Masters in Orthopaedic Trauma Science Year 1 Student Handbook 2020 – 21 Centre for Neuroscience, Surgery and Trauma Blizard Institute Queen Mary University of London
This handbook should be used together with the Academic Regulations and www.arcs.qmul.ac.uk/students. This handbook provides information specific to the Blizard Institute, while arcs.qmul.ac.uk/students gives information common to all students at Queen Mary. The Academic Regulations provide detailed information on progression, award and classification requirements.
Nothing in this handbook overrides the Academic Regulations, which always take precedence.
The Academic Regulations are available online at http://www.arcs.qmul.ac.uk/policy/
The information in this handbook is correct as of September 2020. In the unlikely event of substantial amendments to the material, the Blizard Institute will inform you of the changes via QMPlus and/or email. QM cannot accept responsibility for the accuracy or reliability of information given in third party publications or websites referred to in this handbook.
2
CONTENTS
Page Welcome
4
Academic Advisor
7
Personal Information
9
Summer School Visa
10
Feedback
11
Appeals and Complaints
12
Student Services
13
IT Services
15
Library Services
16
Assessment
18
Extenuating Circumstances
21
Interruption and Withdrawal
22
Modules
23
Plagiarism
26
Campus Maps
33
3
Welcome & Introduction Welcome to the Blizard Institute at Queen Mary University of London. The aim of this course is to develop you all into practitioners, scientists and leaders of trauma care. We are honoured to share our passion and knowledge for care of the injured patient with you and hope that you fully enjoy the MSc Orthopaedic Trauma Science programme.
Semester 1
Module Title
Module Dates
Assessment Deadline
Module 1 (ICM7050)
21st Sep – 25th Oct 20
25th Oct at 23:59 GMT
26th Oct – 22nd Nov 20
22nd Nov at 23:59 GMT
Trauma: The Disease Module 2 (ICM7051) Haemorrhage & The Response to Injury Module 3 (ICM7062)
MCQ only 23rd Nov – 20th Dec 20
Trauma to the Pelvis and Torso Break Semester 2
Module 4 (ICM7063)
20th Dec at 23:59 GMT MCQ only
21st Dec 20 – 3rd Jan 21
Not applicable
4th Jan – 7th Feb 21
7th Feb at 23:59 GMT
8th Feb – 7th Mar 21
14th Mar at 23:59 GMT
15th Mar – 18th Apr 21
18th Apr at 23:59 BST
19 Apr – 16 May 21
16th May at 23:59 BST
Spine, Spinal cord and Nerve injuries Module 5 (ICM7064) Fracture Biology and Limb Trauma Module 6 (ICM7066) Paediatric Trauma and Limb Reconstruction Semester 3
Module 7 (ICM7065) Open Fractures and Orthoplastic Surgical Care
Summer School (optional)
th
th
MCQ only
TBC – August 2021
Not applicable
PLEASE NOTE: We hope that Summer School 2021 will go ahead as planned but it will be subject to a riskassessment in accordance with local and national guidelines and we cannot guarantee that it will take place.
4
College closure dates for the 2020 -21 Christmas & New Year period:  24, 25, 28, 29, 30, 31 December 2020  1 January 2021 Additional UK Bank Holidays - & Queen Mary Closures in 2021: Good Friday
2nd April
Easter Monday
5th April
Early May Bank Holiday 3rd May Spring Bank Holiday
31st May
Summer Bank Holiday
30th August
Key Queen Mary dates are available on the ARCS homepage (www.arcs.qmul.ac.uk) and here: http://www.qmul.ac.uk/about/calendar/ Centre Location and Contact Details The Centre for Neuroscience, Surgery and Trauma Ground Floor of the Blizard Institute 4 Newark Street London, United Kingdom E1 2AT (Whitechapel Campus) Course Directors: Mr. Kash Akhtar Email: k.akhtar@qmul.ac.uk Mr. Pete Bates Email: p.bates@qmul.ac.uk MSc Dissertation Lead: Dr. Elaine Cole Email: e.cole@qmul.ac.uk Trauma Sciences Teaching Fellow: Jack Rappoport Email: j.rappoport@qmul.ac.uk Tel: +44 (0)20 7882 2293 (please note not available by phone for Semester 1) Education Administrator: Krys Gunton Email: orthomasters@qmul.ac.uk Tel: +44 (0) 20 7882 6532 (please note not available by phone for Semester 1)
5
Communication Generally, Queen Mary will contact you at your Queen Mary email. You are assigned a university email address when you enrol, and you are responsible for checking this account regularly. You can access your email account via the following link: https://mail.qmul.ac.uk. For information on how to forward QM emails to a personal account please visit the IT website http://www.its.qmul.ac.uk/support/self-help/email_setup/howto/161297.html. Our virtual learning environment, QMPlus (http://qmplus.qmul.ac.uk/), will be used for announcements regarding group discussion times/dates, general updates etc. so please ensure you check this site regularly too. This is also how the online content of the programmes will be delivered to you. More information on our VLE can be found at https://elearning.qmul.ac.uk/application/qmplus/.
Updating Personal Details It is important that the College has up to date personal details for all students. Please ensure that if you change your home or term-time address, telephone number or other details, that you update this information on your MySIS profile. You will be able to update your address and contact details online using MySIS, however a change in name must be done in person at the Student Enquiry Centre with accompanying identification. You can find out more information on the Student Enquiry Centre website - http://www.arcs.qmul.ac.uk/students/mysis-record/index.html Guided Support Sessions Students are encouraged to contact the Trauma Sciences Teaching Fellow (Jack Rappoport) with regards to issues related to their academic studies and pastoral concerns. The purpose of this support is to provide students with the opportunity to discuss concerns that may not be appropriate for their dissertation supervisors but may not warrant a referral to the counselling service. Regularly scheduled Blackboard Collaborate sessions will be provided to students who express concerns relating to their course, whether that be personal or academic. Students are also able to request telephone calls, online sessions or drop in sessions at the Whitechapel Campus (from January 2021). Students will be provided with resources related to a variety of challenges faced when attempting a postgraduate degree as well as be referred onto additional support services where appropriate.
