Minutes of the meeting of the Warwick Medical School Intra-School Committee
3rd October 2006, 19.00.
Medical Teaching Centre, University of Warwick, CV4 7AL.
In Attendance:
Mary Elliott – ISC Chair
Simon Roughneen – ISC Secretary
Dina Yinnakis – ISC Student Representative for Year 1
David Bruce – ISC Student Representative for Year 2
Seb Morton – ISC Student Representative for Year 3
Sara Jenks – ISC Student Representative for Year 4
Naomi Brown – MSC Representative
Naomi Tyrell – MSC Representative (2005/2006)
James Murphy – ISC Chair (2005/2006) and Representative for the WMS Flu Pandemic Contingency Planning Group
Witty Sandle – WMS Careers Advisor
Cleo Longworth – Education Officer and Deputy President (Students’ Union)
Gavin Maggs – WMS Staff Representative
Jo Dawes – SSLC Representative for Year 2
Anna Taylor – SSLC Representative for Year 2
Steve Walker – SSLC Representative for Year 2
Gwydion Rhys – Phase 2 Management Group Representative for Year 3
Ollie Lawton – MedSoc President
Steve Laird – MedSin Representative
Michelle Saunders – MedSin Representative
Claire Sogeler – Teddy Bear Hospital
Riaz Aziz – SKIP Project Co-ordinator
Jenny Daniel – Graduation Soc Representative
Dan Brizell – BLS Representative
Alexander Sojat – Warwick Surgical Society
Sophie Gillet – Sexpression Co-ordinator
Victoria Robinson – Student Careers Society
1. Introduction and Welcome (Mary Elliott)
The Chair thanked members for attending and introduced the ISC Student Representatives and Secretary and invited each member to introduce themselves.
2. Apologies for absence received from:
Jethro Turner – Phase 1 Management Group Representative for Year 2
Abby Murray – Phase 2 Management Group Representative for Year 4
The Chair explained that there was no SSLC representation from Years 1, 3 or 4, or Phase 1 Management Group representation from Year 1, due to the ongoing election process for those positions.
3. ISC Member Introductions
The Chair invited each ISC Member to introduce themselves and their society/representative group, including the role of each group, how each hoped the ISC would be able to assist them and what were the issues important to each group. Introductions were received from:
3.1 Education Officer and Deputy President – Students’ Union - Cleo Longworth
Cleo expressed a desire to improve the representation of post-graduates, including medical and PGCE students and indicated a wish to work closely with the ISC through the Faculty Representative and provided nomination forms for this position.
There was confusion over whether WMS already had a Faculty Representative (Talha Sayed, Year 2).
Cleo also indicated an intention to place more notice boards in the MTC and local hospitals to provide information on the Students’ Union.
ACTION: Cleo to contact Talha Sayed to clarify confusion over Faculty Representative position and then contact Mary Elliott. Talha to be invited to next ISC meeting.
3.2 Phase 2 Management Group - Gwydion Rhys
Gwydion explained the role of the Phase 2 Management Group.
3.3 MSC Representative - Naomi Brown
Naomi introduced the role of the MSC.
3.4 WMS Careers Advisor -Witty Sandle
Witty described her role as WMS Careers Advisor and emphasised that this role provides advice to all those with an interest in Medicine, from students considering applying to WMS to qualified doctors.
Witty also highlighted the evolving Careers Advice website on the WMS internet pages and invited ideas and suggestions on how to improve the service.
3.5 Student Careers Society - Victoria Robinson
Victoria described the role of the Student Careers Society.
3.6 Staff Representative – Gavin Maggs
Gavin described his role as School Fundraiser and indicated a desire to collate news about WMS student activities for publicity purposes.
3.7 SSLC Representatives – Jo Dawes, Anna Taylor, Steve Walker
The Chair expressed a desire from herself and the Deans that the ISC and the SSLC work closely together.
Cleo Longworth emphasised the importance of the SSLC to the Students’ Union.
