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School of Molecular Medical SciencesFaculty of Medicine and Health Sciences
Queen's Medical Centre
Postgraduate Research Degree Handbook
A Guide for Staff and StudentsSeptember 2011
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CONTENTS
SECTION PAGE
Preamble 3
Welcome from the Head of School 3
Key staff and contact details 4
Roles and Responsibilities 5
Supervision, Training, Progression, Assessment 7and Monitoring
The Portfolio 14
Medical and Health sciences Training Programme 15
Facilities, Resources and PostgraduateActivities within the School 17
Summary calendar of events 18
Appendix I 19
Appendix II 21
Student Health and Safety 22
1. PREAMBLE
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Please take the time to read through this handbook. It provides valuable information relating to your course of study; what is expected from you as a student, and what you can expect from the University, in terms of support, guidance and supervision. If after reading this booklet you are unsure about any aspect of your study, please contact your Postgraduate Student Advisor, whose details are listed later in this book. If you have any suggestions about how this booklet could be improved, please let your student representative or the School Manager know!
2. WELCOME from the HEAD of SCHOOL - PROFESSOR PAUL WILLIAMS
I would like to welcome you to the School of Molecular Medical Sciences (MOL) and hope you enjoy your time with us. The School aims to provide a stimulating environment in which to undertake postgraduate research and training. With the Graduate School, we offer you a comprehensive programme of generic training, particularly in the first year of your PhD, including a rigorous training in laboratory methods, encompassing a wide variety of skills, and some advanced molecular biology skills.
The School sits at the interface of basic and applied medical research, and one of our objectives is to make your stay both enjoyable and rewarding. We have a good record for the completion of higher degrees, and our School is one of the largest in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. We offer you many opportunities to meet other students, both in the School and throughout the University, at PhD away-days and postgraduate events organised by the Graduate School and the Research Committee. We will keep you informed of these events.
Our School delivers several highly successful and established taught masters courses. There may be opportunities for you to attend some of the lectures offered in these courses, if relevant. We continue to up-grade our teaching facilities and IT Suite, and offer you excellent facilities for your research.
I hope you have a very successful and enjoyable time with us.
Paul WilliamsHead, School of Molecular Medical Sciences
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3. KEY STAFF AND CONTACT DETAILS
Name Role and Where they are based Email Phone Ext.Prof Paul Williams Head of School (University Park site) [email protected] 15047 (CBS)Prof Miguel Camara Chair of Postgraduate Research Committee
(University Park site)[email protected] 15036 (CBS)
Miss Leanne Mitchell
Postgraduate Research Administrator (QMC site) [email protected] [email protected]
30774 (QMC)
Dr Paddy Tighe Postgraduate Student Advisor (QMC site) [email protected] 30734 (QMC)Dr Ian Spendlove Postgraduate Student Advisor (City Hospital site) [email protected] 31857 (NCH)
Dr Steve Diggle Postgraduate Student Advisor (University Park site)
[email protected] 67949 (CBS)
Prof Richard James Director of Research and of the Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation (University Park site)
[email protected] 67952 (CBS)
Mrs Jennie Phillips School Disability Liaison Officer (DLO) (QMC site) [email protected] 30770 (QMC)
Mrs Diane Mitchell School Manager (University Park site) [email protected] 67950 (CBS)
The Student Representative for:
University Park is: ………………………………………………. Email: …………………………………………………… Phone: …………………………
QMC is: ……………………………………………………………….. Email: …………………………………………………… Phone: …………………………
City Hospital is: ……………………………………………………. Email: …………………………………………………… Phone: …………………………
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4. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Overview: The University has specific policies relating to research degrees, and these are described in the Quality Manual
http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/academicservices/qualitymanual/aboutthequalitymanual.aspx These guidelines offer flexibility to account for the demands and needs of the different degree programs, whilst at the same time providing a rigid framework to ensure that standards of support and assessment are maintained. Each student can expect to perform their work in an adequately equipped and supportive environment. Specific staff members within the School have various roles and responsibilities to ensure this, and these are described in the following sections.
Head of School:The Head of School is ultimately responsible for ensuring provision of a safe study environment that will facilitate the successful completion of research studies undertaken by students. They will ensure that students have access to adequate, pastoral support, supervision arrangements and facilities and that their progress is monitored and assessed appropriately.
The Director of Postgraduate Education:The Director of Postgraduate Education has delegated responsibility for ensuring that the School’s taught and research higher degree programmes are of the highest quality and that they are administered, delivered and audited in line with best practice and are compliant with current University policies and regulations.
Postgraduate Research Administrator: The Postgraduate Research Administrator assists the Director of Postgraduate Education and has responsibility for administration issues related to postgraduate research, including admissions.
The Supervisor:The supervisor will assist and give guidance to the student during their research and write-up period. Preferably students will be assigned two supervisors, although this might not always be possible. The supervisor(s) should hold regular supervision meetings with the students, and a PGR Student Database record of at least 10 meetings per academic year should be lodged. The supervisor is also responsible for ensuring that their student has registered for each academic session.
Who is the School’s Postgraduate Student Advisor (PGSA) and what is their role?The University requires the School to have at least one full-time member of academic staff designated to act as an independent School Postgraduate Student Adviser (PGSA). The PGSA is available to offer independent and strictly confidential advice and support to research students. The School operates on different sites therefore the School has several PGSAs to reflect this. The main site at which you perform your research will dictate who your PGSA is. Contact details for the PGSA can be found in the table of key contacts on page 4 of this handbook. When the PGSA is the student’s supervisor or internal assessor then a different member of academic staff (e.g. PGSA for a different site) should take on the role of PGSA for that student.
When a research student requests a meeting with the PGSA on a serious matter the PGSA should make a careful record of the problem and the discussions (the record should be agreed with the student), including the outcome and any proposed course of action.
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Internal Examiner (Assessor):The Internal Assessor will be responsible for assessing the student's annual reports and viva voce examination (if required). They will also make formal recommendations jointly with the supervisor at Annual Review, and these recommendations will be recorded on the Annual Review Form via the PGR-Web. The Internal Assessor will usually act as Internal Examiner during the final examination of the thesis.