6
Academic Advisor Each student will be followed throughout the programme by the Course Directors, the Teaching Fellow and by an academic advisor (designated after the beginning of the course). The advisor can provide subject-specific support on academic issues. Advisors will also supervise dissertations in year two of the programme and are allocated based on the chosen subject and methodology. Substantive Queen Mary staff are listed in bold. Tutor Contact List Name and Title
Mr. Kash Akhtar (0.5 FTE)
Mr. Peter Bates (0.2 FTE)
Dr. Elaine Cole
Mr. Ross Davenport
Mr. Syed Aftab
Mr. Nick Aresti
Title
Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon – Royal London Hospital MSc Orthopaedic Trauma Science Course Director Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon – Royal London Hospital MSc Orthopaedic Trauma Science Co-Course Director Director of Research, London Major Trauma System
k.akhtar@qmul.ac.uk
p.bates@qmul.ac.uk
e.cole@qmul.ac.uk
Senior Lecturer, ICM7050, ICM7059 and ICM7061 Module Lead Consultant Vascular and Trauma Surgeon - Royal London Hospital Senior Lecturer, ICM7051 Module Lead Consultant Trauma & Orthopaedic Surgeon – Royal London Hospital ICM7063 Module Lead Consultant Trauma & Orthopaedic Surgeon (Upper Limb) – Royal London Hospital ICM7075/ICM7064 Module Lead
ross.davenport@qmul.ac.uk s.aftab@qmul.ac.uk
tbc
Consultant Trauma & Orthopaedic Surgeon – Royal London Hospital Consultant Trauma & Orthopaedic Surgeon – Royal London Hospital
homa.arshad@qmul.ac.uk
Mr. Livio DiMascio
Consultant Orthopaedic Upper Limb and Hand Surgeon – Royal London Hospital
l.d.mascio@qmul.ac.uk
Lt. Col. Taff Edwards
Consultant Surgeon - Trauma and Orthopaedics
dafydd.edwards@qmul.ac.uk
Miss Homa Arshad Mr. Adrian Carlos
7
a.carlos@qmul.ac.uk
Mr. Sammy Hanna Mr. Kyle James
Consultant Trauma & Orthopaedic Surgeon – Royal London Hospital Consultant in Orthopaedics and Trauma – Royal London Hospital
s.hanna@qmul.ac.uk kyle.james@qmul.ac.uk
ICM7066 Module Lead Mr. Joshua Lee
Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon – Royal London Hospital
joshua.kl.lee@gmail.com
Mr. Francesc Malagelada
Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon – Royal London Hospital
tbc
Mr. Philip Mathew
Consultant Hand and Wrist Surgeon
s.mathew@qmul.ac.uk
Mr. Alexander Montgomery
Consultant Spinal Orthopaedic Surgeon – Royal London Hospital
montyas@googlemail.com
Dr. Mumraiz Naqshband
Orthopaedic Fellow – Royal London Hospital
m.naqshband@qmul.ac.uk
Mr. Tarun Taneja
Locum Consultant Trauma & Orthopaedics - Homerton University Hospital
t.taneja@qmul.ac.uk
Mr. Aswinkumar Vasireddy
Senior Orthopaedic Trauma Fellow – Kings College London
a.vasireddy@qmul.ac.uk
8
Personal Information and Data Protection During application and at (re-)enrolment you provide us with personal information about yourself such as relevant contact details and information about your background, which is held in systems such as MySIS. It’s important that you ensure this information is accurate and keep it up to date. Throughout your studies (or after you graduate) you may also provide, or we may collect, other personal information and you should be aware that this also includes any work you submit for assessment in the course of your studies. Tutors may occasionally use anonymised student essays (or portions from them) as part of the teaching process. We hope you will be willing to support your fellow students by allowing this, but you may opt out by contacting your school office. Other markers of engagement are monitored to help support students. If you engage with your Advisor or other support services, notes may be kept and shared with appropriate individuals. We ensure that all personal data is held securely and not disclosed to third parties without your consent, unless we are obliged to do so by law - for example the annual student record that we submit to the Higher Education Statistics Agency - or other conditions allow. HESA requires us to collect details of our students’ ethnicities and disabilities as a means of monitoring the success of equal opportunities policies at a national level. This information is kept confidential and helps us to provide you with support and information on facilities and services that may be useful. When you enrol or re-enrol online you will be asked to read a privacy notice about the purposes for which we use your personal data and to whom we may disclose it when required. You must read this carefully. All personal data is maintained in accordance with data protection legislation. For more information, visit: https://www.qmul.ac.uk/privacy/ and/or contact Queen Mary’s Data Protection Officer via data-protection@qmul.ac.uk Conduct The Code of Student Discipline applies to any action of misconduct whether it takes place on or off Queen Mary premises. The Code also applies to actions that are electronic and occur via electronic means such as (but not limited to) the internet, email, social media sites, chat rooms or text messages. http://www.arcs.qmul.ac.uk/students/student-appeals/misconduct/ Report and Support campaign Report + Support: tackling harassment, gender-based violence and hate crime Queen Mary is committed to creating an environment for work and study where staff and students are treated with dignity and respect. We have no place for bullying, harassment and hate. We recognise that these behaviours can take many forms. Any allegation of harassment, hate crime, bullying or victimisation will be treated seriously, regardless of the seniority of those involved, and anyone found to have behaved unacceptably may be the subject of disciplinary action subject to the processes detailed in the relevant Queen Mary policies. Report + Support is our secure online platform for anyone at Queen Mary to report harassment, gender-based violence or hate crime, and find out about support options. If you have experienced or witnessed any form of bullying, harassment, violence or hate crime, please see reportandsupport.qmul.ac.uk. All members of Queen Mary have a collective responsibility to: encourage a culture of dignity and respect; to treat others fairly, with courtesy and consideration; and to challenge 9
inappropriate behaviour when it is safe to do so. More information can be found here: https://reportandsupport.qmul.ac.uk/campaigns/our-commitment College ID Cards Normally as a QM student you would receive a QM photo ID card upon enrolment. QM photo ID cards can be obtained via two methods:
In person by coming to the Student Enquiry Centre (Room CB01) in the Queens Building at Mile End Campus (see map at the back of the handbook). You will need to bring with you a passport and email confirmation of enrolment. By post by sending an email quoting your STUDENT ID No. and attaching a jpeg passport style photograph of yourself, to the Student Registry who will post the ID Card to you: distancelearning@qmul.ac.uk.
Important information regarding college ID card: This card is very important, and must be carried at all times on campus. If you do not produce this card upon request and satisfy staff that it is your card through comparison of your face and the photograph, you may be removed from the building, or from campus. Misuse of your card will normally lead to an investigation under the Code of Student Discipline (http://www.arcs.qmul.ac.uk/media/arcs/policyzone/academic/Code-of-Student-Discipline-(approved-0406-2020).pdf)
The card also serves as your library card, and as an access card for certain buildings. Many buildings have security points at which you must show your card, and others require you to scan your card to release the doors. It is vital that you keep your card safe and with you at all times on campus. If you lose your card, or if your card is stolen, you should contact the Student Enquiry Centre (http://www.arcs.qmul.ac.uk/students/sec/student-card/index.html), who will be able to help you. A fee is charged to replace lost ID Cards. For INTERNATIONAL Students travelling to the UK for Summer School 2021: A Student Visa will be required for entry into the UK If you are a non-UK national, you will normally need immigration permission to enter the UK. Please note as of 1st January 2021 this now includes EU/EEA students – please see https://www.qmul.ac.uk/brexit/student-faqs/. When you are coming for the two week summer session, you can apply to enter the UK in the Short-term study visa category of the immigration rules, as you are coming to the UK for less than six months. Queen Mary has written a detailed advice guide ‘What immigration permission do I need to study in the UK’ which explains the requirements you need to meet to enter the UK as a Student Visitor, and how to apply. Depending on your nationality, you will either need to apply for immigration permission before you travel to the UK, or certain nationalities can apply on entry to the UK. This is all explained in the guide, as well as what documents you will need to show.
