Acute Medicine SJH
We look forward to welcoming you to St John's Hospital for your forthcoming Year 4 clinical placements. Your 10 week placement will be based in the medical unit which is staffed by 19 approachable consultant physicians with a range of speciality interests.
These clinical placements are intended to offer an immersive clinical experience. Students will be viewed as part of the medical team and there should be an ample opportunity for informal clinical teaching.
It is expected you should be able to obtain the following experience:
- Clerk admissions to wards and present to senior member of the team. This objective is most easily achieved on MAU and EMA where you will have the opportunity to assess stable patients prior to formal review by a doctor,
- examine patients with feedback from clinical team
- attend ward rounds, present on patients you are following
- contribute to ongoing management including clinical skills such as venepuncture and cannulation
- accompany patients to investigations where possible, e.g. radiology
- shadow members of the multidisciplinary care team e.g. HCSW, nurses, pharmacist, physiotherapy, OT, etc.
- attend multidisciplinary team meetings
- observe specialist procedures
- complete your clinical portfolio.
Important information
Educational Supervisors
A medical consultant will be assigned to be your Educational Supervisor. They will be responsible for ensuring you have clinical opportunities to meet your curriculum objectives. Email is the best way to contact your supervisor, who is listed below. Named supervisor allocations will be made during your site induction meeting. Urgent contact is also possible via mobile - hospital switchboard (01506 523000) will be able to put you through.
Dr Geoff Martin - Consultant Respiratory and General Physician - geoffrey.martin@nhs.scot
Dr Michelle McMurray - Consultant Geriatrican and General Physician - michelle.mcmurray@nhs.scot
Student Groupings and Ward Locations
Two groups of 6 students will be based at SJH. These groups will be divided into 3 pairs (A, B and C) which will be allocated to specific clinical areas. The pairs will rotate during your placement to facilitate exposure to the following clinical areas:
Medical Assessment Unit (MAU) - MAU is located on the 2nd floor. This is the main medical receiving ward for patients who are on an 'amber' pathway.
Emergency Medical Assessment (EMA) - EMA operates from the Observation Ward on the ground floor next to the Emergency Department. This is an acute medical assessment area where patients referred by General Practice are seen.
Ward 21 - This 30-bed Respiratory and Cardiology Ward is on the 2nd floor, opposite MAU.
Out of hours shifts - a total of 2 weekend shifts per student will be undertaken during the 10 week placement; 1 shift based on MAU and 1 shift with the Hospital@weekend (H@W) team covering the downstream wards. You will not be shadowing night shifts at SJH.
Introduction meeting and ward orientation - On the first day of placement, please arrive promptly at 10am and meet Amanda McDonald in the main entrance foyer. If there are any problems, please call Amanda (01506 533839) or Dr Martin (via switchboard). You will be orientated to the main clinical areas, changing rooms and H@W office. You will also receive your ID badge/pass. Dr Martin or Dr McMurray will aim to meet you after this orientation for a brief introduction meeting.
Bedside teaching/tutorials - Although most of the teaching is expected to take place during clinical work, we will endeavour to organise a weekly bedside teaching session with one of the middle grade doctors. Details will be confirmed in your induction meeting.
Absence reporting - In the event of absence from placement, please inform Amanda McDonald (01506 532839) and email your education supervisor and University contact.
