Regulations, 2024

L.N. 100 of 2024

EDUCATION ACT

(CAP. 327)

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

Regulations, 2024

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, 2024 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

Regulation 4 of these regulations shall be applicable for courses commencing

in October 2024 or later.

Regulation 5 of these regulations shall apply from 1 April 2024 onwards to

all students registered on all the years of the Course.

Amendment to regulation 4 of the principal regulations

For paragraph (5) of regulation 4 of the principal regulations there shall be

substituted the following

“(5) Applicants in possession of other qualifications obtained from

recognised institutions other than the University of Malta shall be considered by the

Admissions Committee of the Faculty and shall be admitted to the Course if it is

ascertained that their qualifications are comparable to the qualifications indicated in

paragraphs (2), (3) and (4) of this regulation.”

Amendment to regulation 10 of the principal regulations

For regulation 10 of the principal regulations there shall be substituted

the following

“Assessment and Progression in the Course

(1) The method of assessment for each study-unit shall be indicated

in the study-unit description and published in the catalogue of study-units. The result

of each study-unit shall take into account all components of the assessment of that

study-unit.

(2) Students shall be entitled to four assessment attempts in order to

obtain a pass grade in the assessment of a study-unit, except in the case of study-units

whose assessments are indicated as not available at the supplementary assessment

session, in which case students are entitled to two assessment attempts only.

(3) In any academic year, students who fail in study-units shall be

allowed a supplementary assessment in September of the same year.

(4) Students who after the supplementary session fail in study-units

to which 10 or less ECTS credits are assigned, after academic counselling by the

Dean and/or the Head of Department concerned, may be given the option by the

Board, to either

(a) subject to paragraph (6) of this regulation, refer the failed

study-unit/s to the following year to be done over and above the study-units indicated

for that year; or

(b) subject to paragraph (6) of regulation 5 and to paragraph (6)

(a) of this regulation, refer the failed study-unit/s to an additional year of study, if the

student is in Year 5 of the Course; or

(c) subject to paragraphs (4) and (5) of regulation 5 of these

regulations, repeat the year.

(5) Students referred to in sub-paragraph (a) of paragraph (4) of this

regulation who take up the option to refer failed study-units to the following year of

the Course shall be considered to have progressed conditionally to the next year and

shall not be allowed to continue with the Course if, after the supplementary session

of that year, they fail again to obtain a pass in the referred study-unit/s.

(6) (a) The option to refer study-units to the following year shall

be available once only throughout the Course, except in the case of the study-units

referred to in paragraph (8) of this regulation,

provided that students in Year 2 shall not be allowed to refer any other study-units to

the following year.

(b) Year 2 students who are not eligible to proceed to Year 3 of

the Course shall be required to successfully complete the failed study-unit/s during

an additional year of study, or to repeat the year, in both cases if eligible in terms of

paragraphs (4), (5) and (6) of regulation 5 of these regulations.

(7) (a) If a student is prevented, for a reason considered valid by

Senate, from being assessed in the first assessment and/or the supplementary

assessment of study-unit/s to which 10 or less ECTS credits are assigned, the student

shall be required to complete these study-units in the following year to be done over

and above the study-units indicated for that year.

(b) If a student is prevented, for a reason considered valid by Senate,

from being assessed in the first assessment and/or the supplementary assessment of

study-unit/s to which more than 10 ECTS credits are assigned, the student shall be

required to complete these study-units in an additional year of study, if eligible in

terms of paragraph (6) of regulation 5 of these regulations.

(c) If a student is prevented, for a reason considered valid by

Senate, from being assessed in referred study-units, the student shall be required to

complete the previous year’s requirements in an additional year of study, if eligible in

terms of paragraph (6) of regulation 5 of these regulations. Under no circumstances

shall a student be allowed to progress to the following year if the requirements of the

year previous to the current one have not been satisfied.

(d) Failure to present a valid reason for absence for the consideration

of Senate or failure to prove that the students could not sit for the assessment due to

circumstances beyond their control, will result in students being considered as having

utilized an assessment attempt.

(8) 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 or are prevented for a reason considered valid by Senate from

being assessed in these study-units, shall be allowed to progress conditionally to the

following year of the Course, provided that they pass such assessments in that year.

(9) Students who after the supplementary session fail in study-units

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

the following year of the Course but shall be required to repeat the year if eligible in

terms of paragraphs (4) and (5) of regulation 5 of these regulations.

(10) In a repeat year, students are required to follow and be assessed

in all study-units of the programme of study for the year, even those they may have

previously passed. Any mark/grade may be obtained in the repeat year and will

replace the marks/grades obtained in the preceding year.

(11) Students who would have utilised all assessment attempts after

the supplementary session of the repeat year or of the additional year, and who fail

to obtain a pass grade in any study-unit shall be unable to progress in the Course.

If eligible, such students may request an award in terms of regulation 14 of these

regulations.

(12) The maximum mark/grade that may be awarded in a referred

study-unit, irrespective of whether the study-unit is assessed in a regular or in a

supplementary session of examinations, is 45%, grade D.

(13) Attendance for lectures, tutorials, seminars, practical, laboratory

and clinical placements, and any other teaching session in whatever mode is obligatory.

Following consultation with the Head of Department, lecturers may bar a student

whose attendance in a study-unit is not satisfactory from being assessed in that study-

unit. In such cases, a 0 mark and an F grade shall be assigned and recorded.”

€0.27