Report on Student Feedback from UCD School of Medicine and Medical Science (SMMS), assessing support & mentorship needs

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Executive Summary

 

This report analyzes feedback received from students at UCD SMMS, focusing on the perceived gaps in communication and support within the medical degree program. The feedback emphasizes the need for a comprehensive mentoring program and highlights key areas for improvement. This report breaks down the feedback into clear themes, summarizing the most repeated suggestions and outlining potential benefits.

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Introduction

 

The feedback collected from university students reveals a shared concern about the lack of relationship between staff and students, insufficient support in study and clinical training, and overall dissatisfaction with the existing communication structures. The report synthesizes these views into coherent themes, providing a detailed look at the students' perceptions.

 

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Key Findings

 

1. Lack of Communication and Support

   - Students feel unsupported in both academic study and clinical training.

  - Communication channels between staff and students are viewed as inefficient and unresponsive.

 

2. Need for a Mentoring Program

   - A strong call for implementing a mentoring program to foster better connections between staff and students.

 

3. Desire for Equality and Inclusiveness

   - Concerns about unequal support and treatment, especially regarding special programs like Ad Astra.

 

4. Emphasis on Tailored Support and Guidance

   - Repeated calls for individualized support and guidance, whether through staff, clinicians, or experienced students.

 

5. Focus on Career Guidance and Community Building

   - Suggestions include better career guidance, fostering a more connected community, and improving relationships between students and staff.

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General Sentiment

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This pie chart provides a visual representation of sentiment analysis results, showcasing the proportion of feedback categorized as positive, negative, or neutral.

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Positive Aspects

 

Interest in Community Building: The students' repeated call for mentoring and enhanced communication reflects a strong interest in building a connected and collaborative community.

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Appreciation for Existing Counseling Services: Several comments indicate satisfaction with existing counseling services like UCD counseling, suggesting a foundation that can be leveraged.

 

Strong Student-to-Student Support Network: Students have found valuable advice and support from their peers in older years, showing an existing culture of student-to-student mentorship.

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Quality of Lectures and Lab Facilities: Students noted satisfaction with the quality of the lectures, and the lab facilities are rated highly for their advanced equipment. Mentorship benefits a lot from these study conditions. 

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Most Redundant Student Suggestions

 

   - Implementation of a Mentoring Program.

   - Better Communication Between Staff and Students.

   - Tailored Support and Guidance.

   - Equality and Inclusiveness in Support.

   - Career Guidance and Exploration.

   - Support for International Students.

 

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Conclusion

 

The feedback from UCD SMMS students reveals a profound need for improved communication, support, and relationship-building between staff and students. The redundant suggestions indicate clear areas of focus and shared concerns. The introduction of a well-designed mentoring program, along with improvements in communication, tailored support, and equality, can lead to a more enriched, engaged, and supportive educational experience.

 

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Recommendations

 

Implement a Peer-Mentoring Program: Leverage the existing student-to-student support network and create a formal peer-mentoring program, using a model similar to the successful mentorship program in the UCD Engineering School.

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Improve Staff Responsiveness: Set up dedicated office hours for staff and implement a 48-hour email response policy to address the concern raised by a large proportion of respondents regarding slow or inadequate email responses. If this is not possible, be transparent about when students can expect a response.

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Balance Support Across All Students: Review the support given to Ad Astra Scholars, ensuring that guidance and mentorship are accessible to all students. This addresses the 28% of students who felt that support was unequal.

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Create Transparent Guidelines for Clinical Training: Develop a Clinical Years Handbook, informed by senior clinicians, to guide students in clinical practice, reflecting a need identified throughout the survey responses.

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This report is intended to guide decision-makers in identifying and addressing key areas of concern, ultimately enhancing the educational experience at UCD SMMS.