You will need a letter from the Student Enquiry Centre to apply for your immigration application. This is due to be posted out at the end of February 2021 (may change depending on the Covid-19 situation) so please ensure your address is correct on MySIS. If you have not received it by the end of March please email casinfo@qmul.ac.uk with 10

your name and student number so they can look into this for you. The letters are not sent out until this stage as the visa application can only be submitted three months prior to your attendance at Summer School and we want the letter to be as up to date as possible. You will need to provide this official Queen Mary hard copy letter in order to obtain a Short-term study visa from the UK Border Agency.
Staff in the Queen Mary Advice and Counseling Service are authorised to give immigration advice. If you have questions you can contact the Advice and Counseling Service. Advice and Counseling Service Queen Mary University of London Mile End Road, London E1 4NS Tel: +44(0) 20 7882 8717 http://www.welfare.qmul.ac.uk Student Discount Card for UK Residents Apply for a Totum (formerly NUS Extra) student discount card via this link: https://www.totum.com/ This is a national union of students discount card for the UK however with the full Totum membership you will receive an ISIC (International student identity card) which can be used around the world (http://www.isic.org/). When applying for the card select Queen Mary university union, if there is no option to have the card sent to your home address then it will be sent to the Union address here at Queen Mary. Student Discount Card for International Residents Apply for the ISIC card (International student identity card) via this link: http://www.isic.org/. Note however in some countries you may need to be a full time student to purchase the card; the definition of a full time student is classified differently around the world (you will need to check with the local office, details which can be found on the ISIC website). Feedback Your views are important to the Blizard Institute and Queen Mary. There are a variety of ways in which you can tell us what you think and share your ideas for improvements. Student representatives, elected by fellow students, also speak on behalf of the student body at the School, Faculty and Queen Mary-wide level via various committees, groups and meetings. More information can be found at https://www.qmul.ac.uk/tell-us/ The Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey (PTES) is conducted every year. It gives you, as a postgraduate taught student, an opportunity to give your opinions on what you like about your time at Queen Mary, as well as those aspects that you feel could be improved. Please do complete the survey; your feedback really is invaluable and will help us make a difference for future generations of Queen Mary students. http://my.qmul.ac.uk/your-voice/feedback/postgraduate-taught-experience-survey/ Queen Mary Charter The Queen Mary Charter contains a list of expectations for both staff and students to help create a community that is mutually supportive and works to further knowledge creation and dissemination. http://www.qmul.ac.uk/ourcommunity/ 11
Student Engagement For the timely and effective administration of support, the School wishes to use the following markers of student engagement. This is to ensure that students are well supported and given every opportunity to progress with their studies and to achieve to their fullest potential whilst here. 1. Attendance. As these are distance learning programmes attendance at online tutorial sessions will be monitored. If you are unable to make a scheduled session you are expected to provide apologies via the relevant QMPlus attendance survey or via email to orthomasters@qmul.ac.uk at least 2 hours prior to the start of the tutorial. If engagement (attendance and apologies) falls below 50% the programme will contact you to ascertain what is preventing a higher engagement level. 2. Coursework and MCQ Submission. All students are expected to submit assessments associated with each module for which they are registered as part of their programme of study, by the individually advertised deadlines and method of submission. The Institute will always try to help students who are experiencing problems, but we cannot do so if we are not kept informed of them. If there are factors making a student’s engagement with their programme difficult, it is essential that the student contact the programme team at orthomasters@qmul.ac.uk at an early stage. This will give us the opportunity to intervene and provide the necessary support. Appeals An academic appeal is a request to review a decision about progression, assessment or award. Before you submit an appeal, speak to your School/Institute about the decision you wish to appeal as many issues can be resolved without the need for an appeal. Your School/Institute will be able to provide you with feedback on your marks, or degree classification, and to answer any queries. Please note that an appeal cannot provide feedback on academic work. Appeals against academic judgment are not permitted, this means you cannot appeal simply because you think the mark you have received is too low. There are two grounds for appeal:
procedural error: Where the process leading to the decision being appealed against was not conducted in accordance with Queen Mary’s procedure, such that there is reasonable doubt as to whether the outcome might have been different had the error not occurred. Procedural error shall include alleged administrative or clerical error, and bias in the operation of the procedure.
that exceptional circumstances, illness, or other relevant factors were not made known at the time for good reason, or were not properly taken into account.
An appeal must be received within 14 days of the notification of the decision you want to appeal and should be submitted from your Queen Mary email to appeals@qmul.ac.uk. Further information about how to appeal and the appeal form can be found on the Queen Mary website: http://www.arcs.qmul.ac.uk/students/student-appeals/appeals/index.html 12
If you are not satisfied with the outcome of your appeal you may submit a Final Review for consideration by the Principal’s nominee. Once a Final Review is complete you will be sent a Completion of Procedures letter which outlines the final decision of Queen Mary and the reasons for the decision. Complaints Before submitting a complaint you are advised to speak to a member of staff in your School/Institute as most issues can be resolved informally without the need for a formal complaint. If your issue is not resolved through the informal process then you will need to complete the Stage 1 complaint form and submit this to the relevant School/Institute/Professional Services Head for investigation under the Student Complaints Policy: http://www.arcs.qmul.ac.uk/students/student-appeals/complaints/index.html Most complaints are resolved at Stage 1 but if your matter is still not resolved then there are two further stages to the policy, which are the institutional level and review stage. When the complaint process is finished you will be issued with a Completion of Procedures letter explaining the final decision and the reasons for it. Office of the Independent Adjudicator (OIA) If you are unhappy with the outcome of an appeal or complaint then you may submit a complaint to the OIA within 12 months of receiving your Completion of Procedures letter. The OIA is the independent body set up to review student complaints and is free to students. For further information regarding the OIA please visit their website: http://www.oiahe.org.uk/ Student Enquiry Centre We provide support to all Postgraduate Taught students and we can help with a wide variety of queries. If you are not sure about something or do not know who to contact, ask us! We are located on the ground floor of the Queens’ Building, CB01, Mile End. Student Enquiry Centre Online (accessed via MySIS http://www.arcs.qmul.ac.uk/students/sec/sec-online/) Email: studentenquiry@qmul.ac.uk; Telephone: 020 7882 5005 Follow us on twitter @QMULSEC https://twitter.com/QMULSEC Please find information about obtaining an official student status letter here http://www.arcs.qmul.ac.uk/students/sec/official-letters/.
