Case Based Learning Tutorials

The Medical School recruits clinicians from FY2 onwards to contribute to Case Based Learning (CBL) tutorials.

When and where is CBL undertaken?

CBL Tutorials take place in Phase 3 (the first half of Year 3). 2024-2025 CBL teaching will be delivered in person within the Wolfson Medical School Building, University of Glasgow.

What is CBL?

Case Based Learning (CBL) is a form of small group learning, which incorporates:

• Group discussion of case scenarios presenting a problem.
• Working and actively learning in groups.
• Integration of prior and newly acquired knowledge.
• Co-construction of the clinical reasoning process and outcome.
• Development and improvement of problem solving skills and critical thinking.
• Use of self-study to consolidate learning that occurred in groups.

The advantage of this process is its ability to model the process of accessing information and solving medical problems which are the core activities of most physicians.

Role of a CBL Tutor

• Prepare for each meeting by reading the materials compiled by the Week Leads.
• Attend each session with your designated CBL group at the agreed time.
• Complete the student attendance form for each meeting.
• Highlight to the Medical School any students about whom you have academic or other concerns.
• Work with the student group as a clinical teacher.
• Facilitate, teach and guide students to reach an understanding of the material addressed.
• At the end of CBL ensure the group reviews the learning objectives and make sure they have achieved them.
• Provide formative feedback at the end of the session.

Benefits for a CBL Tutor

• It is an enjoyable experience.
• Tutors will receive a certificate confirming their contribution to undergraduate teaching.
• Tutors who sign up to take a CBL group on five or more dates during the Phase 3 period will be given the opportunity to obtain individualised feedback. 
• Certificates and feedback can be uploaded to e-Portfolio.
• Provides excellent revision for post-graduate exams.
• Teaching can be linked to specialties of interest that would help show 'commitment to specialty' at Core Medical Trainee interview.

Structure of CBL

CBL is led by a clinical tutor and takes place in small groups of approximately 11 students. 

The focus of CBL is on a clinical case history, the format of which is identical to that used in clinical practice, and the investigations appropriate to that case.

Each topic has a Week Lead, who is responsible for preparing the CBL materials. Instructions, room allocations, and the teaching materials will be emailed out to tutors no later than one week in advance of their CBL Session.

Group processes which occur during CBL

The following group processes occur during CBL:

• Students work together as a group.
• The group attempts to solve problems using critical thinking.
• The discussion is student centred but tutor lead.
• The discussion allows the students to integrate knowledge gained while exploring the case.
• The tutor helps facilitate group discussion.
• The tutor helps by correcting incorrect statements the students may make and by helping to explain difficult concepts.
• The tutor does not lecture, dominate discussion or become the focus of group discussion.

Training materials

All CBL Tutors are encouraged to access the Medical School's online training module, which provides an introduction to Case Based Learning.

The training module is designed to give tutors an overview of the programme in which CBL is used as an educational method, discuss current theories underpinning this modality of teaching and provide practical tips and solutions to running a session. The module covers two different methods of running a CBL session and provides (i) an opportunity to see a CBL session in action and (ii) hear from students and experienced tutors.

Access to the training module will be provided to tutors after signing up for CBL tutorial(s).

Tutor Feedback

Tutors who sign up to take a CBL group on five or more sessions during the Phase 3 period will be given the opportunity to obtain individualised feedback and a constructive review of their teaching. Tutors will be evaluated on their last two CBL session by the students within their CBL group. Afterwards the evaluation forms will be reviewed by the Year 3 Team and a report will be emailed to you.

• View a copy of the evaluation form students will be asked to complete
• View an example of a feedback report sent to tutors

We are also keen to forward on any feedback forms created by tutors to their respective groups - it is appreciated that not everyone is able to sign up for multiple sessions.

How to register your interest

Tutors are asked to sign up for available tutorials via our online form here.  The form is updated on a regular basis to reflect changes in availability of CBL tutorials.

