ESSQ Overview

ESSQ Overview

Please follow the links below to learn more about the ESSQ.  ESSQ year by year

Online Distance Learning

The programme is delivered through the University of Edinburgh's award winning medical virtual learning environment eeSURG and, being online, is designed to give you the freedom to study flexibly at the times and in the places which suit you best.  Click here to sample the course website.

The ESSQ programme received the prestigious accolade of Best Distance Learning Programme - Education at the 2010 e-Learning Awards.

Learner Support

The Programme Director is Professor Stephen Wigmore and each year has an academic director who oversees the content and teaching.  Every academic module also has a lead clinician who heads the e-tutors who will teach on the discussion boards for that module. 

Day-to-day pastoral support and guidance is given by the programme Academic eFacilitator and the ESSQ Office at the Royal College of Surgeons is open Mon - Fri 9am - 5am to look after administrative and technical aspects of the programme.

The eeSURG learning environment contains a wealth of learning material as well as academic and non-academic discussion boards, your own page and portfolio and in addition Elsevier online texts (Principles and Practice of Surgery, Guyton's Textbook of Medical Physiology and Robbins Basic Pathology).

As fully matriculated students of the University of Edinburgh, you will have a university e-mail account and student card, a password for MyEd (the University's web portal) and through that, full access to an unparalleled online library of books and ejournals and inter-library loan facilities.

You are supported by range of experienced eTutors from across the specialties who help to guide discussions and define your learning.

In the dissertation year you continue to be fully supported by an approved eDissertation Supervisor, normally a senior clinician whom you work with and have nominated. 

When you visit Edinburgh, for the end-of-year exam or other reason, you have the same entitlements as any campus-based student and are encouraged to take advantage of the campus-based facilities at both the University of Edinburgh and the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.

Cert/Dip/MSc

The Certificate in Surgical Sciences is designed to give you a firmer grounding in basic science as applied to surgery whilst the Diploma takes this further and offers an alternative, taught route to the MRCS. Most students apply for the full qualification of MSc which could be used as a means of moving towards a period of full-time research training towards an MD or PhD.

It is appreciated that the traditional approach of taking ‘time out’ for a period of research training might not be appropriate for all training surgeons but the MSc will offer you a unique way of developing your research and educational skills while continuing to practise in the clinical environment. Furthermore, it will provide you with recognition of academic achievement and a strong foundation with which to progress through specialist surgical training.

Final Award and Academic Credit

The MSc in Surgical Sciences degree is awarded by the University of Edinburgh, which is a top ranking accredited University recognised world-wide.  The final award states the achievement of a Masters in Surgical Sciences. The mode of delivery (online distance learning) is not specified on the final degree certificate. 

The MSc in Surgical Sciences represents 180 Univeristy of Edinburgh academic credits, which are equal to 90 European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) credits.

Study Commitments

ESSQ requires a considerable commitment and self-discipline on the part of the student. You are expected to undertake around 10 to 15 hours of self-directed online study per week and participate throughout in assessed online discussions. A considerable amount of this time will also be devoted to reflecting on or applying knowledge to real life situations.

Most of the work involves independent and group study using a clinical problem-based approach, supported by a systems-based review of the course material which allows you to choose between two learning styles; problem-solving or systematic where specified learning objectives are followed.

Your study time could be spent in a wide variety of ways: making choices regarding treatment and diagnosis of virtual patients as you work through a virtual case, discussing coursework and sharing ideas with peers and tutors, trying out self-test MCQs, reading course material or perhaps preparing another piece of written work.

Assessment

Certificate and Diploma levels

The first two years of the ESSQ are assessed in-course through the marking of online discussions and the amount of participation in the course generally, and by the end-of-year examination. Marks are issued during the year to keep you informed of your progress. In the Diploma year you are also expected to submit four short written pieces of work for assessment.

UK and Ireland-based students come to Edinburgh for the end-of-year Diploma and Certificate examination and international students are examined at an approved assessment centre closer to home.

The programme follows the University of Edinburgh's Postgraduate Assessment Regulations.

Masters level

This is assessed through three phases to a Masters Research Project. See Programme Content for details.

Postgraduate Code of Practice

ESSQ follows the University of Edinburgh Code of Practice for Taught Postgraduate Programmes.

Fees and Financial Support

The fees below are for the 2013/14 session. 

Year 1 - Certificate:£2,655
Year 2 - Diploma:£3,110
Year 3 - MSc:£3,110

Total:
£8,875 over 3 years

These fees apply to both UK-based and international students. 

An initial instalment of £500 (to go towards the Year 1 fees) is required. For more details see Apply for 2013.

The remainder of the fees may be paid in full or in instalments (if you set up a payment plan with the university at the start of term). 

The University of Edinburgh's Scholarships and Student Funding Services department offers a number of bursaries and scholarships including some specifically for e-learning programmes.  The ESSQ also has its own scholarship, the Garden Scholarship in Surgical Sciences, which was established in 2010 by the Programme Director.  This link gives information specifically for distance learning scholarships.

Academic Year 2013/14

The academic year 2013/14 begins on Monday, 2 September 2013. There is one intake per year. The programme is split into two terms with breaks in the New Year and at early spring.