Disability and Dyslexia Service The university’s Disability and Dyslexia Service (DDS) offers advice, guidance and support for students with disabilities, including specific learning difficulties like dyslexia and dyspraxia, as well as mental health difficulties, from application through to graduation. The range of support that the DDS is able to provide includes: •
Support and guidance in applying for the Disabled Student’s Allowance (DSA) 13
• • • • • • • • • •
Support for international disabled students Liaison with staff in Queen Mary’s Schools regarding ‘reasonable adjustments’ Support in ensuring that course materials are fully accessible Diagnostic assessments for students who think that they might have specific learning differences Specialist one-to-one study skills support for students with dyslexia and other specific learning differences Specialist mentoring support for students with mental health difficulties and autism On-site DSA needs assessments Access to non-specialist human support, e.g. note-taking Access to assistive technology Guidance in accessing examination concessions such as additional time
If the DDS recommend extra time for examinations you will receive that additional time on the MCQ quizzes (so 25% extra time turns a 2 hour MCQ quiz into a 2 hours 30 minutes one for you). In case the DDS are running behind on notifying us of this assessment please contact orthomasters@qmul.ac.uk with your documents as soon you receive them. Telephone: 020 7882 2756 Web: www.dds.qmul.ac.uk/; Email: dds@qmul.ac.uk Advice and Counselling Service The Advice and Counselling Service offers confidential, professional support services to all Queen Mary students. We have helpful advice and guidance for financial, immigration and other practical issues as well as emotional support on our website (welfare.qmul.ac.uk). You will also find information there about our services and contact details. Financial, Immigration and Welfare Advice Our Welfare Advisers can advise you on solutions and options relating to financial, immigration, practical and welfare issues. We provide specialist advice and support on all aspects of student finance (loans, grants, bursaries), hardship funds and welfare benefits. We can help you plan your budget and find out how to reduce your spending. If you are an international student we can advise you on your immigration rights. We can advocate on your behalf if you need help resolving an issue, for example with Student Finance England or the UK Home Office. We offer dedicated support for students who no longer have contact with their family (estranged), and students who have experience of local authority care, and students from a refugee background. We also provide support for students experiencing domestic abuse or forced marriage. Counselling Life can seem like a struggle at times, and it is normal to sometimes feel a bit low or anxious. Sometimes, though, emotional and psychological issues can become too challenging, and may have a negative effect on your studies and well-being. Our Counsellors can help you to make sense of difficult experiences and feelings by providing the opportunity to think and talk reflectively, which can bring relief and meaningful changes. The first step is meeting confidentially with one of our Counsellors to discuss what type of support might be most useful to you. This might be short term counselling, group therapy, 14
cognitive behavioural therapy or a referral for longer term support or specialist services outside Queen Mary/in the NHS. For many students, just one or two sessions can really help. Our Counsellors are all highly experienced in working with students, and all types of issues. Contacting the Advice and Counselling Service For more information about available services and contact details please visit the Advice and Counselling Service’s website: www.welfare.qmul.ac.uk Email: via website online form IT Services Our services to support students range from email and internet access, to state-of-the-art teaching and learning facilities and high performance computing in support of research. There are a number of rooms around the campus that contain computers which students can use. You sign in using your Queen Mary username and password. In general, any computer you use will have all the applications that you need for your course available to you. Your IT Account: Details of your Queen Mary username and password will be emailed to your personal address before you enrol. The IT Service Desk is the first point of contact for all IT help, support and advice You can Live Chat with the Service Desk 24/7 https://qmul.bomgarcloud.com/, call on 020 7882 8888 or raise a ticket via the Self Service portal https://servicedesk.qmul.ac.uk/. Visit us in the Queens' Building on the Mile End Campus. Our opening hours are Monday to Friday, 8am-6pm Find an available PC on campus: an interactive map showing which rooms have empty seats http://availability.stu.qmul.ac.uk/ Print, Copy, Scan: There are printers in the computer rooms and in the Library. The larger devices in the Library also offer copying and scanning facilities alongside printing. We also offer a wireless printing service. You are charged for printing and copying by clicks (one click = one side of paper). The cost of a single side is 4p but drops to 3.5p when you print double-sided. The CopyShop: A quick, professional and cost-effective photocopying and printing service. We can print a range of items for you, including: Theses/Dissertations, Lecture notes, Posters and much more. Book Scanning Service: The CopyShop offers students a professional scanning service. If you wish to retain a section of a publication for study use, the CopyShop produce a clear image without fingers tips, black areas and poor results for you. We can also scan materials you wish to include in your research materials in the correct format you need, for example Research Posters for William Harvey Day….no more fuzzy images. Wi-Fi: The wireless network you use to connect your devices is eduroam. Halls of residence are fully networked with Wi-Fi and a wired socket in each study bedroom. Access to e-mail, QMPlus the online learning environment and other services relevant to your study at Queen Mary is available from the internet as a whole. Mobile app: Queen Mary’s mobile app is available as a native app for Android (version 2.3.3 or 15
higher) and iOS (version 6.0 and above) devices. The app allows you to do a number of things on the move, including: check your course timetables, log into QMPlus and your Queen Mary email, search for and renew library books directly from your phone. Policies: The use of IT facilities is covered by College regulations prohibiting, among other things, software piracy and unauthorised computer use. IT Services policies are published here: http://www.its.qmul.ac.uk/governance/policies/index.html The IT Services website contains information on a number of our services and includes a range of self-help guides http://www.its.qmul.ac.uk/support/index.html Contact the IT Service Desk Telephone: 020 7882 8888 (24/7) Self Service: https://servicedesk.qmul.ac.uk/ IT Services on the web: www.its.qmul.ac.uk Library Services The Libraries at Queen Mary provide the study environments, resources and staff you need to support your learning during your time at the university. For 2020 we are providing as many e-books and other e-resources as we can, so you can gain access to online readings from wherever you are. Also we have a team answering emails at library@qmul.ac.uk who we will help you use the e-resources and answer any questions you may have. For subject support please see the Library Subject Guides available from the Library Website. For support with finding, using and evaluating information and information about the academic skills services, please see our Find it! Use it! Reference it! module on QMPlus [https://qmplus.qmul.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=6819] You will find more detailed information for new students on the library’s welcome page. The online services are backed up by some socially distanced service points who will provide drop-in help. We will be offering socially distanced study space in our 3 libraries at Mile End, Whitechapel and West Smtihfield, each with a character and ambience of their own. As this is such an unusual year, we will be offering some click and collect borrowing services, and some self-service borrowing. You will find up to date details of the library services for the new academic year on the library website [https://www.library.qmul.ac.uk/ Archives & Special Collections Archives & Special Collections manage institutional and personal archives dating from the 18th Century to the present day, as well as collections of rare or special materials. Digital Archives are accessible via our website. To get started exploring the collections, try searching the archives catalogue: https://www.library.qmul.ac.uk/archives/ Visits to the Archives Reading Room on the 2nd floor, Mile End Library, are by appointment in advance; these appointments are limited for the start of 2020/21 due to social distancing in response to the Coronavirus pandemic, but this will be reviewed and updated during the course of the year. The Archives Reading Room provides silent individual study space in which to access and research using these collections. For more information, see the Archives website: http://www.library.qmul.ac.uk/archives. 16
Other libraries As a college of the federal University of London, Queen Mary students have access and borrowing rights at Senate House Library: https://www.senatehouselibrary.ac.uk/ Contacts General: Telephone: 020 7882 8800; Email: library@qmul.ac.uk ; Website: www.library.qmul.ac.uk Twitter: QMUL Library (@QMLibrary) Medicine and Dentistry: Email: library-smd@qmul.ac.uk Twitter: https://twitter.com/SMDlibQMUL Academic Skills Enhancement The Academic Skills Enhancement (ASE) service works in a number of ways with taught students at any level, undergraduate or postgraduate, from any subject discipline, to develop the skills and practices needed to become more effective in their academic work and excel at university. Areas covered include: writing for academic purposes, effective reading and note-making, presentation skills, time-management, critical thinking, understanding marking criteria, using feedback, revision and exam preparation and avoiding plagiarism. We also support the work of student mentors through providing resources and training to support peer and social learning. Academic Skills Tutors offer support and developmental opportunities in the form of one-toone tutorials, workshops, drop-ins, and self-access resources. In addition, we host Royal Literary Fund (RLF) Fellows who offer writing advice to both taught and research students. Academic Skills Enhancement (ASE) are part of the Library Teaching and Learning Service and are based on the Mile End Campus and online. For more information on the services and resources available, how to book, check https://www.qmul.ac.uk/library/academic-skills/.