Is the Postgraduate Student Advisor and Internal Assessor the same?No – although this has become a frequent misconception! The PGSA has an advisory and pastoral role, but no role in the assessment process.
MOL Postgraduate Research Committee (MPRC):This committee is chaired by the Director of Postgraduate Education, and consists of the site Postgraduate Student Advisors (PGSA) and student representatives. This committee, which meets at least once a semester, reports directly to the School Management Group via the Director of Postgraduate Education. The group advise the Head of School and School Management Group on research student affairs. At least once a year, and usually at the end of each academic year, the staff members of the group are responsible for auditing documentation relating to student supervision, training and assessment and reporting any deficiencies to the Head of School.
How do students raise any concerns that they have about their studies?This will depend on the nature of their concerns. Very often, students benefit from an informal chat with the Postgraduate Research Administrator! Specific worries about their research should be discussed with their supervisor(s). If there are concerns about the level of supervision received, then this should be discussed with the supervisor(s) or the PGSA. Any pastoral issues should be addressed to the PGSA. If a student’s concerns have not been addressed then they can arrange to see either the Director of Postgraduate Education or the Head of School. If the student wishes to make a formal complaint, then the University’s grievance procedure is described in the Quality Manual
http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/quality-manual/appeals/complaints.htm
The student representatives should be informed of issues or suggestions that are of more general interest (e.g. IT facilities, social facilities etc.). The student representative will then present these comments for consideration by the School Postgraduate Research Group, who will decide on the most appropriate course of action. The student representatives are responsible for ensuring that students are informed of this.
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5. SUPERVISION, TRAINING, PROGRESSION, ASSESSMENT AND MONITORING
The PGR Student Database: The School’s Postgraduate Research Student Web-database (PGR-Web) MUST be used to record and monitor supervision meetings, annual reviews, seminar attendance and portfolio development. This is a secure web-based database that has separate student and staff links. Access to the database for each of these user- categories is:
Staff - https://molpgr2.nottingham.ac.uk/PGRStaff
Student - https://molpgr1.nottingham.ac.uk/PGRStudents
Access to the PGR web can also be gained via the portal: https://my.nottingham.ac.uk/media/uk/ac/nottingham/compass/layout/public/
If you login to the University Portal and then select the ‘My School’ tab at the top of the page, you will see that down the left hand side there is an option to open the MOL PGR Progression System. Please select ‘Student’ and login as normal, using your University of Nottingham email address and correct password.
Unable to Logon to the PGR Student Database
If you persistently encounter problems accessing the PGR Progression System and you have already tried logging in using a different computer and have tried using a different internet browser, then please contact the School’s IT Officer at [email protected] at your earliest convenience to report your problem.
The School does not allow the use of hard copies of Supervision, Annual Review or Training Record forms. The PGR-Web MUST be used by all staff and students at all times to record Meetings, Progression and Training.
The database is used to:1. Record supervision meetings,2. Record training acquisition / portfolio development 3. Seminar attendance4. Manage the annual review process, including upload of student reports and record of
the review decisions / recommendations
At the start of each academic year the IT Support Officer will provide a demonstration of the database and will be able to provide ongoing technical help and support (Email: [email protected]). Students or staff who are unable to attend these should contact the IT Officer to make alternative arrangements for a demonstration.
Supervision, Skills Training and Progression: The process adopted by the School for monitoring the progress of Postgraduate Research Students is dictated by their degree programme. The majority of Postgraduate Research Students in the School are enrolled on full-time PhD programmes and the relevant monitoring and assessment process adopted by the School is outlined in Figure 1. The section following figure 1 highlights the assessment and monitoring system applicable to students registered on the 3-year PhD programme.
Figure 1:
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3 YEAR PhD PROGRAMME
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SupervisionIt is expected that students will have regular meetings with their supervisors, who will offer academic and pastoral advice and guidance, as necessary. Training needs and portfolio development and identification of appropriate and relevant training courses should be agreed between the student and supervisor. It is the student’s responsibility to arrange supervision meetings at mutually agreeable and convenient times. As a minimum, there should be 10 database records of meetings between supervisor and student , although in reality there will be significantly more meetings than this! It is the responsibility of the student to ensure that sufficient progress meetings have been completed and are recorded on the PGR Student database.
Core and Generic Skills Training: Skills PortfolioAcquisition of discipline-specific and generic (transferable) skills is an important element of Postgraduate study. This is achieved through a variety of routes, which include at-the-bench training and internal and external courses and workshops. Identification of training needs can be both student and supervisor driven and will take place as part of the formal supervision meetings. The School has also identified a set of skills that are deemed essential and it is expected that all students will be able to demonstrate competency within the timescale indicated in the School’s Core and Generic Skills programme. This programme forms the framework for portfolio development. It is accepted that students will have different starting points and existing proficiencies; therefore attendance at most of the training courses and workshops is not compulsory. However, a student must have an appropriate evidence indicator to show competence in the specific skills before this can be signed off by the supervisor.
Recent audit of PGR training showed that attendance at School/University seminars by PGR Students was sporadic - this is unacceptable! Therefore, ALL students MUST attend at least 10 seminars per year. Seminar attendance must be recorded on the PGR-Web.
End of Year 1 Assessment(Deadline dates for each stage of the review process will be indicated on PGR-Web) Annual Report: Eight calendar months after commencing their studies, each Postgraduate Research Student must submit two items for assessment: a research paper and a review article, both in a style appropriate for journal submission.
The Research Paper: will outline the background to their research, methodology (to be used), results to date and expected future directions. The report should be prepared in the style expected for a submission to Journal of Biological Chemistry (http://www.jbc.org/) or similar leading journal in their field. A declaration should be included immediately before the summary section stating that the work presented is entirely the author’s work, except where stated.
The report should be no more than 6,000 words (not including figures and table legends and references) and the abstract no longer than 300 words. Figures and tables should be embedded within the text and be supported by full legends. There is no limit on the number of citations, and evidence of thorough review of relevant literature is expected. Future directions / experimentation should be included in the discussion section.
The Review Article: should constitute a critical review of the current scientific literature and an appraisal of current ideas and thinking relevant to your chosen research project. Where possible primary references, i.e. recent journal articles rather than standard texts, should be used as the prime sources of information. The review article should be no greater than 5,000 words.