Contact us

If you require further information, or if you would like to be added to our CBL Tutor mailing list and receive updates about available tutorials, please email the MBChB3 Inbox at med-sch-y3mbchb@glasgow.ac.uk.

Clinical Examination Opportunities

The Medical School recruits clinicians from FY1 onwards to contribute towards MBChB2 and MBChB3 Clinical Examination Teaching.

Clinical Examination teaching begins in MBChB2. During MBChB3 the Medical School has dedicated clinical examination sessions that build on basic clinical examination skills and prepare MBChB3 students for their specialty blocks within Phase 4. Specific areas covered in MBChB3 are:

• Cranial Nerve and Cerebellum Examination
• Mental State Examination
• Peripheral Vascular, Breast, and Thyroid Examination
• Regional Examination of the Musculoskeletal System

The relevant tutor resources will be emailed to you directly once you have signed up to assist with sessions. 

Benefits for a Clinical Examination Tutor

• Tutors will be given a certificate confirming their participation in the teaching session/s.
• The majority of Royal Colleges recognise contributions to teaching and assessment in their professional development programmes.
• Promotes interaction with the Medical School which can be formalised by applying for honorary status.

Available Sessions

Please use the sign-up form to submit your interest in becoming a tutor for the following MBChB3 Clinical Examination Teaching sessions:

• Breast & PVD & Thyroid Examination - w/c 4 November 2024
• Mental State Examination - w/c 9 September 2024
• Cranial Nerve and Cerebellu Examination - 17 and 19 December 2024
• Regional Examination of the Musculoskeletal System - w/c 4 November 2024

Contact us 

If you would like to note your interest or require further information, please contact: med-sch-y3mbchb@glasgow.ac.uk

Summary of MBChB1 Clinical Examination Skills sessions

Group of 4/5 students.

These sessions will take place on a Tuesday morning or afternoon and Wednesday morning (Wolfson Medical School Building)

All students learn clinical examination and history-taking of the principal body systems. For each body system, all students learn examination skills and history-taking on campus using online teaching videos and communication skills practice with Simulated Patients.  This is supported by online clinical examination teaching films produced by Glasgow University. Please see Appendix 1 for instructions on accessing all relevant teaching material, where further details regarding the clinical examination skills sessions are also available.

You are asked to make as much use of the timetabled three hours to teach clinical examination of the  body system requested. History taking is NOT part of these clinical examination skills sessions.

Sign Up Form

Contact us

If you would like to note your interest or require further information, please contact: med-sch-y1mbchb@glasgow.ac.uk 

Summary of MBChB2 Clinical Examination Skills sessions

Group of 4 / 5 students.

Students will have 2 clinical examination skills sessions. 

When will these sessions take place?

The sessions will take place on a Wednesday morning, Thursday morning or Thursday afternoon: (Wolfson Medical School Building)

The examination skills are timed to start at 9.00am for morning visits and 2.00pm for afternoon visits.  The expectation is that sessions will last 3 hours. 

All students learn clinical examination and history-taking of the principal body systems. For each body system, all students learn examination skills and history-taking on campus using online teaching videos and communication skills practice with Simulated Patients.  This is supported by online clinical examination teaching films produced by Glasgow University. Please see  for instructions on accessing all relevant teaching material, where further details regarding the clinical examination skills sessions are also available.

You are asked to make as much use of the timetabled three hours to teach system examination and history-taking for the body system requested.

There are 2 sections to clinical skills examination session

History; Tutors should ask students what questions they may ask relevant to the system due to examined

This will help the students consolidate the history taking skills, they have already been taught.

Students are asked to provide answers to the questions below for whiteboard/discussion

What questions would you ask about

• Weight gain / Loss
• Appetite
  reduced / increased – any selective loss [eg red meat and gastric ca, other rough solids and oesophageal]
• Swallowing Difficulties
  Localising value of knowing where it sticks, Whether or not there is choking
  Fatiguable swallowing difficulty
• Vomiting –
  frequency
  nature of vomitus
• Abdominal pain
  Where – NB migrating in Appendix
  How long

(How much / what time / deliberate or not)

Characteristics _ Colic / constant
Precipitants – foodstuffs, positional
Relieving factors
Tenderness?