17
Year 1 Assessment Summative assessments for each module will comprise of: Module ICM7050 (M1) ICM7051 (M2) ICM7062 (M3) ICM7063 (M4) ICM7064 (M5) ICM7066 (M6) ICM7065 (M7)
Component 1 MCQ quiz – 20% 2 hour MCQ quiz - 100% 2 hour MCQ quiz - 100% MCQ quiz – 20% MCQ quiz – 20% MCQ quiz – 20% 2 hour MCQ quiz - 100%
Component 2 2000 word assignment – 80%
2000 word assignment – 80% 2000 word assignment – 80% 10 min recorded presentation – 80%
To pass a module you must achieve at least 50% overall as well as 50% in the writing assignment/presentation (MCQs for the four modules where there are no assignments). The MCQ-only modules have a quiz consisting of 50 questions in 2 hours which will open in QMPlus on the penultimate Friday of each module. Once you start the quiz you will only have 2 hours to complete it so please ensure you have good internet connection and uninterrupted time. Assignments have an allocated word count +/- 10%.
GUIDELINES FOR WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS: All written assignments must be in typescript (Arial or similar) 11 or 12 point font. FORMAT: LINES MUST BE SPACED at either 1.5 Spaces or Double Spaced. A 1” margin on the left, top and bottom and a 1.5” margin on the right. All pages of the written assessment MUST BE NUMBERED. Assessments must record the sources of literature used systematically and the recommended citation style must be used correctly. We require the use of the Vancouver referencing style. Submitted written assignments must have an ac c ur at e word count for t he text, ex cl udin g Appendices and References. Put both your NAME and STUDENT ID number on your writing assignment and label the submitted file with both your name and student ID number i.e. Jane Doe 200001576 Please note that it is Institute policy that drafts of Year 1 Writing Assignments will NOT be reviewed by Advisors prior to final submission. Work must be uploaded in PDF format onto QMPlus in the relevant assignment area by the published deadline for each module (see course dates on page 4). If you have used Endnote or Mendeley we recommend submitting as a PDF as QMPlus has trouble with this software in a Word document. See the E-learning website for how to submit an assignment - https://elearning.qmul.ac.uk/guide/how-to-submit-a-qmplus-assignment/. As a back-up assignments can also be emailed to orthomasters@qmul.ac.uk but the formal submission is via QMPlus and is where marking will take place. For writing and study guidance please visit http://www.learningdevelopment.qmul.ac.uk/.
18
Grades/Feedback To view your marks for assessment, log-in to MySIS (your personal area of SIS) with your usual QM log-in, where they will be listed. These marks are provisional and subject to change until they are agreed by the appropriate Subject Examination Board. MySIS will indicate whether the results are provisional or confirmed. Guides on checking your results on MySIS are available on the Student Enquiry website (http://www.arcs.qmul.ac.uk/students/mysis-record/provisionalresults/index.html).
You will receive an automated email from QMPlus to notify you within 6 weeks of submission that your feedback has been released to you and this can be viewed via the same QMPlus link you originally submitted to. Progression to Year 2 There is no progression hurdle between years 1 and 2. After completing Year 1 you may exit with a PGCert (60 credits) and after completing Semester 1 of Year 2 you may exit with a PGDip (120 credits).
Assessment Procedures Awards will be classified according to the 2020-21 Academic Regulations. The Classification Mark is the mean average mark for the full programme of study. The classification of the degree shall be made according to the following scale: Classification Mark
Classification
70.0 – 100.0
Distinction
60.0 – 69.9
Merit
50.0 – 59.9
Pass
Examination boards may use a borderline policy when making recommendations for final degree classifications. The following criteria are used: 1. Students with Classification Marks within one per cent of a borderline (except at the pass/fail border) shall be determined to fall within the ‘zone of consideration’; 2. Students with Classification Marks within 1.5 per cent of a borderline and with significant extenuating circumstances in the final year not taken into account elsewhere may be determined to fall within the zone of consideration. However, if this approach is taken then the extenuating circumstances may not also be used as a reason to raise the classification itself; 3. All students falling within a zone of consideration shall be considered as possible cases for application of the borderline policy; 4. Students falling within the zone of consideration and with at least half of their final year credits (half of all credits at PG level) with marks at the level of the upper classification (or higher), shall be raised to the higher classification. The credits at the higher level may 19
include the dissertation or project, but this is not a requirement. Where a student studies on a part-time basis, all modules comprising the full-time equivalent final year shall be used in the borderline policy. 5. Students falling within the one per cent zone of consideration and not meeting the requirements of point 4, but with significant extenuating circumstances in the final year not taken into account elsewhere shall be raised to the higher classification provided the SEB is confident that â&#x20AC;&#x201C; without the effect of the extenuating circumstances â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the student would have achieved the higher classification. Re-sits The award of the degree will be made only when all modules are satisfactorily completed. In the event of a candidate achieving <50% in a module or writing assignment, the candidate may take a single re-sit of the required module(s) during the same academic year (following academic year for the dissertation as this takes place later in the year). Re-sits will be capped at 50% and appropriate re-sit deadlines will be set as the need arises during the Summer Re-sit period (JuneAugust). Penalties for Late Submission If an assignment is submitted after the specified deadline it shall be recorded as late and a penalty shall be applied, unless there are valid extenuating circumstances: i. For every period of 24 hours, or part thereof, that an assignment is overdue there shall be
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
a deduction of five per cent of the total marks available (i.e. five marks for an assessment marked out of 100). After seven calendar days (168 hours or more late) the mark shall be reduced to zero, and recorded as 0 NS (zero, non-submission). A student may submit work of passing standard but fail the module because of the late submission penalty. Where the student is eligible for a resit attempt in such a case, the student shall not be required to resubmit the assessment; instead, the pre-deduction mark from the first attempt shall be entered for the re-sit. Where a student is not eligible for a resit, this provision does not apply. Re-sits are capped at 50%. Certain assessments may cease to be a valid measure of a moduleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s learning outcomes prior to the seven working day cut-off. For example, where feedback has been provided to the class, any submission made after that point would not be an accurate measure of attainment. In such cases, the late submission policy shall apply as normal up to the day on which feedback is given; at that point, a mark of zero shall be applied, even if this is within seven calendar days of the deadline. Schools and Institutes must make clear to students in advance where this variant policy applies, or else the general policy shall be applied. A late work penalty may be removed where a student provides good reason for the late submission under the extenuating circumstances policy. A student must submit a formal claim with supporting evidence in line with that policy in order for the circumstances to be considered. Schools and Institutes may award extensions to submission deadlines. This is at the discretion of the school/institute. Where a school/institute does consider the award of an extension, a student must apply before the submission date with an extenuating circumstances claim and supporting evidence. In no circumstances shall an extension set a new deadline beyond the next meeting of the relevant Subject Examination Board. 20