The Chair suggested that the SSLC send one representative from each year group to future ISC meetings.
3.8 Sexpression – Sophie Gillett
Sophie provided an update on the Sexpression group and the need to recruit more first year students.
3.9 MedSoc – Ollie Lawton
Ollie explained the role of MedSoc in social and non-academic matters.
Concern was expressed that there was poor communication between societies of forthcoming important dates and activities. It was suggested that greater communication be established to prevent overlapping/clashes between event and activities, with the possibility of establishing an online calendar to allow groups/societies to confirm that planned events will not clash with existing events.
Ollie informed the Committee that the traditional MedSoc Christmas Ball will be held as a Winter Ball on 20th January 2007 due to the divergence of timetables between Year 1 and the other years, and the Module Examinations being sat by Year 2 immediately before the Christmas vacation.
Ollie also invited groups/societies to apply to MedSoc for funding to further their aims.
3.10 MedSin – Steve Laird & Michelle Saunders
Steve and Michelle provided an update on the work of the MedSin group at WMS.
3.11 Teddy Bear Hospital – Claire Sogeler
Claire provided an update on the work of the Teddy Bear Hospital and confirmed two future clinics on 19th October 2006 and 24th October 2006.
Gavin Maggs offered to liaise with Claire Sogeler to arrange press coverage for the clinic to be held on 24th October.
3.12 SKIP – Riaz Aziz
Riaz provided an update on the work of SKIP and informed the ISC that a new SKIP Committee will be elected in October.
3.13 Jenny Daniel – Graduation Society
Jenny provided an update on the work of this year’s Graduation Society and informed the ISC that this year’s graduation ball will be held Wroxall Abbey on 1st June 2007.
Graduation Society would welcome students from years other than Year 4 on the organising committee.
Ollie Lawton pointed out that hiring equipment through the Students’ Union may be cheaper than hiring it commercially.
3.14 BLS – Dan Brizell
Dan provided an update on the work of the BLS group to date and informed the ISC that there will be forthcoming fundraising and public events.
Gavin Maggs offered to liaise with Dan in order to help publicise the work of the BLS Group.
3.15 Surgical Society – Alexander Sojat
Alex provided an update on the work of the Surgical Society and informed the ISC of plans to invite a distinguished surgeon to address WMS, similar to the MedSoc Distinguished Speakers programme.
Alex also informed the ISC that WMS has been represented at student committee meetings of the Royal Colleges of Surgeons in London and Edinburgh.
3.16 Society of Trauma, Emergency Medicine and Pre-Hospital Care (STEP) – Nick Tate
The Chair informed the ISC that since STEP is a new society, Nick Tate would be introducing its work in the next ISC meeting
The Chair also invited James Murphy to introduce the WMS Flu Pandemic Contingency Planning Group, during which it emerged that WMS has identified e-learning as an issue and has recruited a member of staff to develop the School’s e-learning strategy
4. Issues discussed
4.1 Charity of the Year – Gavin Maggs
Gavin proposed the idea of a WMS ‘Charity of the Year’ which could be the main recipient of funds raised at WMS for charity. This would not exclude giving to other charities and it would not be mandatory for societies to participate in this scheme.
Several ISC members expressed the view that this would be helpful for societies (e.g. Revue Society; MedSoc) who have funds and need to decide on a charity to donate them to. It was also noted that this would improve the standing of WMS in the local community.
Concerns were raised about making it mandatory for societies to adhere to this, and the need for absolute transparency when allocating funding. It was also suggested that Societies who did donate to such a fund should receive recognition. Gavin reassured the ISC that it would not be mandatory for societies to donate exclusively to the chosen charity and that it should be possible for individual societies to receive recognition.
Questions were raised about selection of the charity, with several attendees expressing the view that there should be a whole school vote to select the charity.
The Chair tabled a motion for vote: that the Charity of the Year was a good idea. 21 of those present and eligible to vote supported this motion; there were three abstentions.