The review and the report should be uploaded to the PGR-Web by the date specified.(Please note: Uploaded reports and any supporting documents should NOT be uploaded using bmp or tif formats)Viva voce Examination: As part of the 1st year assessment, all students will be expected to attend a viva voce examination, which will be conducted by the nominated Internal
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Examiner (Assessor). The examination will centre on the submitted report, although the examiner is entitled to ask questions of a wider more generic nature. Following the viva voce examination, the Internal Examiner and Supervisor will complete the 1st Year Review and Registration Status Review forms. This must be completed by the end of the student’s tenth month of study.
End of Year 2 Assessment(Deadline dates for each stage of the review process will be indicated on PGR-Web)
Written Report and Poster Presentation: Twenty months after commencing Postgraduate study, each student will be required to produce a poster (A1 size) for presentation at the School Postgraduate Research Day. A copy (A4 or electronic) of this poster, together with an updated version of the year 1 Research paper (6,000 word), updated to contain Research Progress made during year 2, should be submitted via PGR-Web. The Internal Examiner and supervisor will complete the 2nd Year Review and Registration Status Review online via the PGR-Web by the end of their 22nd calendar month of study
Viva voce Examination: In exceptional circumstances (for example, in cases where it is necessary for the internal examiner to seek further clarification from the student about aspects of their progress etc.), the student may be required to attend a viva voce examination.
If the PGR student is unable to present the poster at School Postgraduate Research Day, due to exceptional circumstances, he/she will have to notify in advance the Postgraduate Research Administrator who will seek approval from the Chair of the Postgraduate Committee. Once approval has been granted, the student will have to arrange a viva voce examination with the Internal Assessor to discuss the poster and the progress report for the second year of the PhD. This can be arranged in person or via video conferencing such as Skype. The reporting from this viva will be done in the usual way using the PGR online system and the whole process must be completed by the 22nd calendar month of study.
THESIS PLAN: At month 24 of their PhD, all PGR full time students will be requested to submit a thesis plan via the PGR-Web. This thesis plan should consist on a structured list of headings and subheadings for the different chapters of their thesis, including introduction, materials and methods, results and discussion. The sections already achieved should be clearly distinguished from those remaining to be achieved in the final year of their PhD. The use of a colour code would be strongly recommended eg. black for those sections achieved and red for those remaining to be achieved. The student will be giving the chance to upload updated versions of the thesis plan throughout year 3. The thesis plan will have to be approved by supervisors and, during the supervision meetings of year 3, the student will be expected to comment on progress on the thesis plan in the appropriate section of the PGR-Web reports.
End of Year 3 Assessment
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Oral presentation: Before the end of their final year of study, each student will be expected to make an oral presentation of their research findings at the School Postgraduate Research Day. This will not be formally assessed, although it is anticipated that both the Internal Examiner and Supervisor will provide the student with formative feedback.
If the PGR student is unable to give an oral presentation at the School Postgraduate Research Day, due to exceptional circumstances, he/she will have to notify in advance the Postgraduate Research Administrator who will seek approval from the Chair of the Postgraduate Committee. Once approval has been granted, the student will have to arrange a meeting with his/her research Internal Assessor to go through the oral presentation. This can be arranged in person or via video conferencing such as Skype. The presentation will then have to be uploaded into the PGR system, as part of the portfolio, and the Postgraduate Research Administrator informed, by the PGR student, of the date when the meeting with the Internal Assessor took place. This process MUST be completed before the start of the 35th calendar month of study.
Skills Portfolio and Supervision Record Audit in all years
The portfolio programme prescribes the expected skills acquisition to be achieved by the end of the Research Degree programme. This is accessible via the PGR-Web. An audit of the Portfolio and Supervision Meeting records will be a key part of each end of year assessment.
Assessment Outcomes
The Internal Examiner’s and Supervisor’s reports, Training Portfolio Record and Supervision Records will be reviewed by the Postgraduate Research Group at their Annual Review meeting (or in exceptional cases, by the Director of PG Education). Based on this information, they will determine whether or not each student’s progress is satisfactory or unsatisfactory.
Satisfactory assessment: Those students who successfully complete an end of year assessment will have their degree registration confirmed and will be allowed to register for the next year of study.
Unsatisfactory assessment: If a student’s performance in an annual assessment or general progress throughout the year is deemed unsatisfactory then this is recorded on the online annual review form. Also, if a student has failed to meet the necessary skills acquisition (as stated in the Portfolio Programme and evidenced by the Portfolio Record) or failed to complete the necessary Supervision meeting records, then this student will be asked to attend a remedial meeting with the PGSA and the Head of School and / or Director of Postgraduate Education. The Supervisor may also be asked to attend. The purpose of this meeting is to explain to the student why their performance is deemed unsatisfactory and to decide the most appropriate course of action. The possible outcomes are:
1. Agreement of an action plan, which both Supervisor and Student must agree on and sign up to
2. Downgrading the current degree registration (e.g. PhD to MPhil)3. Termination of studies
(Where an action plan is deemed the most suitable solution then this plan must include a date by which the student’s progress is re-assessed and how it will be assessed)
PART-TIME PhD PROGRAMMES
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SupervisionSupervision requirements are essentially identical to those outlined for the full time 3 year PhD programme described above except that, as a minimum, there should be 6 database records of meetings between Supervisor and student.
Core and Generic Skills Training: Skills PortfolioSee relevant section in the 3 year PhD programme above.
End of Year 1 Assessment(Deadline dates for each stage of the review process will be indicated on PGR-Web)
Report:Eight calendar months after commencing their studies, each Postgraduate Research student must submit a 1,000 word report outlining the background to their research, methodology to be used, results to date and expected future directions. They must also upload a separate report outlining progress (modules, credit weighting and examination results) on the taught element of their degree programme. The reports should be submitted on-line to the PGR-Web. The internal examiner and supervisor will complete the online annual review form. This must be completed within 11 months of the student commencing their postgraduate research.
End of Year 2 Assessment (Deadline dates for each stage of the review process will be indicated on PGR-Web)
This will be identical format to the 1st year assessment for the full time 3 year PhD programme (i.e. report and viva voce examination) described above.