• Bowel Movements
  How often (definition diarrhoea and Constipation)

Colour – Black / pale /
Bleeding PR – different patterns – Ca / Inf BD / Piles

Then go over sample cases – what might you expect of these questions in each case.

Examples of a scenario- 25 year old female presents with increased stool frequency and weight loss

Renal/GU System History Taking

Students provide answers for whiteboard/discussion

Urination – Difficulty in initiating

Incontinence

Frequency

Dysuria

Colour of Urine – red (causes) black, cloudy, frothy

Odour of urine

Female
Would obs and gyn history be appropriate here?

Male
Erectile function

Fertility

Localised pain

Examination: Try to organise that every student gets an opportunity to do this. Please instruct them and help them to develop their skills. They should have been shown how to examine patients according to the system on the online clinical teaching films.

Rectal examination models will also be available at this session.

You can sign up 

TBC

Confirmation of Teaching

A certificate for teaching that can be used for appraisal purposes can be provided by the Medical School.

Contact us

If you would like to note your interest or require further information, please contact: med-sch-y2mbchb@glasgow.ac.uk 

Educational Supervisor Opportunities

Students are generally allocated to a Consultant or equivalent grade in one ward; sometimes they will delegate clinical teaching to another member of their team - FY1 & FY2 grade doctors and Specialist Training Registrars are well placed to deliver teaching.

When are Clinical Placements undertaken?

Clinical Placements are undertaken during Phase 4 of the curriculum (from the middle of year three onwards).

What Clinical Placements do students undertake?

Role of an Educational Supervisor

This involves supervising a student/s programme and assessment as follows:

• Ensuring the clinical placement has a mini curriculum and learning objectives.
• Observe the student taking a history and/or examining a patient and doing what they would normally do in that situation (Mini-CEX).
• Discuss a case in which the student has been involved (Case-based Discussion).
• Look at and assess the students’ portfolio of clinical cases (Portfolio Cases).
• Provide formative feedback to the student.
• Complete an assessment of the student’s attachment, this will take place on the Glasgow Undergraduate Medical ePortfolio (GUMeP).
  
  View an example of a Mini-CEX form
  View an example of a Case-based Discussion Form
  View an example of a Portfolio Case Evaluation Sheet

Benefits for an Educational Supervisor

• Ability to engage with senior medical students for the duration of their attachment.
• Useful for job planning in maintaining or increasing SPA allocation.
• Useful for formalising ratification in the Recognition of Training process.
• Promotes interaction with the Medical School, which can be formalised by applying for honorary status.

Contact us

If you would like to note your interest or require further information, please contact: Veronika.Flaskarova@glasgow.ac.uk

OSCE Examiner Opportunities 

The Medical School recruits’ clinicians from ST1 onwards to examine in the Medical School OSCEs (although, ideally OSCE examiners should be experienced clinicians - Consultants, GPs, Senior Training Grades or Speciality Doctors). 

The involvement of experienced clinicians in our assessment processes is essential for the provision of suitably trained and evaluated medical graduates to the Health Service. 

What are OSCEs?

Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) are a fundamental component of the University of Glasgow’s summative assessment of student's clinical skills throughout the undergraduate medical curriculum. An OSCE is a performance-based test used to measure candidates’ clinical competence, where components of competence are assessed objectively in a planned and structured way.

Candidates:

• Are observed and evaluated as they go through a series of stations and perform a variety of clinical tasks.
• Interview, examine and treat actors or volunteer patients who present with a medical problem.

Role of an OSCE Examiner

Examiners play a vital role in the OSCE process in delivering a reliable and fair assessment process and prior to examining are:

• Expected to undertake online training via Moodle.
• Expected to attend interactive calibration session (optional).
• Required to have up-to-date Equality and Diversity Training, and forward on evidence of this prior to examining.
• Required to watch the five minute OSCE Examiner Briefing video.
• Required to read the OSCE Examiner Instructions Booklet.
• Required to examine half or full day OSCE sessions as agreed.
• Required to carefully observe all candidates' performances for the duration of the OSCE station.

