Regulations, 2018

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L.N. 371 of 2018

EDUCATION ACT

(CAP. 327)

Doctor of Medicine and Surgery - M.D. - Degree Course (Amendment)

Regulations, 2018

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 (3) and 79 (b) of the said Act

Citation

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

- M.D. - Degree Course (Amendment) Regulations, 2018 and shall be read and

construed as one with the Doctor of Medicine and Surgery - M.D. - Degree Course

Regulations 2013, published as Legal Notice 310 of 2013, hereinafter referred to as

the “principal regulations”.

Applicability

These regulations shall be applicable as from October 2018 onwards.

Amendment to regulation 1 of the principal regulations

For paragraph (2) of regulation 1 of the principal regulations there shall

be substituted the following

“(2) In these regulations, unless the context otherwise requires -

“the Bachelor Degree” means the degree of Bachelor of Science (Honours)

in Medical Sciences – B.Sc.(Hons);

“the Board” means the Board of the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery;

“the Board of Studies” means the Board of Studies appointed by Senate

for the Course, on the recommendation of the Board;

“the Course” means the programme of study leading to the Degree of

Doctor of Medicine and Surgery – M.D. and the degree of Bachelor of Science

(Honours) in Medical Sciences – B.Sc.(Hons) – as the case may be;

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“the Degree” means the Degree of Doctor of Medicine and Surgery -

M.D.; and

“the Faculty” means the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery.”

Amendment to regulation 3 of the principal regulations

For regulation 3 of the principal regulations there shall be substituted the

following

“Eligibility for the Degree and the Bachelor Degree

3. To be eligible for the award of the Degree and the Bachelor Degree,

students must

(a) be registered as regular students in the Course in terms of the Admission

Regulations of the University;

(b) satisfy the Special Course Requirements in accordance with regulation 4;

(c) complete the course of studies, qualify in the examinations and satisfy

any other requirements as prescribed in these regulations; and

(d) satisfy any other requirements prescribed in any other relevant statutes

and regulations of the University.”

Amendment to regulation 5 of the principal regulations

For regulation 5 of the principal regulations there shall be substituted the

following

“Course Duration

5. (1) The Course for the Degree shall extend over a period of five years

and shall be divided into two parts: the Pre-Clinical Part, of two years’ duration, that

is, Years 1 and 2, and the Clinical Part, of three years’ duration, that is, Years 3, 4 and

5. (2) The Course for the Bachelor Degree shall extend over a period of

three years and shall comprise the first two years of the Degree (the Pre-Clinical

Part) and another year (an intercalated year) which shall be mainly dedicated to the

methodology of medical research.

(3) The Course for the Degree for students who decide to interrupt the

Course to follow the intercalated year before continuing with the Degree shall extend

over 6 years.

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(4) The Board may allow students to repeat a year once in each of the

two parts of the Course for the Degree and to suspend their studies for a maximum

period of twelve months once in each of the two parts of the Course for the Degree.

(5) Students opting to follow the Bachelor Degree shall only be allowed

to repeat a year once only and shall be allowed a suspension of studies of a maximum

period of twelve months once only in the three-year programme.

(6) The Board may allow students an additional year of studies once

only throughout the Course.”

Addition of regulation 8 to the principal regulations

The following regulation 8 shall be added after regulation 7 of the

principal regulations

“8. (1) At the end of Year 2 of the Course, students who successfully

complete all the study-units of the first two years of the Course (the Pre-Clinical Part)

shall be eligible to apply to join the Course leading to the Bachelor Degree. This

option may only be applied for at the end of Year 2, before progressing to Year 3 and

not in later years.

(2) Senate, on the recommendation of the Board, shall determine

the number of applicants that may be allowed to register for the Bachelor Degree,

depending on the availability of resources. The number of available places shall be

announced at the time of the call for applications.

(3) When the number of applicants that may be admitted to the

Bachelor Degree is limited in terms of paragraph (2) of this regulation, and the

number of eligible applicants exceeds the number of places available, applicants shall

be selected according to the highest overall performance in the first two years of the

Degree Course.

(4) In the case of two applicants who have identical average marks in

the first two years of the Degree Course, selection will be based on an interview.

(5) Following selection in terms of paragraphs (3) and (4) of this

regulation, the Board of Studies for the Bachelor Degree shall interview the students

to assign the research projects.

(6) Students who interrupt the Course for the Degree at the end of

the Pre-Clinical Part and successfully complete the 60 ECTS credits assigned to

the intercalated year, shall be eligible for the award of the Bachelor Degree. Such

students may then proceed to the third year of the Course for the Degree or terminate

their studies.

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(7) Students who fail to obtain the 60 ECTS credits assigned to the

intercalated year shall not be eligible for the award of the Bachelor Degree but may

be allowed to progress to the third year of the Course for the Degree. Students shall

not be allowed to refer any missing study-units of the intercalated year to the third

year of the Course for the Degree.”

Re-numbering of regulations 8 to 16 of the principal regulations

Regulations 8 to 16 of the principal regulations shall be re-numbered as

regulations 9 to 17.

Amendment to regulation 10 of the principal regulations

The following paragraph (10) shall be added after paragraph (9) of

regulation 10 of the principal regulations

“(10) Students who after the supplementary session of a repeat year fail

in one or more study-units shall be unable to progress with the Course. If eligible,

such students may request an award in terms of regulation 13 of these regulations.”

Paragraphs (10) and (11) of regulation 10 of the principal regulations

shall be renumbered as paragraphs (11) and (12).

Amendment to regulation 13 of the principal regulations

For regulation 13 of the principal regulations there shall be substituted

the following

“Classification of the Degrees

(1) The classification of the Degree and the Bachelor Degree shall be

determined by the Degree Classification Board composed as follows

The Dean as Chairman; and

the Heads of Departments involved in the teaching of the programme.

(2) The classification of the Degree and the Bachelor Degree shall be

based on the results obtained in the examinations of the study-units covered during

the final year of the Course.

(3) The Degree Classification Board shall consult the following

guidelines when deciding upon the final classification of the Degree

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Final Weighted Average

Mark Classification

80 – 100%

Pass with Distinction

70 – 79%

Pass with Merit

45 – 69%

Pass.

(4) The Degree Classification Board shall consult the following

guidelines when deciding upon the final classification of the Bachelor Degree

Final Weighted Average

Mark Classification

80 – 100%

First Class Honours

70 – 79% Upper Second Class Honours

55 – 69% Lower Second Class Honours

45 – 54% Third Class Honours.”

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