End of Year 3 Assessment(Deadline dates for each stage of the review process will be indicated on PGR-Web)
This will be identical format to the 2nd year assessment for the full time 3 year PhD programme (i.e. poster and report) described above.
End of Year 4 Assessment(Deadline dates for each stage of the review process will be indicated on PGR-Web)
This will be identical format to the 3rd year assessment for the full time 3 year PhD programme (i.e. poster and report) described above
Skills Portfolio and Supervision Record Audit (All Years)The portfolio programme prescribes the expected skills acquisition to be achieved by the end of the Research degree. An audit of this record and supervision meeting records will be a key part of each end of year assessment.
Assessment Process and OutcomesThese are identical to those described for the 3 year PhD programme
MRes DEGREE PROGRAMME
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This is a one year programme consisting of two elements:
20 credits of non-assessed generic training. 160 credits of assessed work (up to 40 credits of taught modules and/or up to 140 credits
of Research)
SupervisionSupervision requirements are essentially identical to those outlined for the full time 3 year PhD programme described above except that, as a minimum, there should be 6 database records of meetings between Supervisor and student
Core and Generic Skills Training:
Skills Portfolio
A student registered for an MRes degree will be expected to keep a portfolio that will provide evidence of the requisite generic and taught skills acquisition. The non-assessed and assessed training courses should be chosen by the student in consultation with the Supervisor(s) and should have a clear relevance to the general area of research.
Assessment
The student is required to undertake, and pass, all course work assessments and examinations associated with any subject specific taught modules taken. A report recording the taught and assessed components should be uploaded to the PGR-Web. The generic training courses will not be assessed. However, candidates need to record attendance in their report and on the Training Portfolio section of the PGR-Web.
The research project will be assessed by a dissertation of a maximum of 30,000 words. The dissertation will be examined by an external and one internal examiner. The student might be required to attend viva voce examination. The examiners should also be provided with a copy of the students Training Portfolio record, so that they are aware of the proportion of the student’s overall studies that the project represents, giving due regard to the sum of any taught modules undertaken.
The dissertation and Research Training Portfolio should be submitted to the School’s Postgraduate Research Administrator 11 calendar months following registration (22 months for part-time students). The Postgraduate Research Administrator will be responsible for arranging examination of the dissertation and Portfolio. The two examiners will then be responsible for determining whether or not the candidate has reached an overall standard worthy of the degree. In the event of a failure re-examination will be permitted in accordance with the degree regulations.
The entire assessment procedure, including the submission and examination of the dissertation, should be completed within one year for full time and within an equivalent period for part time students.
DM DEGREE PROGRAMME
The Supervision, Training and Portfolio development and assessment methods are the same as those for the 3 year full-time PhD or 4-year part-time PhD programmes, described above.
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THE PORTFOLIO
The School of Molecular Medical Sciences is committed to providing its Postgraduate Research (PGR) students with the opportunity to gain essential and desirable generic and transferable skills training, in addition to acquiring leading edge discipline-specific skills and knowledge. To enable the student to benefit fully from the training and education available, the School has adopted a reflective portfolio approach to identifying training and skills needs and then meeting this need (where possible) by provision or access to the most appropriate training courses, workshops, “at-the-bench” instruction or placement. Details of some of the courses available, and how to reserve a place, can be found at
http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/graduateschool/traininganddevelopment/index.aspx
Please Note: we DO NOT operate a credit system, and no elements of either training course are compulsory. Instead, you are expected to demonstrate acquisition of the core compulsory skills as detailed on the School’s Postgraduate Research Student Database. The School recognises that you will have different levels of baseline skills and understanding compared to others in your cohort and that you will have a unique training requirement. For this reason, your participation on the majority of courses is not mandatory. However, we do expect students to take advantage of the training on offer within the School, Faculty and University (Graduate School). Therefore, all PGR students registered in MOL will regularly reflect on their skills training acquisition and needs and review this with their Supervisor during the requisite supervision meetings. There will also be an opportunity to review this with their internal assessor during the annual review process. Where a training need has been identified you will be expected to make the necessary efforts to enrol and participate on an appropriate course, workshop, placement etc. as appropriate.
The portfolio will be completed online via the School’s PGR-Web. This details a list of generic and subject-specific core and optional skills, against which you will claim competency by uploading supporting evidence, or more usually, evidences (e.g. course attendance certificates, work exemplifying the use / acquisition of the relevant skill etc.) that describe how the relevant skills have been acquired. The portfolio can then be reviewed during each supervision meeting and the student’s skills progression discussed and career development plan updated. The portfolio will help in CV writing, and can also be used during annual reviews and interviews etc. to demonstrate to assessors and prospective employer’s etc. skills acquired by them either before or during their research studies.
Whilst we expect students to take advantage of training and education offered locally this may not adequately meet all training needs. Therefore, participation on external courses, workshops and conferences is encouraged, although you will have to discuss with your Supervisor ways in which participation at an external event can be funded.
Finally, it is expected that ALL students registered within the School will show competency in the entire core skills listed and described as “Generic Skills”. ALL students must have acquired these skills by the end of Year 2 (Year 3 for research programs greater than 3 years in length). A formal audit of the acquisition of training and skills will be carried out during each annual review.
We trust that you will benefit from the skills training available to you during your studies, and that the process of portfolio development will be a positive experience and help you develop reflective practice. However, if you have any comments to make on how the portfolio can be improved then please let your respective student representative or student advisor know!