Benefits for an OSCE Examiner

• Examiners will be given a certificate confirming their participation in the OSCE.
• Examiners will receive feedback on their marking for all main diet OSCEs.
• Contributions to the assessment of undergraduate medical students are recognised within appraisal and GMC revalidation processes.
• The majority of Medical Royal Colleges also recognise contributions to teaching and assessment in their professional development programmes.
• Promotes interaction with the Medical School which can be formalised by applying for honorary status.

Examiner Training 

The Medical School strongly recommends that all new examiners or examiners wishing a refresher undertake the following training:

• Online Training via Moodle: this training can be completed in your own time and outlines the Glasgow OSCE, the role of an examiner, explains how standards are set as well as other important changes regarding OSCE delivery this session. Instructions detailing how to access the online training module can be viewed here. It will take approximately one hour to complete this training.

• Interactive Calibration Session: following the completion of online training module, examiners are also welcome to attend our interactive calibration session which is open to all OSCE examiners, but specifically aimed at new examiners. This interactive face to face training is scheduled to take place on Wednesday 29 January 2.30pm - 5.00pm OR Wednesday 05 February 8.30am - 11.00am in The Hugh Fraser Seminar Room at the Wolfson Medical School building. During this training, you will have the opportunity to mark stations and discuss variation in marking to calibrate your standards ahead of marking in a live OSCE. To register your interest, please sign up using the form here.

After completion of online training (and the interactive calibration session which is optional to attend) you will be added to the OSCE Examiner mailing list and will be contacted throughout the year with a note of all OSCE sessions that require cover. The Medical School expects that everyone who completes OSCE Examiner Training, will make themselves available as an examiner in the same academic year. 

Please also note that it is compulsory for all examiners to watch the five minute OSCE Examiner Briefing Video and read the OSCE Examiner Instructions prior to attending the live examination. 

Typical Format of an OSCE

Examiners will be informed at least 6 weeks prior to the examination of the date, time and venues for the OSCE.

On the day of the OSCE a Clinical Lead will be present for briefing examiners, troubleshooting and answering all clinical queries with regards to all stations.  

The five minute OSCE examiner briefing will be shown fifteen minutes prior to the start of the OSCE, after this has been shown you will be asked to go to your station.

Examiners are responsible for the running of their station.  All stations should have been prepared accordingly, however prior to the start of the examination examiners are required to check this personally:

• In history taking or communication skills stations, examiners must run over the narrative with the simulated patient.
• In examination stations examiners must examine the volunteer patient to ascertain the negative and positive findings.  
• If relevant for the station examiners must make sure that the apparatus or components are all present and that disposal and hand washing facilities are adequate.

During the station examiners are required to make an item by item judgement using the criterion marking schedule. Examiners must give a mark if the task is completed accurately and if a task is not attempted, incomplete or inadequately performed examiners do not award the mark. Additional to the criterion mark sheet, all examiners are asked to make an unrelated and separate global judgement of the candidate (fail, borderline, pass, good pass).

Examiners must also take time at the end of the session to evaluate their station. Prior to stations running again in future OSCEs, Speciality Leads receive a copy of the evaluation forms completed for their station, and are required to take on board all comments, including making necessary improvements to their station for the next diet in which this will run.

Examiner Feedback

After all OSCEs, examiners receive an individualised statistical analysis report detailing their performance as an examiner.   The aim of the report is for examiners to reflect on their performance in comparison to fellow examiners.  Some examiners may be more stringent or lenient and it is important for examiners to review this information, and if necessary consider how they may change their practice in future OSCEs.

Each report details:

• The station/s marked.
• The median pass mark of the station/s marked.
• Your station statistics.
• Station statistics by venue for site comparisons.
• Station statistics by day for comparison of the marking over a number of days.

