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Course summary

Overview Breast cancer cases globally are on the increase. In 2011, Norwich Medical School, with support from the Royal College of Surgeons (England), Association of Breast Surgery (ABS), British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (BAPRAS), developed this unique course for surgeons looking to develop skills in Oncoplastic Breast Surgery. UEA’s award-winning e-learning approach has resulted in a suite of new super-specialist courses, delivered entirely online, and requiring no travel by its students.  This course has been carefully designed to integrate with the working lives of clinical practitioners. Students undertake six in-depth modules covering benign breast disease, malignant breast disease, oncoplastic breast conservation, oncoplastic breast reconstruction, research and service evaluation, and management and service improvement.  The educational focus is on consultant-level critical thinking and decision-making for surgeons while they gain practical experience in their clinical posts.  About This Course As a Specialist Clinical Mastership (SCM) student at Norwich Medical School, you’ll take part in fully-online discussions centered around realistic cases within our dedicated Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) – a thriving online community of specialists located all over the world.  The course is based around six advanced modules, covering all areas of oncoplastic breast surgery and a host of relevant transferrable skills. Each topic will bring with it new expertise and insights directly applicable to your own clinical practice. As such, each tutor-mediated forum discussion will take on a life of its own, fueled by shared reading, personal experience and tutor guidance.  The course is designed to complement your day-to-day clinical practice, so each session is delivered asynchronously, meaning that you will not be required to log on at set times. Your online learning will be supported by formative assessments of your surgical knowledge, critical thinking and decision-making. You will participate in virtual module training days and workshops with our expert tutors, which are also recorded for student revision purposes on the VLE.  The course is designed for surgeons with demonstrable experience in core breast oncology. We accept breast or plastic surgery trainees from level ST5 level or above, from the UK and overseas.  Should you demonstrate competency in core oncoplastic breast surgery procedures, you will be able to proceed onto the final dissertation year to obtain a Master’s degree. If you are unable to fully demonstrate operative competency, you will not move onto the final year and can complete your study with a Postgraduate Certificate or Postgraduate Diploma. In these cases, you will still benefit fully from the theoretical and decision-making skills that you have gained on the course.  Disclaimer Course details are subject to change. You should always confirm the details on the provider's website: www.uea.ac.uk

Modules

Most teaching and learning is via our dedicated Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) which hosts a thriving online community of specialists from all over the world. All modules are compulsory and include: Applied basic sciences and benign breast disease; Management of malignant breast disease; Breast reconstruction; Oncoplastic breast conserving surgery; Research, audit and service evaluation and; Management and service delivery, culminating in a research dissertation. You can expect to be able to apply knowledge and skills gained on the course directly to cases within weeks of starting.

Assessment method

We take assessment very seriously. There is a formal exam (2 papers) during each of the first two years for all Diploma and Masters students. Our international students sit the exam in their home countries. We also hold an OSCE exam, hosted in the UK for all Masters students to demonstrate their (non-surgical) procedural knowledge in planning and decision-making. All Masters students are monitored, through log-book evaluation, to ensure they have the necessary index surgical procedures required to qualify for the MS.


Entry requirements

A MBBS (pass or merit), or equivalent; ST 5 or above, associate specialist (2 years in breast surgery); GMC registered; and MRCS or equivalent. All applicants who are not a British national and/or whose first language is not English will need to demonstrate a suitable level of English language proficiency. This is equivalent to an IELTS 7.0 overall, with a minimum of 7.0 in all components, although we do accept many other types of qualifications or tests. In accordance with the UK Border Agencies Tier 4 visa guidelines, we will also waive the English language requirement for applicants who meet the defined nationality test or who have completed a degree level course in one of the listed countries.


Fees and funding

Tuition fees

England £7500 Whole course
Northern Ireland £7500 Whole course
Scotland £7500 Whole course
Wales £7500 Whole course
International £7500 Whole course

Additional fee information

£7,500 (full time) - £1,000 per 20 credit module. £1,500 for the 60 credit dissertation module. If you choose to study part-time, the fee per annum will be half the annual fee for that year, or a pro-rata fee for the module credit you are taking (only available for Home students). We estimate living expenses at £1,023 per month.
Oncoplastic Breast Surgery at University of East Anglia UEA - UCAS