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Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences Postgraduate Training Programme 2011-2012
CONTRIBUTORS: Faculty Staff from the Faculty GS Graduate School IS Information Services CES Career and Employability Service PD Professional Development CTU Clinical Trials Unit
Workshop Contributor
Conducting your PhD/DM/MPhilNature of the doctorate and the supervision process
GS
Getting going on your thesis GSGetting into the habit of writing GSFinishing your thesis GSPreparing for the viva GS
Transferable skillsLibrary Services for the new researcher IS/GSEssential information skills for the new researcher in Medicine and Health Sciences
IS/GS
Keeping up to date with news and research in Medicine & Health Sciences
IS/GS
Information Technology skills IS/GSReferencing for Researchers GSPlanning your research GSGCP (accredited 1 day course) FacultyEthics of human tissue and animal studies in research
Faculty
Ethics in clinical research FacultyPG who teach -Preparing for your teaching sessions
PD
Meet the editors (M&HS) GSAn Introduction to clinical research FacultyDiversity – online training PDFaculty Postgraduate Research Forum Faculty
Data AnalysisMathematics in the lab FacultyBasic statistics with SPSS (tbc) FacultyIntroduction to SPSS (online) GSAdvanced statistics in SPSS FacultyIntroduction to Stata for epidemiological analyses
Faculty
Communication SkillsPresentation skills for researchers GSFurther presentation skills for researchers GSPreparing your first year report and writing scientific abstracts
Faculty
Using posters to communicate research GSCreating a poster in PowerPoint ISPreparing & presenting an effective CV (PhD/MPhil)
CES
Interviews - and how to survive them GSIntroduction to the skills of teamwork GS
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Introduction to the skills of assertiveness GS
Research TechniquesLaboratory practice 1 (basic practice, health & safety)
Faculty
Laboratory practice 2 (Basic techniques) FacultyCritical Appraisal of scientific literature 1 (non-clinical)
a) Facultyb) Coursework
Introduction to Qualitative Research GSEvidence Based Medicine
Critical Appraisal of the Literature 2 (clinical) (tbc)
Faculty
Systematic Review FacultyClinical Trials – the basics (tbc) CTUAn Introduction to Health Economics FacultyQualitative Observational Studies Faculty
For a complete copy of the booklet along with further information about each training programme, please visit webpage provided below:
http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/graduateschool/documents/mhsgc/facultyprogramme1112handbook.pdf
Courses can be booked by visiting the webpage below:
www.nottingham.ac.uk/csc
FACILITIES, RESOURCES AND POSTGRADUATE ACTIVITIES WITHIN THE SCHOOL
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Facilities:The School does not have dedicated postgraduate social facilities, but coffee and tea making and canteen facilities etc. are available at each site. The School has a dedicated teaching facility located on A Floor, West Block, QMC site, which has several seminar and meeting/tutorial rooms that are available on a booking basis. If you wish to book any rooms, please contact the teaching facility co-coordinator based at QMC.
Resources:The School has well-equipped laboratories. Students requiring access to specialist equipment that is not available within their individual research group should direct their request to the relevant research group leader. Students have direct on-line access to a variety of electronic journals, as well as direct access to books, journals and periodicals in the University’s Libraries.
The student portal is a very important means of communication and source of information. The School has set up a dedicated Postgraduate Research Group, available to all Postgraduate Research students and academic staff. Notices of seminars, meetings etc. are posted here. In addition, internet links and files relevant to Postgraduate Research and study are also posted here. To access the Postgraduate Research Group, open the portal homepage (http://my.nottingham.ac.uk/cp/home/loginf) using any internet browser, look for the groups icon located in the top right hand corner of the title bar, click on groups then select the link for the Postgraduate Research Group.
School Postgraduate Research Day:This is scheduled to take place in either June or July each year, and all PGR students are expected to attend. This is a combined social and study event, during which current Research degree students formally present their Research findings to peers and staff within the School. Seminars and Research meetings:Various seminars and meetings are arranged at research group, Institute, School and Faculty level. You MUST attend at least 12 seminars per year (6 for PT students).
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Summary calendar of events/assessments for full-time PhD students (the timing of these activities will vary according to degree and registration status)
Month Activity Information for Postgraduate Research
Administrator
Month 1 – 3
Registration Agreement of research programme with
supervisor(s) Student to start attending PG courses and
seminars
Check student has registered Ensure student has received
School handbook, and relevant safety advice.
Month 3
Nomination of internal assessor for 1st year report (annual review on progress)
Academic member of staff – not the student’s supervisor or previously closely associated with the student’s studies.
Month8
Student submits 1st annual report on-line to the PGR-Web
Viva to be held with internal assessor (optional for MPhil students).
Proformas to be completed by student, internal assessor and supervisor
Month 10
The internal examiner and supervisor will complete the 1st year Review and Registration Status forms
Eitheri. confirm current registrationii. Action plan agreediii. Alter PhD registration to
MPhiliv. Termination of studies
Month 20
Student submits (A4) poster together with updated version of the year 1 research paper to PGR-Web
Month 22
The internal examiner and supervisor will complete the 2nd year Review and Registration Status Review online via the PGR-Web.
Eitheri. confirm current registrationii. Action plan agreediii. Alter PhD registration to
MPhiliv. Termination of studies
Month 24-26
Discuss composition of PhD thesis with supervisor(s)
Month 30-48
Write PhD thesis and submit to Medical Faculty
Appointment of examiners The viva voce examination Recommendation by examiners to award or
re-submit Graduation
Notification to submit form 1 internal & 1 external, form
to be completed
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APPENDIX 1: Sources of support for students
Pathways ProjectAn on-line resource developed to help students gain relevant general academic skills and training.http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/pathways/
As part of this there is a site dedicated to helping International students adjust to the UK and to University life. http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/pathways/international_route_1
Academic Services DivisionAcademic Services offer advice on registration, examinations, thesis write-up period, withdrawing/suspending, certificates/transcripts, graduation and everything in between. Web address: http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/academicservices/currentstudents/index.aspx
Centre for English Language Education (CELE) Provision of English language training and support to international students.Web address: http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/cele/ Tel: 0115 9514405
ChaplaincyTo provide advice and support to all members of the University community. Web address: http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/chaplains/ Tel: 0115 951 3930
Counselling ServiceCounselling offers a service to talk in confidence about problems that concern you.Web address: http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/counselling/ Tel: 0115 9513695
Information ServicesProvides a New Student's Guide to Library and IT Services http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/is/student/ebook/blueFlash/Default.html
Using IT Facilities http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/is/student/ebook/GreenFlash/Default.html
Fact sheets including: Using Library Lending Services; Using print and Photocopy Services, Top IT Helpdesk Questions; Using Short Loan Collections; and Using Self Service are available at: http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/is/uon/knowledgebase/top_guides.php and via the IS website student home page at: http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/is/student/student.php (bottom right corner of the page)
Students living in halls will have an IS 'Starter Pack' waiting for them in their study bedrooms, containing:
a Student Network Service (SNS) cable a print copy of the new student's guide a fact sheet to help them to start using SNS a fact sheet about the IT Support Tutor sessions available to them a publicity flyer advertising the 'freeview' internet TV and telephony service provided
by INUK.