Examiners are recommended to attend further OSCE examiner training, if their mean mark is outwith -/+ 2 standard deviations of the mean of the station they examined.

View an example of the Individualised Statistical Analysis Report

OSCE Dates and Venues

In session 2023-2024, students will undertake summative OSCEs in Years 3, 4 and 5 at the Golden Jubilee Conference Hotel and the Wolfson Medical School Building as follows:

Contact us

If you would like to note your interest or require any further information, please contact: med-sch-assessment@glasgow.ac.uk

Problem Based Learning Opportunities

The Medical School recruits academic staff, clinicians from FY1 onwards, postdoctoral fellows employed by the College of MVLS at the time training takes place, and current PGR students in the College of MVLS (in Year 2 or beyond) to contribute to Problem Based Learning (PBL).

When and where is PBL undertaken?

PBL is undertaken in Phase 1 (Semester 1 of Year 1) and Phase 2 (Semester 2 of Year 1 and all of Year 2) and usually takes place within the Wolfson Medical School Building, but may also be delivered online if necessary.

What is PBL?

PBL tutorials are small group sessions, with a Facilitator, and are based around clinical scenarios. 

PBL allows students to test their understanding of topics through facilitated discussion, and to integrate material from different disciplines/specialties.  The PBL Facilitator is likely to have expertise in a discipline/specialty relevant to the integrated PBL scenario.

Role of a PBL Facilitator

• Attend and complete Sessions 1, 2a/b and 3 of the Facilitator Training Programme (8 hours).
• Meet with your PBL group once a week for 2 hours, for 4 to 6 weeks (total contact time is generally from 8 to 12 hours for different teaching blocks).
• Support students to develop self-directed learning skills, rather than act as a direct provider of information.
• When required, conduct formative assessment interviews with students in facilitated groups (provide feedback on their performance in PBL).
• Participate in CPD opportunities for facilitators, including a peer observation programme and yearly CPD workshop for quality assurance purposes.

Benefits for a PBL Facilitator

• After training, and facilitation of a full teaching block, all Facilitators are entitled to receive a certificate confirming their contribution to PBL.
• Facilitators receive feedback from students and by participating in the peer observation programme.
• Facilitators have access to a Moodle-based (electronic) resource and also to the relevant student Virtual Learning Environment.
• Facilitators are invited to attend specific staff development sessions (5 or 6 per academic session).
• Promotes interaction with the Medical School which can be formalised by applying for honorary status.

PBL Facilitator Training Programme

All PBL Facilitators are required to undertake the Medical School’s PBL Training Programme prior to facilitating.

View a description of the sessions that comprise the Training Programme.

Peer Observation

Participation in this process will give you the opportunity to reflect on the quality of your facilitation in the Medical School.

The aims of peer observation are to:

• Provide staff with formative feedback about the quality and style of their facilitation.
• Provide a mechanism for identifying good practice.
• Increase discussion of facilitation.
• Reflect on your own practice by observation of peers and reflection on comments of being observed.
• Learn from observing and being observed.
• View the Peer Observation Process.

Topics and Dates

All PBL sessions take place within the Wolfson Medical School Building.  

Contact us

If you would like to note your interest or require further information, please complete the form HERE

Student Selected Components Opportunities

The Medical School recruits clinicians from ST5 onwards to supervise Student Selected Components (SSCs).

What are Student Selected Components?

Student Selected Components (SSCs) complement the MBChB degree programme by offering students the opportunity to choose subjects they wish to study in depth. This fulfils the GMC requirement which states that a minimum of 10% of the curriculum should be made available for student choice.

It is for each UK medical school to design its own SSC programme to suit its own circumstances. In the University of Glasgow this takes the form of a 5 week dedicated block selected by students from a wide range of options and is undertaken once in each of year 2, 3 and 4. SSCs are delivered across a variety of teaching formats and cover topics such as research projects, the study of core curriculum-related topics in more depth, and topics outside medicine including humanities and languages.