A student who is unable to submit a coursework assessment by the required completion date must notify the course administrator by emailing orthomasters@qmul.ac.uk as soon as possible. If late submission is with good reason such as illness, close family bereavement or closely related compassion grounds, the student may be granted a short extension provided there is an extenuating circumstances form (see below) completed and submitted with supporting evidence prior to the assessment submission date. Word Count The following penalties apply to those students who exceed the 10% +/‐flexibility limit on essay word count. All word limits do not include referencing, tables and appendices, as is standard Queen Mary practice: Up to 10% above word limit = no penalty 11%‐20% above word limit = up to 10% penalty taken from gross agreed internal mark, at markers discretion 21%> above word limit = assignment will not be marked and student asked to resubmit, at markers discretion. There is no fixed penalty for submissions that are under the specified word length. In these cases, students will have displayed skill in covering the material concisely, or else have failed to fully address the material; in either situation the normal marking conventions should take this into account. Guided Support Sessions Students are reminded to contact the Teaching Fellow with concerns about the course prior to situations resulting in fails, re-sits, and extenuating circumstances as support is available.
Extenuating Circumstances Extenuating circumstances are defined by Queen Mary as: Circumstances that are outside a student’s control which may have a negative impact on a student’s ability to undertake or complete any assessment so as to cast doubt on the likely validity of the assessment as a measure of the student’s achievement.
Extenuating circumstances are usually personal or health problems. Health problems include your emotional wellbeing and mental health, as well as your physical health. Extenuating circumstances do not include computer problems, misreading your exam timetable, planned holidays or events, or local transport delays. Queen Mary operates a fit to sit policy, which covers all assessments including coursework and exams. If you sit an exam or submit a piece of coursework you are deemed to be fit to do so. In such instances a request for extenuating circumstances will not normally be considered. To submit an extenuating circumstance request you must fill out the relevant from which can be obtained from QMPlus or by emailing orthomasters@qmul.ac.uk. The form should be completed and returned to orthomasters@qmul.ac.uk. If you are applying for an extension this form must be received by the relevant assessment deadline at the latest. All other claims must be received by the deadline for the relevant exam board: 21
Modules 1-7: 3rd May 2021 Re-sits: 3rd September 2021 Your form must be accompanied by relevant supporting evidence (for example medical certification, death certificate, police report and crime number, or other written evidence from a person in authority). Please note that although accompanying documentation can be submitted after the form, claims without any evidence cannot be considered. It is in your best interest to provide evidence and supporting documentation that is as comprehensive as possible You are entitled to self-certify on up to three occasions each academic year. This means completing and submitting the Queen Mary self-certification form in place of independent evidence. Please note that self-certification does not mean automatic approval of a claim – your school/institute will consider it in the normal way and will need to be satisfied of the validity of the claim, and satisfied that it justifies the outcome. All extenuating circumstances claims are kept confidential until they are considered by a subcommittee of the Institute’s Subject Examination Board. All proceedings of the subcommittee are strictly confidential, and will not normally be discussed at the full examination board meeting. It is your own responsibility to submit any claims for extenuating circumstances, not that of your supervisor. Please ensure that if you have what you believe is a valid case, you complete the submission process in accordance with the Blizard Institute guidelines and deadlines. It is not possible to make a retrospective claim for extenuating circumstances, specifically once you know your results. Therefore claims submitted after the deadlines above will not be considered by the examination board. Please refer to the full guidance notes on extenuating circumstances from the Advice and Counselling service or online at https://www.welfare.qmul.ac.uk/student-advice-guides/. Interruption & Withdrawal of Studies Permission to interrupt from your studies on the grounds of illness or another good cause may be granted by your academic school or institute. You may only interrupt for a maximum of two years in total and from the beginning of a particular semester – final Registry deadline is 30th April 2021. You will return to the course at the same point in the following academic year and will be unable to receive support from your academic advisor in the interim. Information on interruption and withdrawal of studies, including links to the relevant forms, is found here: http://www.arcs.qmul.ac.uk/students/study/interrupting/index.html http://www.arcs.qmul.ac.uk/students/study/withdrawing/index.html
22
MODULES Year 1 – 15 credits each ICM7050 Module 1 - Trauma: The Disease This module will develop advanced and critical knowledge of the principles and theory of trauma, from triage and pre-hospital care to injury prevention. Aims: To analyse different trauma scoring systems and Learn the skills to analyse the history and evolution of trauma. Reading list: https://rl.talis.com/3/qmul/lists/1D6FCC78-FB67-EE62-CDE5468A7755A11A.html ICM7051 Module 2 - Haemorrhage and the Response to Injury This module will provide grounding in the basic science of haemorrhage and shock, coagulopathy in trauma, and introduce concepts such as damage control resuscitation and surgery. Aims: Learn the tools to evaluate different clinical situations and broaden the knowledge on diagnosis and management of shock syndrome. Particular attention will be on the deranged physiology underlying the onset of acute traumatic coagulopathy. Learn the tools to recognise shock and start the appropriate treatment. Analyse the most recent literature on fluid management and damage control resuscitation. Reading list: https://rl.talis.com/3/qmul/lists/9A0E86CB-24D7-D412-741FD0F7AB7090B7.html ICM7062 Module 3 – Trauma to the Pelvis and Torso This module will analyse aspects of torso trauma and the effect that different mechanisms have on torso injuries. Aims: Discuss the initial evaluation of the torso injured patients, with specific attention to blunt and penetrating injuries. Treatment options - operative and non-operative Critically analyse or gan and system specific injuries and their operative and non- operative treatment. Learn the tools to recognise different types of injuries and initiate treatment for patients with torso trauma. Identify and use correctly the diagnostic tools in the assessment of torso trauma. Reading list: https://rl.talis.com/3/qmul/lists/A4CBC72F-0210-198F-1C0CD291B64CE0DD.html ICM7063 Module 4 – Spine, Spinal Cord and Nerve Injuries This module will cover the pathophysiology of spine, nerve and spinal Cord injury. Aims: To critically evaluate the principles of diagnosis and treatment for patients with spine, nerve and spinal cord injuries. Describe the mechanisms and dysfunction inherent to spinal cord and nerve injuries and 23