Accessing your University Emails
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Postgraduate students are given a username and password once they have completed the ‘Online Registration’ process. Using this password, you can then login to your email account by going to http://email.nottingham.ac.uk
(Please note: your email may take up to 24 hours to become active)
International OfficePractical advice and support for all students whose home is outside the UK.Web address: http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/international/ Tel: 0115 9515247
IT Supporthttp://www.nottingham.ac.uk/is/
Office for Disability IssuesThis office provides advice and support to students with a disability or long term chronic illness. Web address: http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/disability/ Tel: 0115 9515766
Quality ManualA source on information for Research students on supervision and monitoring of progress, annual reviews and appointment of examiners. Web address: http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/quality-manual/
Relevant CoursesThe following free half-day sessions are available for all postgraduates who will be teaching or are interested in teaching:
Teaching induction for postgraduates and Research staff – 26th September, 3rd October, 10th October
How do students learn? – 28th September, 2nd NovemberA practical look at core teaching skills – 3rd October, 12th December
Supporting students doing undergraduate projects and dissertations – 22nd SeptemberSmall group teaching – 12th OctoberLecturing for learning – 5th October, 14th November, 16th DecemberPublic speaking skills for PG teachers – 23rd NovemberDemonstrating in Laboratory practicals – 19th October, 5th DecemberSupporting example classes – 21st NovemberMarking and assessment – 23rd November, 14th DecemberMarking and assessment for scientists – 7th December
For further information, or to book a place, please go to: https://training.nottingham.ac.uk/cbs-notts/Portal/DesktopDefault.aspx?GoHome=1 and select the ‘Learning & Teaching’ Category.
Student ServicesProvides help and advice to students primarily in the area of financial support e.g. council tax exemption. Web address: http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/student-support/ Tel: 0115 9515992/5108
Student Union Web address: http://www.su.nottingham.ac.uk/
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APPENDIX II
Services for students who have a disability, dyslexia and/or a long-term medical condition
The University of Nottingham is committed to promoting access for students who have a disability, dyslexia and/or a long-term medical condition. Services provided aim to enable students to fulfil the inherent requirements of the course as independently as possible.
The University’s Disability Plan for Students: The University’s [dis]Ability Directory, which lists the provision available at the University, can be accessed from the Disability Policy Advisory Unit:
http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/disability/
What we need you to do ….It is your responsibility to ensure that the University is aware of your individual requirements. If you have a disability, specific learning difficulty (such as dyslexia) or long-term medical condition, you are urged to inform the School’s Disability Liaison Officer (see below) and/or your personal tutor. The School has a Disability Disclosure and Confidentiality Policy through which you can choose what level of disclosure you wish to authorise. You will be asked to sign a Disability Disclosure Form that either requests that information concerning your circumstances remains confidential between yourself and the staff member to whom you disclose or that authorises staff to share information on a need to know basis, in order to extend support to you. Letting us know what you might need at an early stage will help us to help you. What we can offer you …..Once you contact your DLO or personal tutor you will be referred to Academic Support – with your permission as stated above. Academic Support, in Student Services, includes the Disability and Dyslexia Support teams, and offers a range of academic and practical support for all students. It incorporates a recognised ASSESSMENT Centre for those who wish to apply for Disabled Students’ Allowances, carrying out the assessments required by your LEA or funding body. Academic Support is also responsible for making recommendations for alternative arrangements such as those required in examinations, assessments and for timetabling. Assistance can also be given with regard to queries about adapted accommodation and University provision of accessible transport.Contact details are: Tel: +44 (0) 115 951 3710Fax: +44 (0) 115 951 4376 Minicom: +44 (0) 115 951 4378Email: [email protected]: www .nottingham.ac.uk/as
School Disability Liaison Officer (DLO)The DLO for the School of Molecular Medical Sciences is Mrs Jennie Phillips (Tel: 0115 823 0770, internal 30770, Fax 0115 823 0759, email: [email protected]). Students’ UnionThe Students' Union Students with Disabilities Association exists to represent the interests of students with disabilities at The University of Nottingham. Its aims are to promote equality of opportunity and to ensure that students with disabilities can participate in all aspects of University life. The association also provides information, support and advice as well as organising a range of social, sporting and other activities during the year. If you would like further information, want to join or get involved please contact us at:Tel: +44 (0) 115 846 8771Ext: 68771 (internal) Email: [email protected]
School of Molecular Medical Sciences
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Student Health & Safety Information
Health & Safety responsibilities
All work areas consisting of offices and laboratories are inspected and monitored to provide safe working environments for staff, students and visitors. In the event of an area becoming unsafe to work in, all personnel must leave such areas when instructed to do so by a Health and Safety representative of the School or building. Failure to do so will not be tolerated and may result in disciplinary action or suspension.
You will undergo an induction and will receive other safety related documentation relating to the area you will be working in. This document sets out basic requirements relating to project supervision, first aid and fire regulations. Further details relevant to laboratory based students can be found on pages 26-28.
MOL Teaching Area
The Mol Admin Team are located on A Floor, West Block, QMC. This area has restricted access by entry card and normal hours of working during which you can access the student computer area is between the hours of 9am to 5pm.
Security
Members of the QMC Security team can be contacted on 74- 63335, 24 hours a day. These details can be found on all phones as they carry stickers stating emergency contact numbers including University Security and fire.
First aid & accidents.
There are trained first aiders in all MOL areas and you must familiarise yourselves with personnel in the area in which you are working. In the first instance report an accident (or near miss ) to your supervisor. If they are not available seek the help of any member of staff. It is a requirement of the University that all accidents are reported via the Safety Office On Line Reporting System and a member of staff will help you complete this.
