4 ICM Lead: Dr Andy Haden

Senior Academic Mentor: Mrs Collette Hill

Assessments

Assessments Lead : Dr Stephen Capey

Clinical Assessments Lead : Dr Jayne Dawkins

In 2022  we introduced a new Peer Mentoring scheme 

The main purpose of this Peer Mentoring Scheme is to help new students settle into Swansea University (if new to the University) and the GEM course, by enabling students to meet up with a mentor on a voluntary, flexible basis to address basic concerns about student life and learn from experiences of an already established student on the course.  

It will also enable students later into the GEM course to receive mentoring if they so wish from students further into the course. With that in mind it is completely possible to be both a mentor and a mentee i.e. a Year 2 student could be mentor to a Year 1 student but also be a mentee to a Year 3 student.   

This peer-to-peer mentoring scheme is in addition to the existing ‘parenting’ scheme run by the MedSoc, where all First Year students are introduced to a pair of students further into the programme, who introduce them to the programme. 

The new peer-to-peer mentoring scheme is an Opt In scheme -  this means it will be completely voluntary for students to be a mentor, mentee or both.

Do You Want To:-  

• Feel better prepared for University Life 
• Feel less anxious about making new friends  
• Feel more adjusted to University Life 

• Feel well supported  
• Feel part of the college community  

Then Sign up to our Peer Mentoring Scheme by emailing:

studentexperience-medicinehealthlifescience@swansea.ac.uk 

As well as subject specific support by college teaching staff and your personal academic mentor, the Centre for Academic Success provides courses, workshops and one-to-one support in areas such as:

• Academic writing
• Maths and statistics
• Critical thinking
• Time management
• Digital skills
• Presentation skills
• Note taking
• Revision, memory and exam techniques
• English language skills (if English is not your first language).

In addition, if you have a Specific Learning Difficulty (SpLD), disability, mental health or medical condition, the Centre for Academic Success have Specialist Tutors to support your learning, working alongside the Disability Office and Wellbeing Service to support all your needs and requirements whilst studying at Swansea University.

You will be assigned a Academic Mentor from a pool of trained personnel drawn from academic staff in the Medical School, or possibly clinical staff from Health Boards for GEM. 

Academic Mentors  are your first point of contact while studying at the Medical School and can provide assistance and guidance on a range of issues that may affect your wellbeing, attendance and educational progress.Personal Tutors may also help with your personal development planning and careers advice. Your Academic Mentor may also direct you to Welfare and other support services as appropriate.