outline the key elements of their management Reading list: https://rl.talis.com/3/qmul/lists/D2CF4716-1AD2-051B-84E233568BCEC0D8.html ICM7064 Module 5 – Fracture Biology and Limb Trauma This module is focused on how fractures actually heal and what factors influence that repair process. Specifics around the injury, patient factors and the interventions of a treating surgeon all have consequences on fracture healing. We also consider the specific treatment of common fractures of upper and lower limbs, with the emphasis around restoring function. Aims: Achieve a deep understanding of the bone healing process and how it can be influenced by a host of factors. Apply those basic principles to the management of common fractures of the upper and lower extremities. Reading list: https://rl.talis.com/3/qmul/lists/9417E161-EDCB-AD92-1EF39E2AD7C23CE5.html ICM7066 Module 6 - Paediatric Trauma and Limb Reconstruction This module will provide a comprehensive overview of the diagnosis and management of musculoskeletal and extremities vascular trauma. Particular attention will be given to cases of blunt and penetrating injuries to the extremities and the resultant vascular abnormalities. Aims: To use a critical and scientifically robust approach to plan patient care and to develop problem solving skills in the context of orthopaedic trauma. ICM7065 Module 7 – Open Fractures and Orthoplastic Surgical Care The module will provide students with a deep knowledge of how open fractures can be treated by a combined, collaborative approach between surgical disciplines, from the emergency room, to first debridement and then definitive fixation and soft tissue cover. Aims: To give students a clear knowledge of the basic spectrum of injuries around open fractures, both in the upper and lower limbs. This includes an appreciation of the bone and soft tissue components To provide students with the tools to develop their own management pathway from the emergency room, right through to definitive management To deliver a clear knowledge of the importance of collaborative care between surgical and medical disciplines, including plastic and orthopaedic surgery, but also emergency/prehospital medicine and microbiology. To give students the decision-making tools to choose appropriate implants to stabilise fractures, both in the acute and definitive settings. To give students a clear comprehension of the considerations and logic behind planning definitive soft tissue cover with either skin grafts or flaps. The students will evaluate, on a case-by-case basis, the application of the plastic surgical reconstructive ladder, along with the specific strengths and limitations of each mode of soft tissue cover. 24
Year 2 (2021-22) ICM7059 - Research Methods (15 credits) This module will provide a general introduction to research methods in medical science. Aims: Learn about problems associated to research design, Learn a range of relevant research skills (design, conduce and frame research projects) in the discipline of medical science Learn generic research training in quantitative and qualitative methods.
ICM7061 – Dissertation (60 credits) Aims: • Complete an original research project on a selected topic. • Select and apply the most appropriate research methodologies. • Critically analyse the literature. • To enable students to plan, conduct and present in written form an extended research project of their own choosing.
25
Queen Mary Blizard Institute Plagiarism Information ‘QM defines plagiarism as presenting someone else’s work as one’s own irrespective of intention. Close paraphrasing, copying from the work of another person, including another student, using the ideas of another person, without proper acknowledgement or repeating work you have previously submitted without properly referencing yourself (known as ‘self-plagiarism’) also constitute plagiarism.’ – Regulations on Assessment Offences http://www.arcs.qmul.ac.uk/students/student-appeals/assessment-offences/index.html
Plagiarism is a serious offence and all students suspected of plagiarism will be subject to an investigation. If found guilty, penalties can include failure of the module to suspension or permanent withdrawal from Queen Mary. It is your responsibility to ensure that you understand plagiarism and how to avoid it. The recommendations below can help you in avoiding plagiarism: Be sure to record your sources when taking notes, and to cite these if you use ideas or, especially, quotations from the original source. Be particularly careful if you are cutting and pasting information between two documents, and ensure that references are not lost in the process. Be sensible in referencing ideas – commonly held views that are generally accepted do not always require acknowledgment to particular sources. However, it is best to be safe to avoid plagiarism. Be particularly careful with quotations and paraphrasing. Be aware that technology, such as Turnitin, is now available at Queen Mary and elsewhere that can automatically detect plagiarism. You may submit your draft to the assignment link as many times as you wish prior to a deadline to check for plagiarism before clicking to final submit the work. Ensure that all works used are referenced appropriately in the text of your work and fully credited in your bibliography. If in doubt, ask for further guidance from your advisor or the teaching fellow. Turnitin is a web-based plagiarism prevention system used by most universities in the UK. This statement describes how Turnitin is used within the school and the data it creates about your work. 1 How Turnitin works 1.1 A Turnitin assignment is set up by a member of staff on QMPlus. You then access this assignment online and upload your work before the due date. Turnitin will analyse the submitted work to identify text matches with other sources and will compare the work against: o the current and archived web; o previously submitted work; o books and journals. 1.2
2 2.1
For each piece of submitted work Turnitin provides two things: o A similarity index, which indicates the percentage of the submitted paper that Turnitin has identified as matching other sources. o An originality report, which shows each of these matches in more detail, including the source(s) that Turnitin has found. How we use the information provided by Turnitin Only academic staff will make a judgement on whether plagiarism has occurred in a piece 26
2.2 2.3
2.4
3 3.1
3.2 3.3
3.4
3.5
of work. An academic may interpret the originality report to help but Turnitin itself does not make this judgement. We do not use a threshold percentage to identify whether plagiarism has occurred and may review any originality report in detail. Turnitin will highlight matching text such as references, quotations, common phrases and data tables within work that has no plagiarism issues at all. Those interpreting Turnitin reports will discount such matches and so initial percentages are often irrelevant. Where it is suspected that plagiarism has occurred in a piece of work, the originality report may be submitted to the Head of School and possibly to an Assessment Offences Panel for further investigation. How you can use the information provided by Turnitin There will be an opportunity for you to see a Turnitin report on your work before Turnitin is used on your assessed work. You will be able to see the report almost immediately after initially submitting (this can take up to 24 hours during busy periods). No other student will be able to see an originality report on your work. To help you understand what the report is telling you, please ensure you have followed the guidance on the E-Learning Unit’s website (http://www.elearning.capd.qmul.ac.uk/guide/interpreting-your-originality-report/). You may find it helpful to resubmit your work after reviewing the originality report – you are given repeat opportunities to do this up to an assignment deadline. Where this is the case, the idea is to use the report to help you identify any potential issues you may not have spotted before, and not to change individual words to avoid a match. If you have a question about your originality report that is not answered by the material linked to in 3.3 above, please direct these to your tutor in the first instance.