Fire Evacuation procedures & regulations
Different evacuation procedures are in place for all embedded University areas within Trust areas, CBS and the Medical School. You are required to familiarise yourself with the procedures relevant to the area in which you are working and you will be required to attend the first available fire lecture. Details of these can be obtained from your supervisor or the MOL Admin Team. Current procedures are as follows:
REPORT ALL SUSPICIONS OF FIRE IMMEDIATELY - DO NOT DELAY RAISING THE ALARM. LIVES COULD DEPEND ON IT.
All members of the school must ensure they know the positions of the nearest fire alarms, telephones, fire extinguishers and exit routes.
These differ within the School but the general rules apply. See relevant area for further detailed information.
Do not allow an accumulation of flammable materials (paper, solvents) in uncontrolled areas and ensure that storage of such items is safe and tidy.
If asked to evacuate and area or building:
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1. Do not use lifts or stop to collect personal belongings.2. Report to the assembly point.3. Do no re-enter the building until instructed that it is safe to do so.
Queens Medical Centre
The Estates Office tests the fire alarm system each week on Wednesday mornings.
There are electronic alarm sounders installed in QMC. There are two types of alarm signal within QMC, these are the "two tone" (continuous) alarm signal and the "single tone" (intermittent) alarm signal.
A Fire Information Panel is located within each fire zone. This shows the main access corridors and staircases as well as fire zones for that floor. A number and a red light identify each zone. Should one or more of these light up then a fire or smoke detector has been triggered in that area. The exact location of the detector that has been triggered will be given in the digital display at the top of the panel.
West, South, East & the new ENT Block
On discovering a fire:
1. Activate the Fire Alarm by operating the nearest break glass alarm call point.2. Dial 2222 via the nearest telephone and state location of fire, this is to give further information only and will not set off the alarms.3. Evacuate the area into the next fire zone, closing the fire doors behind you.4. Use appropriate fire extinguishers if safe to do so and if your escape route is clear.
On hearing the fire alarm:
"Two tone" (continuous) alarm:1. Fire alarm triggered on your floor.2. Check the fire information panel for the location of the fire. If it is in your area then carry out procedure above.3. If not located, do not go through the fire doors.4. Wait for alarm to stop or Fire Officer's instructions to evacuate the area.
"Single tone" (intermittent) alarm:1. Fire in your block above or below your floor.2. Do not move between floors however movement laterally between blocks is permitted.
If you trigger the fire alarm in error:
If you know that the fire alarm has been triggered in your area in error (burning toast, dust created by contractors etc):1. Ring 2222 immediately and inform the switchboard what has happened. Do not wait for the fire team/brigade to attend to inform them.
Medical SchoolThe Estates Office tests the fire alarm system each week on Wednesday mornings.
On discovering a fire:
1. Activate the Fire Alarm by operating the nearest break-glass alarm call point.
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2. Dial 2222 via the nearest telephone and state location of fire, this is to give further information only and will not set off the alarms.3. Evacuate the area into the next fire zone, closing the doors behind you.4. Use appropriate fire extinguishers if safe to do so and if your escape route is clear.
On hearing the fire alarm:
"Two tone" (continuous) alarm:1. Fire alarm triggered on your floor.2. Check the fire information panel for the location of the fire. If it is in your area then carry out procedure above.3. Collect red token for checked clear area and take down and hang on its predetermined position on the fire token board, which is situated in the A floor foyer next to the main front stairs.4. If not located, do not go through the fire doors.5. Wait for alarm to stop or Fire Officers' instructions to evacuate the area.
"Single tone" (intermittent) alarm:1. Fire in your block or below your floor.2. Do not move between floor however movement laterally between blocks is permitted.
If you trigger the fire alarm in error:
If you know that the fire alarm has been triggered in your area in error (burning toast, dust created by contractors etc):1. Ring 2222 immediately and inform the switchboard what has happened. Do not wait for the fire team/brigade to attend to inform them.
On hearing the fire alarm in the lecture theatres during a class:
If a single tone sounds, no action is required.
In the case of a two tone continuous alarm, the lecturer should evacuate the room. For LT1 this should be via the doors into the foyer and then out into car park 1.For LT3 & 4 this should be via the back doors and to the outside via the School of Nursing exit or the goods yard exit.
On hearing the fire alarm in the teaching labs when a class is in progress:
If a single tone sounds, no action is required.
In the case of a two tone continuous alarm sounding the lecturer should tell the students to remain in the room, the lecturer or other member of staff, searches the area and if no fire is found, should take the token for that area down and hang it on its predetermined position on the fire token board, which is situated in the A floor foyer next to the main front stairs.
Staff Procedures
When the alarm sounds there is a standard response procedure within the medical school.
During the working day
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1. The fire brigade are called automatically via the QMC switchboard.2. The medical school engineers will respond.3. The QMC fire officer will respond.4. The QMC duty nurse manager will respond.5. A safety or fire officer from the medical school will respond.6. QMC security will respond.
Out of hours
1. The fire brigade are called automatically via the QMC switch board.2. The QMC estates shift technician will respond.3. The QMC duty nurses manager will respond.4. QMC security will respond.
Centre for Biomolecular Sciences
On discovering a fire:
1. Raise the alarm using one of the fire alarm points. If practicable dial 8888 on the nearest internal phone and inform security.
2. Close the door and evacuate the area.3. Use the appropriate fire extinguisher if it is safe to do so and your escape route is clear.
On hearing a continuous alarm
1. Pick up fire token and check areas listed on it.2. Take token to Safety Officer at the fire assembly point located in the car parking area.3. Await instructions before re-entering the building.
City Hospital Nottingham - Oncology
On discovering a fire:
1. Raise the alarm using one of the break glass points or ring switchboard on 2222 and inform them of the location of the fire.2. Close the door and evacuate the area.
Clinical Sciences BuildingOn discovering a fire:
1. Smoke or heat detectors trigger alarm automatically.2. Close the door and evacuate the area.3. Use appropriate fire extinguishers if safe to do so and if your escape route is clear.
On hearing the fire alarm:
Continuous siren:
1. Pick up fire token and check areas listed on it.2. Take token to Safety Officer at the fire assembly point located at the front of the Clinical Sciences Building, next to the barrier to the rear car park.3. Await instructions before re-entering the building.
