You will be introduced to the key concepts of personal and professional development (PPD) to support your development through introductory lectures, and through PPD group learning sessions. All students will have PPD group sessions, facilitated by specialist tutors. Group sessions provide an opportunity to discuss experiences openly with peers, share examples of best practice and learn how to apply the process of reflection to enhance your development as a medical student and future doctor.

It is of the utmost importance that all entries in your PPD portfolio are completed honestly and with integrity and are based on your own experiences. Students must not plagiarise or fabricate material. All students will therefore be required to complete a ‘Declaration of Probity’ to this effect at the beginning of each academic year.

 Academic Advisors

In addition to your group sessions, you will be allocated a tutor for your personal and professional development, this tutor is known as an ‘Academic Advisor’. Your Academic Advisor will provide you with individual guidance and support for your personal and professional development and the medical programme.

For this reason, you will have the same Academic Advisor throughout the 4 years of the GEM programme. Your Academic Advisor will guide you in your development as an independent, reflective learner, responding to feedback received, learning from your learning encounters with patients and across the wider programme. They will also advise you on the maintenance of your PPD portfolios and help you to develop your ability to plan ahead.

If you fully engage with your Academic Advisor you will have  a mentor who will:

• Support your progression, academic success and future plans;
• help you to feel like you belong and are valued regardless of your background, personal strengths and limitations;
• know who to contact if you have concerns or experience any difficulties either personally or academically;
• work to enhance your  academic and personal self-efficacy;
• help you to grow in confidence and develop skills for lifelong  professional relationships.

You will be assigned an Academic Advisor, a qualified clinician, from the beginning of the second semester, after you know which clinical education campus you will be based at. This advisor will support you across the four years of the programme. You will meet your Academic Advisor individually once or twice per semester. These meetings are mandatory and focus on specific learning outcomes for your professional development: Qualities essential to being a doctor and your own personal development. Throughout the academic year, your Academic Advisor will submit forms summarising plans discussed at your meetings and your progress.

What do I put in my portfolio to demonstrate my personal and professional development?

You will be provided with a list of intended learning outcomes at the beginning of the year accompanied by clear indications of the type of evidence you need to enter into your PPD portfolios for each of these learning outcomes. Your Academic Advisor will be provided with the same information. There will also be specific lectures and workshops available to you to prepare your portfolio entries.