Course (Amendment) Regulations, 2010

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L.N. 240 of 2010

EDUCATION ACT

(CAP. 327)

Doctor of Medicine and Surgery – M.D. -

Course (Amendment) Regulations, 2010

IN EXERCISE of the powers conferred upon him by articles 74 (5)

and 75 (6) of the Education Act (Cap. 327), the Chancellor of the

University of Malta has promulgated the following regulations made by the

Senate of the University of Malta by virtue of the powers conferred upon it

by articles 75 and 79 of the said Act

Citation

These regulations may be cited as the Doctor of Medicine and Surgery –

M.D. – Course (Amendment) Regulations, 2010 and shall be read and construed as

one with the Doctor of Medicine and Surgery – M.D. – Course Regulations, 1998,

published as Legal Notice 137 of 1998, hereinafter referred to as “the principal

regulations”.

Applicability

These regulations shall apply to courses commencing in October 2009 or

later.

Amendment to regulation 4 of the principal regulations

For paragraph (4) of regulation 4 of the principal regulations there shall

be substituted the following

“(4) Applicants in possession of one of the following degrees obtained from

the University of Malta may also apply

(i) applicable up to September 2011: a Bachelor of Science with a

classification of Category II or better or a Bachelor of Science (Honours) with a

classification of Second Class Honours or better, in both cases with Biology and

Chemistry as principal areas, or in Nursing Studies, or in Midwifery, or in

Physiotherapy, or in Radiography or in Medical Laboratory Science or a comparable

degree; or

(i) applicable as from October 2011 onwards: a Bachelor of Science with

a classification of Category II or better or a Bachelor of Science (Honours) with a

classification of Second Class Honours or better, in both cases with Biology and

Chemistry as principal areas or a comparable degree; or a degree in an area of the

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Allied Health Sciences obtained with a classification of Second Class Honours or

better, provided the programme of study includes study-units in both Biology and

Chemistry that are comparable in standard or higher than the Advanced

Matriculation Level in the subjects and provided these study-units had been

successfully completed; or

(ii) a Bachelor of Pharmacy (Honours) with a classification of Second Class

Honours or better; or

(iii) a Bachelor of Dental Surgery with a classification of Second Class

Honours or better if awarded from July 2009 onwards.”

For paragraph (6) of regulation 4 of the principal regulations there shall

be substituted the following

“(6) Applicants for the Course may be required to attend for an interview

and/or examination. The Interviewing Board/s shall be composed of the Dean or his

delegate, three other members appointed by the Board, one of whom shall be from

outside the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, and another member appointed by

Senate. Up to three such Interviewing Boards shall be appointed for each intake of

students as determined by the Board.”

Amendment to regulation 5 of the principal regulations

For paragraph (2) of regulation 5 of the principal regulations there shall

be substituted the following

“(2) Except with the permission of the Board, students must follow the

Course without interruption or repetition. The Board may allow students to interrupt

or to repeat a year once in each of the two parts of the Course.”

Amendment to regulation 6 of the principal regulations

For regulation 6 of the principal regulations there shall be substituted the

following

“Programme of Study

6. The Board shall publish the programme of study, comprising all the

subjects taught in each year of the Intermediate Course, their syllabus and

assessments prior to the commencement of each Course following the approval of

Senate. Subject to the approval of Senate, the Board may make any necessary

changes to the programme of study as required.”

Amendment to regulation 7 of the principal regulations

For regulation 7 of the principal regulations there shall be substituted the

following

“7. The subjects of the Final Course shall be the following

First Year

Pathology

Medicine (including Neurology)

Clinical Pharmacology

Surgery

Family Medicine

Behavioural Sciences

Second Year

Pathology

Medicine

Clinical Pharmacology

Surgery (including Orthopaedics)

Obstetrics and Gynaecology

Paediatrics

Public Health

Dermatology

Ophthalmology

Anaesthesia

Forensic Medicine

Family Medicine

Third Year

Medicine (including Paediatrics)

Surgery (including Orthopaedics)

Obstetrics and Gynaecology

Psychiatry

Family Medicine

Behavioural Sciences.”

Addition of regulations 9, 10 and 11 to the principal regulations

Regulations 9, 10 and 11 shall be added after regulation 8 of the principal

regulations

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“Mark Scheme in the Intermediate and Final Course

During the Course the assessment result in each subject of the two parts of

the Course shall be published according to the following marks and grades in

descending order of merit

95% - 100%

A+

80% - 94%

A

75% - 79%

B+

70% - 74%

B

65% - 69%

C+

55% - 64%

C

50% - 54%

D+

45% - 49%

D

0% - 44%

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Assessment and Progression in the Intermediate Course

(1) The result of each subject shall take into account all parts of the

assessment in that subject.

(2) Students are allowed to resit any failed subject of Years I and II of

the Intermediate Course in the September supplementary session of examinations,

provided that students who commence the Course in October 2010 or later shall only

be eligible to be re-assessed in subjects to which not more than 16 ECTS credits are

assigned, except when students fail in only one study-unit to which more than 16

ECTS credits are assigned or in two study-units which between them are assigned

more than 16 ECTS credits but not more than 20 ECTS credits.

(3) Students who after the supplementary session of Year I of the

Intermediate Course fail in subjects to which 10 or less ECTS credits are assigned

shall, whenever possible and after academic counselling by the Dean and/or the

Head of Department concerned, be given the option by the Board to either

(a) refer the failed subject/s to the following year to be done over and above

the subjects indicated for Year II of the Intermediate Course; or

(b) repeat the year, if eligible in terms of these regulations.

