The MBChB Programme has a number of external examiners who will be present during the examinations and at Boards of Examiners. They are expert and experienced academic staff from other universities who are appointed, usually for four years, to ensure that the examinations are run correctly and fairly and carried out according to the set procedure. They look at the draft examination papers (or content of a Clinical Competency Assessment), may see candidates on the day of practical examinations and are present at each end of year Board of Examiners. They submit a report on the examination procedure to the University and suggest changes for future examinations. All reports are formally considered at the Assessment Committee and are responded to by the Chair of the Committee.

In addition, the Programme appoints a Programme Examiner for the MBChB; this is Prof James Pickering. His role is to provide an overview of all examination and assessment activities for the whole Programme.

External examiners’ reports relating to the Programme will be shared with student representatives at the Assessment Committee, wherein details of any actions carried out by the Programme in response to the external examiners’ comments will be discussed. You should contact your student representatives if you require any further information about external examiners’ reports or the process for considering them.

The external examiners for the MBChB are:

• Year 0 – Dr Alykhan Kassam, Senior Lecturer, Edge Hill University
• GEM Year – Dr Fiona Graham, Programme Director, Scottish Graduate Entry Medicine Programme.
• Year 1 – Prof Paul Horrocks, Director of Medical Sciences, Keele University.
• Year 1 – Dr Collete Clay, Senior Teaching Fellow, Warwick Medical School.
• Year 2 – Dr Katherine Syred, Consultant Histopathologist & Honorary Clinical Fellow, University of Plymouth.
• Year 2 & Programme External Examiner– Prof James Pickering, Chair in Anatomical Education, University of Leeds.
• Year 3 – Dr Faye Bradshaw, Clinical Year Director, Liverpool  Medical School.
• Year 3 – Dr Anita McCarron, Academic Lead Year 4 MBBS, UCL
• Year 4 – Dr Lynsey Yeoman, Clinical University Lecturer, Glasgow Medical School.
• Year 4 – Dr David Rogers, MBChB Programme Director co-lead, Bristol Medical School
• Year 5  – Dr Andrew Westwood, Y4 Academic Lead, Kent & Meadway Medical School.
• Year 5 – Dr Mary O’Hanlan, OSCE Lead, University of Birmingham Medical School.

Please note: It is inappropriate for students to make direct contact with external examiners under any circumstances, in particular with regards to a student’s individual performance in assessments. Other appropriate mechanisms are available to you, including the University’s appeals or complaints procedures and the Students’ Union Advice Centre. In cases where a student does contact an external examiner directly, external examiners have been requested not to respond. Instead, external examiners should report the matter to their Programme contact who will then contact the student to remind them of the other methods available for students. If you have any queries concerning this, you should contact the Assessment team in the Programme.