Each medical school in the UK has its own way of teaching its students and helping them build the skills they need. Which one best matches your personal learning style will vary and there are pros and cons to each option. Picking out the right one for you can help you achieve your full potential while studying and develop your career. In the UK, courses on offer typically use one of these five approaches to training

  1. Traditional teaching style

Traditional courses are lecture based and each subject is taught separately. For two years you’ll undertake pre-clinical, which looks at basic medical sciences, followed by a clinical course that typically last for three years, where you work in hospital wards as well as attending lectures. This teaching style suits those that work well in lecture setting but for those that prefer to take a hands-on approach, it might not be the right teaching style.

  1. Integrated teaching style

While traditional courses separate each subject, the integrated teaching style blends them into systems, aiming to give a more holistic, seamless approach. Lectures still play an important role but this will be complemented by tutorials and self-directed learning. When compared to the traditional teaching style, you’ll also tend to work with patients earlier on within your course development.

  1. PBL teaching style

If you prefer to take a hands-on approach to learning, a PBL, problem based learning, course might be right for you. You’ll be expected to work with and see patient right from the beginning of your course. You’ll be given medical cases to work on and resolve, both individually and as part of a group. Most courses don’t take a pure PBL approach, instead blending it with other teaching styles to include lectures and seminars.

  1. CBL teaching style

Case based learning (CBL) is similar to PBL, in that it takes an integrated approach. You’ll work in small groups to focus on cases, developing the skills and knowledge needed for each case. It combines lectures, clinical skills, seminars, individual study, and other approaches to learning medicine for a diverse range of opportunities.

  1. EBL teaching style

An enquiry based learning (EBL) teaching style is ideal for those that want to take control of their own learning. As the student, you’ll be in charge of leading the areas that you want to study, with the support of a teacher. It includes problem based learning style too.

There are so many different organisations involved in the UK medical sector that it can be confusing to understand what each of them does, what they’re responsible for, and the influence they have. If you’re baffled by the number of organisations, we’ve taken a look at eight of the most prominent to give you a quick overview.

General Medical Council

The primary role of the GMC is to set standards for both medical students and practising doctors across the UK, ensuing that patient care is consistently. The organisation oversees the education and training that’s in place across the country, decides which doctors are qualified to practise in the UK, sets and regulates standards, and where necessary take action against doctors that do meet minimum standards.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence

NICE provides national guidance and advice to improve health and social care. Working closely with industry practitioners, NICE produce evidence backed guides and advice that they can act on to improve care and maximise resources. The body also has a responsibility for developing quality standards and performance metrics that are used across the county.

The World Health Organisation

The WHO doesn’t have a direct influence in the UK health and care system, but it does have an impact. Working across the UN, WHO directs and coordinates international health, including health systems. Evolving from an organisation that aimed to control infectious diseases, this still plays an important role in its mission.

Care Quality Commission

The Care Quality Commission regulates health and social care in England independently. Among its roles are registering care providers, inspecting and rating services, and providing support to protect people. Through its role, the organisation also speaks out on quality issues, bringing them attention to exact change.

British Medical Association

If you’re a doctor, BMA is your trade union and professional body. It’s an organisation that’s well placed to offer employment advice and help you progress towards career development goals. It also acts as a network to connect professionals to further research, improve standards, and more. As a trade union, BMA can also provide support when it’s needed, such as access to legal solutions.

The Medical Research Council

The Medical Research Council aims to improve the health in the UK through supporting scientists in the industry. The organisation’s commitment has resulted in life-changing discoveries that then influence the health sector in the UK and further afield.

The Department of Health and Social Care

The Department of Health influences the sector by being responsible by creating national policies and legislation, providing long-term vision across the whole of the industry. It’s this organisation that ensures health remains at the heart of the government. The role of this department was expanded in January 2018 to include social care.