| Unit name | Personal and Professional Development for Aspiring Medical Clinicians |
|---|---|
| Unit code | BRMS00001 |
| Credit points | 40 |
| Level of study | QCA-3 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 4 (weeks 1-24) |
| Unit director | Miss. Bethan Hawley |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
Foundations of Chemistry; 40 credit points; CHEM00001 Foundations of Biomedical Sciences; 20 credit points; LANG00047 English Language and Academic Skills for Aspiring Clinicians; 20 credit points; LANG00030 |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | Bristol Medical School |
| Faculty | Faculty of Health and Life Sciences |
Why is this unit important?
The Personal and Professional Development for Aspiring Medical Clinicians unit will prepare you, as an international student, for the academic and cultural transition to studying medicine in the UK. You’ll build essential study skills, organisational skills, and confidence through small group tutorials, supervised healthcare placements, and reflective work in your ePortfolio. During the unit you will explore key areas such as numeracy, data analysis and statistics for clinicians, ethics, teamwork, and professionalism – skills and values that reflect the General Medical Council (GMCs) Good Medical Practice, and the Medical Schools Council (MSC) Outcomes for Graduates. You will also be supported in your application to undergraduate medical programmes and encouraged to engage with Bristol Futures resources to enhance your personal and academic growth. By the end of this unit, you will understand what it means to be a safe, ethical, and compassionate doctor, and be ready to study medicine in the UK.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study
This unit complements your scientific and academic language learning from the Biomedical Sciences, Chemistry, and English language units by focusing on the personal and professional skills essential for future medical study and practice. While other units on the programme develop your subject knowledge and communication skills, this unit helps you apply them in clinical and healthcare contexts. You'll explore the structure of the NHS, ethical practice, teamwork, and reflective learning – key areas for aspiring clinicians. This unit must be passed to progress onto the MB ChB Medicine programme, making it a vital part of your preparation for undergraduate study.
An overview of content
This unit introduces key personal and professional skills for studying medicine in the UK. You will receive support with your UCAS application, personal statement, and MMI preparation, explore ethical practice, teamwork, communication, and professionalism, as well as develop numeracy, statistical, and critical thinking skills. Through portfolio work, tutorials, and healthcare placements you will gain insight into the NHS and clinical practice.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit
By the end of this unit, you will have a stronger sense of your identity as an aspiring medical professional. You will be more confident in your ability to communicate, collaborate, and adapt in unfamiliar academic and clinical settings. You will begin to understand the UK healthcare system, as well as reflect on the values and behaviours expected of doctors in the UK. This unit will help you clarify your motivations, build self-awareness, and develop a mindset that embraces challenge, responsibility, and growth.
Learning Outcomes
This unit is designed to support your development using a student-centred and interactive learning approach, with a strong focus on the application of knowledge. There will be an emphasis on inquiry-based, reflective, and problem-based learning methods chosen to reflect the demands of clinical and academic environments, prepare you for both undergraduate medical studies, and working in varied healthcare settings.
In teaching block 1 you will participate in small group teaching sessions twice a week (1 hour each). These sessions centre around group discussions and active learning, where you will be encouraged by your teacher to develop your critical thinking, reflective and collaborative working skills – all essential for success on the IFP for Medicine, MB ChB Medicine programme and your future career.
In teaching block 2, learning alternates between clinical placements and small group taught sessions. This blended model allows you to apply theoretical knowledge in healthcare settings, reflect on your experiences, and bring practical insights back into the classroom to discuss with student peers and teachers. The combination of placement and teaching supports the development of professional competencies and reinforces the relevance of the unit’s learning outcomes.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):
Tasks which count towards your unit mark:
The ePortfolio will include assessed contributions and reflective entries based on your experiences throughout the taught elements of the programme and during clinical placements
There will be one numeracy and statistical skill assessment per teaching block. Each assessment is worth 15% of your overall unit mark, making a total contribution of 30% across both assessments.
The TAB assesses professional behaviour, teamwork, communication, and engagement with peers and staff. It is completed by academic and/or placement staff, and your peers, is based on observed conduct across the programme, and reviewed by a member of academic staff. A satisfactory rating for TAB is required to pass the unit; failure or non-engagement will result in unit failure regardless of performance in other components.
To meet the progression requirements required to enter the University of Bristol MB ChB Medicine undergraduate programme you must achieve an overall score of 65% for this unit and pass the Team Assessment of Behaviour.
When assessment does not go to plan:
If you are unable to complete a summative assessment due to a validated exceptional circumstance, an alternative opportunity to complete the assessment will usually be offered during the unit or within the reassessment period.
In cases where the required grades are not achieved in one or more summative assessments, an opportunity to re-take the assessments may be offered. Students who do not achieve a satisfactory rating on their first attempt will have the opportunity to reattempt the TAB.
Where it is not possible to reschedule a like-for-like assessment, an alternative assessment may be provided.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. BRMS00001).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The assessment methods listed in this unit specification are designed to enable students to demonstrate the named learning outcomes (LOs). Where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, schools will make reasonable adjustments to support a student to demonstrate the LO by an alternative method or with additional resources.
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