Further guidance for laboratory based students
The University has a responsibility under Health and Safety legislation to provide task supervision (not to be confused with academic supervision) for both undergraduate and postgraduate students to the extent necessary to ensure that they are able to perform their work safely. This guidance considers both categories of student. Most of it is directed
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towards postgraduate students since the work of undergraduates is usually controlled by the protocols forming the practical side of their course work.
The objectives of the guidance are to ensure that:
The supervisory aspects of the preventative measures identified by the risk assessments required by the Management Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1992 are fully considered, and
The students concerned are informed of those aspects of their work where closer supervision of these tasks is needed for the work to be carried out safely.
Students are aware of the area in which they are undertaking any work within MOL or any other School and are familiar with emergency procedures.
The Guidance
The duty to provide supervision of students’ work activities to ensure their safety is delegated to the Head of School and subsequently to the members of staff directly responsible for the work (the supervisor). This ensures any activities that carry risks are identified and the appropriate measures put in place.
Effective supervision will be based on divisional procedures, systems of work and monitoring arrangements. Initial induction and training of new postgraduate students in safe operating procedures is essential, and must be documented and recorded appropriately. All students will be required to undertake an induction in their laboratory area and complete a questionnaire to ensure they have received and understood the relevant documentation. All divisions will have a local induction document and the full School Health and Safety Manual is available on the MOL web site. Training and induction records must be completed and signed by both the student and supervisor and kept on file. Day to day supervision is a flexible concept which varies from close and direct involvement with the student in the tasks whilst they are being learnt, to a more distant approach once competence is demonstrated, at which point it becomes a guiding and monitoring activity to ensure that deviation from the safe procedure is not occurring and that other hazards are not being introduced. Consequently, the supervisor will not be required to be directly present during the performance of all tasks although an awareness of the activities of the students under his or her control will be needed and they should be available. There will of course be some tasks in which the risks involved necessitate the direct presence of the supervisor to ensure their safe execution. Most projects are under the supervision of two supervisors, one Academic and one bench, the latter providing a more hands on approach and point of contact on a daily basis.
Continued supervision of the student will be needed during periods of absence by either supervisor. There will be a need therefore to have a mechanism to provide this cover. The simplest method would be to have prior nomination of a “deputy supervisor” to accommodate sudden absences such as through illness. The role of the deputy would usually be limited to being aware of the student’s activities and competence, and being reasonably available for consultation by the student. Direct task supervision of the student should await the return of the student’s own supervisor unless the necessary competent support can be provided, for example by the supervisor personally or by other research workers or technicians.
Application to Postgraduate Work
All activities will be subject to a risk assessment and will be backed by a Standard Operating Procedure – SOP. The risk assessment, having identified the hazards involved, how they can occur and the likely consequences, should specify the precautions to be taken to control danger. This can range from the provision of personal protective equipment – PPE – to working in a fume or class II hood.
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Adherence to these should also be monitored by the Supervisor, for example from his or her direct observations from regularly seeing the student at work. The Supervisor may also receive feedback from other members of the research group about the student’s ability to work to the procedures.
1 Close observation of the procedure by the student
Students will normally observe a procedure being carried out by a trained competent person. They will then need to demonstrate they have understood the requirements and risks associated with the work and show competency in carrying out the procedure themselves.
2 Completion of a protocol and risk assessment of that protocol by the student
Students will be required to produce a protocol outlining the experimental work before making an assessment of the protocol. This will describe:
all hazards associated with the technique; the likelihood of exposure at all stages of the procedure; the consequences of exposure or failure of containment (to the individual, the lab,
the wider environment). containment, PPE and waste disposal required at all stages of the procedure; action in the event of an accident; the categorisation of the procedure, A-D.
Copies of experimental protocols and risk assessments should be forwarded to the local safety committee or appropriate academic for approval before work commences.
3 Dummy Run
Where risk assessment identifies the procedure as a category B risk and above it will be necessary for the student to carry out a dummy run under close supervision substituting the hazardous substances with less hazardous ones. This will give the supervisor and student the opportunity to highlight any problems with the SOP and become familiar with the local lab environment before hazards are re-introduced. Alternatively a less hazard chemical or procedure may be substituted and introduced.
4 Supervision and Re-categorisation
The supervisor is required to provide supervision appropriate to the initial categorisation given. Re-categorisation of all techniques can be applied throughout the students period of research as their competence develops, though more hazardous tasks that carry an Increased risk of danger will be expected to remain constant. This development is recorded through the project supervisory form to indicate that competence has been gained and supervision will be given as appropriate.
5 The Project Supervisory Requirement Form
The Project Supervisory Requirement Form lists the techniques the student uses together with the hazards they are exposed to in this work. It indicates the initial categorisation of the work and the supervisor is required to sign this to indicate competence in the technique. Subsequently, re-categorisation can be recorded as the student’s competence increases and supervision is adjusted accordingly. It is suggested these are discussed during postgraduate
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supervisory meetings. Both student and supervisor should retain a copy and both copies should be updated and made available to the School Safety Officers.
In many areas the techniques employed will be more or less common to all the students in that group. The simplest means of complying with this guidance would be to use a generic Project Supervisory Requirement Form of all the group’s tasks, a copy of which is then used for each student.
The following categorisation of supervisory requirements should be used. The School Safety documentation contains full instructions on performing risk assessments and categorising procedures. Additionally, the School Safety Officers are available to provide training and assistance in this process.
Category A The task must be directly supervised;
Category B The supervisor’s advice and approval must be sought before the task is performed;
Category C The work entails risks requiring careful attention to the safety related aspects of it and the student has been trained in the work and has demonstrated competence;
Category D The risks are insignificant and carry no special supervision considerations.
The first time a technique new to the student is employed the Risk Assessment categorisation defining supervision will be Category A and the task must be directly supervised. This should be the baseline category appropriate to someone inexperienced in the work. The work can be re-categorised once the individual has become competent. All categories need listing, inclusion of category D would be used as a way of confirming that the hazards have been considered.
In many cases the work could be re-categorised from A to C. However, there are liable to be circumstances where closer control is still required because of the nature of the hazard and the potential for it being realised. A second competent person may be needed in attendance or a modification may be proposed and discussion with the supervisor on this will be needed. This would represent a change to category B. Where new or unforeseen procedures need to be carried out then the project outline should be similarly updated.
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