(4) Students referred to in paragraph (3) of this regulation who take up

the option to refer failed subjects to Year II of the Course shall be considered to

have progressed conditionally and shall not be allowed to continue with the Course

if, after the supplementary assessment session of Year II, they fail again to obtain a

pass in the referred subject/s.

(5) If a student is prevented for a reason considered valid by Senate from

being assessed in referred subjects, the student shall be required to complete the

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previous year’s requirements in an additional year of study. Under no circumstances

shall a student be allowed to progress from Years I or II to Years II or III if the

requirements of the year previous to the current have not been satisfied.

(6) Students who after the supplementary sessions of Years I and II fail

in subjects to which more than 10 ECTS credits are assigned shall not be allowed to

proceed to Year II or Year III of the Course, as applicable, but may be allowed by

the Board to repeat the year, if eligible in terms of these regulations.

(7) In a repeat year, students are required to follow and be assessed in all

subjects of the programme of study for the year. Any mark/grade may be obtained.

(8) Students in Year II shall not be allowed to progress to Year III if they

have not successfully passed in all subjects. However, students who after the

supplementary session of examinations of Year II fail in subjects to which 10 or less

ECTS credits are assigned shall be required to obtain passes in the failed subjects in

an additional year of study, except in the case of subjects referred to in paragraph (2)

of regulation 11.

(9) A study-unit that has been accepted by the Board as an alternative to

a referred subject shall, for purpose of these regulations, be deemed to be a referred

subject and the provisions of paragraphs (4) and (5) of this regulation shall apply.

(10) The maximum mark/grade that may be awarded to a pass in a

referred subject, including subjects accepted as alternative to the referred ones, and

irrespective of whether the subject is assessed in a normal or a supplementary

session of examinations, is 45%, grade D.

(11) Attendance for lectures, tutorials, seminars, practical or clinical

sessions or work placements, and any other teaching session in whatever mode is

obligatory. The Board of Examiners may bar a student whose attendance in a

subject is not satisfactory from being assessed in that subject. In such cases a 0

mark and an F grade shall be assigned and recorded.

Admission to the Final Course

(1) Before being admitted to the Final Course, students must pass in all

subjects of the second year of the Intermediate Course, or in the case of transfer

students be exempted from them by Senate, acting on the recommendation of the

Board.

(2) In the case of assessments that can only be held once during an

academic year and hence no supplementary session is possible, students who fail

these assessments shall be allowed to proceed to the Final Course, provided that they

pass such assessments in Year I of the Final Course.”

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Renumbering of regulations 9 to 21 of the principal regulations

9. Regulations 9 to 21 of the principal regulations shall be renumbered as

regulations 12 to 24.

Amendment to regulation 12 of the principal regulations

10. For regulation 12 of the principal regulations there shall be substituted

the following

“12. (1) In the Final Course, Progress Tests shall be held in subjects, the

teaching of which extends over more than one academic year.

(2) Progress Tests in the Final Course shall be held as follows

During the First Year in

Pathology

Medicine

Clinical Pharmacology

Surgery

Behavioural Sciences

During the Second Year in

Medicine (including Neurology)

Clinical Pharmacology

Surgery (including Orthopaedics)

Obstetrics and Gynaecology

During the Third Year in

Behavioural Sciences

(3) Progress Tests shall be held during the year.

(4) A supplementary session shall be held for those students who fail a

Progress Test.

(5) Students shall not be allowed to proceed to the following year of the

Course if the Board is not satisfied, as a result of the Progress Tests, that they have

followed the year with profit.

(6) Students who fail in any Progress Test in the supplementary session shall

not be allowed to proceed to the following year of the Course but may be allowed by

the Board to repeat the year.”

Deletion of regulations 13, 14, and 15 of the principal regulations

11. Regulations 13, 14 and 15 of the principal regulations shall be deleted.

Regulations 16 to 24 shall be renumbered as regulations 13 to 21.

Amendment to regulation 13 of the principal regulations

For regulation 13 of the principal regulations there shall be substituted

the following

“Subject Tests in the Final Course

13. (1) During the Final Course, Subject Tests shall be held in each of the

following subjects

Public Health

Dermatology

Forensic Medicine

Ophthalmology

Paediatrics

Psychiatry

Anaesthesia.

A Subject Test in Family Medicine shall be held during the third year of the Final

Course.

(2) A supplementary session shall be held for those students who fail a

Subject Test.

(3) Students shall not be allowed to proceed to the following year of the

Course if they have not passed each Subject Test prescribed for the year.

(4) Students who fail in any Subject Test in the supplementary session

may be allowed by the Board to repeat the year.”

Amendment to regulation 15 of the principal regulations

For regulation 15 of the principal regulations there shall be substituted

the following

“Result

(1) Exceptional performance in the Pathology examination shall be

indicated in the result.

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(2) Students who do not pass the examination in Pathology in the sessions

prescribed in paragraphs (1) and (2) of regulation 14 shall not be allowed to proceed

to the third year of the Final Course. Such students may be allowed by the Board to

repeat the year at the next opportunity.”

Amendment to regulation 17 of the principal regulations

15. For regulation 17 of the principal regulations there shall be substituted

the following

“Result

(1) The names of students who have passed the Final Examination at the

first session shall be published in another list in alphabetical order in the following

two categories

Passed with Distinction

Passed.

Exceptional performance in a subject shall be indicated on the list.

(2) The names of students who are successful in the examination sessions

as prescribed in paragraph (2) of regulation 16 shall be published in a simple Pass

List in alphabetical order.

(3) The result of the Final Examination shall take into account all parts of

the examination in the three subjects specified in paragraph (3) of regulation 16, the

result of the examination in Pathology, as well as the work done by the students

during the Final Course.”

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