Although programmes vary between medical schools, the GMC provide the following guidance as to what particular skills students should have the opportunity to develop:

• Learn about and begin to develop and use research skills.
• Have greater control over their own learning and develop their self-directed learning skills.
• Study, in depth, topics of particular interest outside the core curriculum.
• Develop greater confidence in their own skills and abilities.
• Present the results of their work verbally, visually or in writing.
• Consider potential career paths.  

Typical SSC Project Titles can be found here.

Role of an SSC Supervisor

• Provide a written outline for a 5 week module including aims and intended learning outcomes (template provided).  
• Decide on the delivery method of the SSC.
• Decide on which block(s) and the number of student places (i.e. 1-2 per block, more if applicable).
• Set aside time to supervise – this varies according to the nature of the SSC.
• Consider the most appropriate method for assessing the SSC (at least 60% written format with remainder usually being supervisor’s assessment and/or oral presentation).
• Encourage the development of a wide and varied range of skills such as curiosity, the ability to critically evaluate evidence, problem-solving and generic skills.
• Provide a written outline for a 5 week module including aims and intended learning outcomes, information can be found here: SSC Menu Outline Exemplar

Benefits of an SSC Supervisor

• Satisfaction from supervising enthusiastic and interested students for an intense 5 week period. 
• Anonymised student feedback is provided which can be included in job planning and appraisals.
• Help with clinical governance tasks such as audits, reviews, clinical effectiveness, etc.
• Increase the potential for future recruitment into your speciality: View footage from a former student
• Improve staff skills and training such as supervision and assessment expertise.
• Promotes interaction with the Medical School which can be formalised by applying for honorary status.

How do I find out more?

• We are always keen to encourage more staff to offer modules and can provide guidance and support.  SSC student, supervisor and assessor guides can be found here.

SSC Dates

Session 2023-2024 dates:

Contact us

If you would like to note your interest or require further information, please email: med-sch-ssc@glasgow.ac.uk

Year 1&2 Hospital Teaching Opportunities

Year 1 and 2 hospital visits may be hosted by a Consultant (or Deputy) or Senior Nurse.

Year 1 Hospital Visits

Summary of Year One Hospital Teaching

For the Hospital Ward and Emergency Department visits you will host a group of 8-9 students and their Vocational Studies (VS) Tutor. The Tutor is usually a GP and is present to accompany the students rather than deliver the teaching. 

For the Cardiovascular/Respiratory visits you will teach a group of 4-5 students on-campus (in the Wolfson Medical School Building).

When will the visits take place?

The visits will take place on a Tuesday morning, Tuesday afternoon or Wednesday morning:

The visits are timed to start at 9.30am for morning visits and 2.30pm for afternoon visits.  The expectation is that visits will last two hours and no longer than two and a half hours. 

Briefing the students

A room for briefing and debriefing will need to be identified beforehand and a secure place to leave coats and bags is essential.

The host is asked to describe the context of hospital care and to describe the work of members of the multi-disciplinary team.

Activities with the student

• Identify and consent a minimum of 4 volunteer patients to speak with 2 students for approximately 30 minutes on their experience of being a patient.
• Assign pairs of students to different members of the team so that the students can find out what the professionals do.
• At the end of the visit you should join the VS Tutor to debrief the students on the visit.

Confirmation of Teaching

A certificate for teaching that can be used for appraisal purposes can be provided by the Medical School.

Contact us

If you would like to note your interest or require further information, please contact: med-sch-y1mbchb@glasgow.ac.uk 

 Year 1 Hospital Visits for Cardio- Respiratory  (will be replaced by Clinical Examination Skills sessions)

Sessions will take place in the Wolfson Medical School Building

In Summary:

• Y1 Cardio/Respiratory - 25/26 February and 11/12 March 2025

Sign up to help

Year 2 Hospital Visits (will be replaced by Clinical Examination Skills sessions)

Sessions will take place in the Wolfson Medical School Building.

In Summary:

• One body system
• Y2 Gastro/Renal - 6/7 and 20/21 November 2024
• Four Students
• 3 Hours (9 - 12 noon or 2 - 5pm)