About the Programme

The medical programme at UCC is a 5-year programme based on best practice in medical education and delivered by a dedicated team of scientists, medical educators and clinicians. Students have early patient contact and learn about clinical aspects of disease in tandem with underlying science. Students receive training in all specialities in our excellent network of teaching hospitals, including Ireland’s only Level I trauma centre and learn the science and art of medicine in our world-class laboratories and clinical teaching facilities.

Mission Statement:

The mission of the 5-year undergraduate medical programme is to deliver a student-centred integrated medical curriculum, producing graduates who will meet the health needs of society, enhancing health globally, through patient care, research and education.

Objectives:

• To provide a research-led systems based curriculum which integrates foundational medical sciences, public health and epidemiology, clinical science and practice, behavioural science and research, horizontally and vertically

• To provide students with early patient contact building to full time clinical placements in later years

• To employ student-centred teaching methods; small groups, teamwork, interactive, electronic teaching & learning, inter-professional learning, electives, student selected modules & individual development initiatives, formative and summative assessment methods

• To foster a culture of critical thinking amongst students

• To advance medical knowledge through the promotion of research excellence

• To provide academic and pastoral support to students

• To work with clinical and health service partners to continually improve the teaching environment in all hospitals in the region.

• To provide appropriate numbers of staff to deliver on the mission and objectives of the programme

• To provide staff with opportunities for professional development, promotion and reward

• To comply with regulatory requirements as defined by the Irish Medical Council.

Every graduate of our medical programme will be able to:

• Diagnose, explain, and manage health problems in a range of clinical settings using the current scientific principles, knowledge and understanding that underpin medicine whilst demonstrating a sound knowledge of the biological, social and psychological basis of health and disease.

• Communicate effectively and compassionately with patients, carers, colleagues and society in all relevant media necessary to provide high quality, scientific and multidisciplinary patient care.

• Perform a range of clinical skills and procedures safely, reliably, unsupervised and to the standard of a preregistration doctor.

• Identify, evaluate and apply evidence to their practice of medicine whilst demonstrating an understanding of how such knowledge is created, shaped, appraised and shared and avail of all appropriate opportunities to contribute to the evidence base by engaging in valid and ethical research.

• Apply their knowledge of the ethical, regulatory and legal framework within which they operate to their practice of medicine whilst recognising the roles and contribution of other healthcare professionals to the provision of high quality, holistic patient care.

• Provide the highest levels of ethical, rational and humane care to all patients they encounter in clinical and scientific practice whilst managing effectively the resources available to them.

• Apply effectively principles of advocacy and knowledge of health promotion and disease prevention at individual and population level to their practice of medicine.

• Manage their own personal development as responsive and reflective practitioners and demonstrate an ability to contribute effectively to the professional development of others.

• Articulate and exemplify the specific roles, responsibilities and contribution of the doctor in the healthcare team and provide clinical, administrative and intellectual leadership in the quest to deliver excellence as a value and standard in health care.