ACTION: Gavin to produce paper expanding on this idea to be submitted to the Chair five days prior to the next meeting of the ISC.
4.2 Cost of printing notes – Dina Yinnakis
Concern was expressed at the cost of printing notes at WMS, with the preference of many students in Year 1 for receiving printing credit on the first day rather than a free lunch.
It was noted that the cost of printing is a university-wide issue and therefore the SSLC Representatives should be approached, and that the Phase 1 Management Group could also discuss measures to reduce the cost of printing to students. The use of release stations such as those used on central campus to help prevent money being wasted on documents sent to the printer in error was also suggested.
4.3 Ranking for MTAS applications – Naomi Tyrell and Naomi Brown
The system of ranking students into quartiles for F1 job applications was explained.
Concern was expressed at the apparent miscalculation of the ranking positions of some students by WMS, three of which are known to be in appeal.
It was noted that the MSC regard the mechanism individual Medical Schools use for ranking students as a local issue, and that WMS is the only Medical School in the country to have conducted a survey, giving all students a chance to respond and have their say.
An overview of MTAS is available at http://www.mtas.nhs.uk. There is also information available on the MBChB discussion forum.
ACTION: James Murphy to draft letter to the Deans expressing the concerns of the ISC regarding the MTAS process, to be emailed to the Chair and sent to all ISC members for approval.
4.4 Clinical Education Supervisors – Sara Jenks
Concern was expressed that some students find it difficult to contact their Clinical Education Supervisors.
It was felt that although this would normally be an issue for SSLC, in light of the importance of the matter along with the fact that the SSLC representatives for most years have not yet been elected, Sara should contact Deborah Markham directly to raise these concerns.
ACTION: Sara Jenks to contact Deborah Markham directly to express the concerns of the ISC regarding the issue of Educational Supervisors.
4.5 MSC/ISC Website – Mary Elliott
It was felt that a website to improve the communication within and effectiveness of the ISC would be a good idea, and that it would reinforce the role of the ISC.
There are already existing Society webpages – would these come under an over-arching ISC website?
The chair tabled a motion for vote: that the idea of an ISC/MSC website be investigated further. The voting was unanimous in support of this motion.
ACTION: Mary Elliott, Naomi Brown, Seb Morton and Simon Roughneen to meet at a later date to take this forward. Simon Roughneen to contact Stephen Brydges to discuss the proposal with him.
4.6 Other societies to be invited to the ISC – Mary Elliott
The Chair recognised that possibly not all existing parties had been invited to the meeting and invited ISC members to suggest other societies/groups that should be invited to send a representative to future meetings. In particular it was noted that the SSLC representatives from Years 1, 3 and 4 and the Phase 1 Management Group Representative from Year 1, as well as representatives from the Medics Revue Committee and the new WMS Sports President (to be appointed in January) should be invited.
It was suggested that the Employment Advisor from the BMA should also be invited as well as representatives of the post-graduate SSLC.
ACTION: The Chair to obtain details of the post-graduate SSLC and issue an invitation for them to attend the ISC meetings.
5. Issues to be discussed at the next meeting of the ISC
5.1 Warwick Volunteers/Students’ Union interaction for WMS societies – Gavin Maggs.
5.2 Air-conditioning in the Biomed Grid – Dina Yannakis.
5.3 Clinical Pharmacology Senior Academic Half-Day lectures – Sara Jenks.
5.4 Welfare Representative – Mary Elliott.
The Chair also invited ISC members to suggest any other items for discussion prior to the next meeting.
6. Dates of future meetings
These were agreed as Tuesday 7th November 2006 at 19.00, Medical Teaching Centre and Tuesday 5th December 2006 at 19.00, Medical Teaching Centre.
7. Any other business
It was suggested that a constitution for the ISC was needed.
ACTION: James Murphy to contact the ISC at Nottingham Medical School to investigate this further
The meeting adjourned at 21.10.