Try the plagiarism quiz at http://sites.cardiff.ac.uk/ilrb/resource/is-it-plagiarism-quiz/
4 Other things you should know 4.1
Turnitin stores a copy of most work submitted to it in its repository. This does not affect the ownership of or any copyright in the original work.
4.2
Staff may configure a Turnitin assignment such that copies of submissions are not stored in its database. This will be done for all test-runs or any ‘dummy’ assignments used for training or demonstration purposes. Staff on your course will ensure that no commercially or otherwise sensitive documents are stored in Turnitin’s repository.
4.3
Note that any copying from a source text, without acknowledging the source or indicating the copied section by placing it in inverted commas, constitutes plagiarism. The following pages show an actual example of plagiarism, taken from a student essay. The student has copied a number of blocks of text from a New Zealand university thesis, without attribution.
27
See below for an example of how plagiarism is detected in Turnitin. Trauma System Components Assignment Excerpt The Sultanate of Oman is located on the south-eastern corner of the Arabian Peninsula occupying an area of 309,500 km2 (12.77% of GCC), the second largest of the GCC countries after Saudi Arabia. It shares borders with the kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the west, the Omani Gulf and Arabian Sea to the east, the United Arab Emirates to the north and the republic of Yemen to the south(2).The population of Oman being 2,782,435(World Bank 2011 data).(3). According to the latest census which was carried out by the National Center for Statistics and Information, in 2010 Oman had a population of 2.77 million people, a density of 9.0 persons per square kilometre. However, 816,143 residents, nearly 30% of the population were expatriates. Males exceeded females at a ratio of 138 males to every 100 females, compared with 128 males to every 100 females in 2004.(4). Prior to the establishment of the current government in 1970, the main health care providers were the British Embassy Hospital and a few missionary hospitals in Muscat with no existing national health care system (6).This government made major investments in improving the health care system which resulted in Oman being the first in the world in regard to the WHO Health System Attainment and Performance Estimates [40]. These health institutions are divided into extended (primary) health care centres which are situated in villages and small local communities, secondary care hospitals which are located in cities and, finally, tertiary care hospitals mainly in the capital Muscat, but there are a few in major cities within each region (e.g. Sohar). The extensive growth in the global economy in the last century has changed many aspects of peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lives including their use of various means of transportation.(8). Continuous expansion in road network construction has accompanied a rapid increase in the population, with a corresponding increase in vehicle numbers (9). The growth in motor vehicles that follows economic growth usually results in an increase in RTC and consequent injuries and deaths (10). As a consequence, road traffic injuries have become a major public health problem globally with a large increase in the number of casualties and fatalities (9). According to WHO data, road traffic crashes caused about 25% of all deaths from injury worldwide in 2004 (11). The main victims of road traffic crashes are young adults. More than 50% of all deaths due to RTCs are among young adults within the age range of 15-44 years(12). The year 2010 witnessed one million more deaths from injuries than 1990; this 24% rise was attributed to the increase in RTCs by almost 420,600 crashes claiming the lives of 1.3 million people (13,14). Road traffic crashes are recognized as a major cause of mortality and morbidity in the GCC countries and many developing countries. The large number of traffic crashes has caused these countries a substantial wastage of life and national resources(16). Oman has the highest rates of mortality and injury compared with the neighbouring Gulf countries.(15) There is a relatively new system of emergency care which follows the Anglo-American system of Emergency Medicine Services (EMS). It is only a land based system and does not include aeromedical services (6). During 2012, a plan was set in place by the Royal Oman Police for the EMS services to cover the whole country and to incorporate aeromedical services. The EMS currently does not cover all cities and responds mainly to trauma cases with limited coverage of other emergency cases. Under a joint provision from the ROP and the Ministry of Health committee for the development of a modern EMS system, It officially started to provide its services in April 2004, covering approximately 70% of the population with 23 permanent ambulance units. Over a period of four years, the service attended to 5,501 cases of which 83% were trauma cases and the rest were medical emergencies (17%) (6).
28
New Zealand Student Thesis Excerpt
1.6
Overview of the Sultanate of Oman
Table 3: Overview of the Sultanate of Oman: Information
Statistics
Total Area of the Sultanate of Oman
309,500 km2
Total length of Roads
59363 km
Note: Data obtained from Ministry of Tourism, Oman [37].
Arabian Sea to the east, the United Arab Emirates to the north and the republic of Yemen to 9IPage
29
[37]. The country is divided into ten governorates as follows (numbered from 1-11 according to the map above): 1. Muscat Governorate which contains the capital city Muscat. 2. Musandam Governorate 3. Al Buraimi Governorate 4. Al Dakhilya Governorate 5. Al Batinah north Governorate which contains the prospective study city Sohar. 6. Al Batinah south Governorate 7. Al Sharqiyah north Governorate 8. Al Sharqiya south Governorate 9. Al Dhahira Governorate 10. Al Wosta Governorate 11. Dhofar Governorate Note: Data obtained from Ministry of Tourism, Oman [37].
Figure 1 below describes the distribution of the population within the different governorates in Oman. It can be seen that most of the population resides in the governorates of Muscat and Al Batinah. This is markedly different from the 2003 governorates percentages of the total population where most people resided in Al Batinah {31.7%) followed by Muscat (21.4%) [38].
10
30
I Page
Figure 1: Total Population of Oman by Governorate:
28.00%
27.90%
25.00%
20.00% 12.60%
11.80%
9.00%
10.00% 5.50%
5.00%
2.60%
1.50%
1.10%
0.00% 7
Note: Data obtained from 2010 National Census, National Centre for Statistics. Oman has been ruled by Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al Said since 23 July 1970; His Majesty also heads the Defence Council, the Financial Affairs and Energy Resources Council and the Supreme Judicial Council
[39].
1.6.1.
Health care in Oman
There has been a major change in health care provision in Oman in the past four decades.
[40]. Providing free health care which is available to the whole population was the main objective for the new government that came into power in 1970 under his Majesty Sultan Qaboos (Sultan of Oman).
[40].The Ministry of Health provides free health care to all Omani citizens through multiple 11 1 P a g e
31
institutions situated throughout the country.
(e.g. Sohar). In addition, alongside the Ministry of Health, many government organisations and private institutions provide medical care to their employees.
1.6.2. Emergency care in Oman
system of Emergency Medicine Services (EMS). It is only a land based system and does not include aeromedical services [40].
During 2012, a plan was set in place by the Royal Oman
services. The EMS currently does not cover all cities and responds mainly to trauma cases
with 23 permanent ambulance units. Over a period of four years, the service attended to 5,501
cases
of which 83% were trauma cases and the rest were medical emergencies (17%) [40]
12
32
I Page
33
34
