EDITION 18 · JANUARY 2015 EDITION 18 · JANUARY RENews fromMED Cardiff University’s YInside… School of Medicine Newyddion o’r Ysgol Feddygaeth, Defining a standard of Prifysgol Caerdydd care for prostate cancer Live Venepuncture Community Clinical Learning DIAGNOSE THE PAST, RESEARCH THE PRESENT, REPAIR THE FUTURE Welcome Welcome to the eighteenth edition of ReMEDy. As the saying goes “doesn’t time fly”! the reward of helping to create great One year into my role as Dean of doctors who understand patients and Medicine and I am extremely proud of the world in which we all live, make the milestones the School has achieved these efforts worthwhile. over the last 12 months. We now have This edition’s ‘Making an Impact’ story a fully validated MB BCh programme Finally, my congratulations to highlights the work of Professor Malcolm which is truly innovative and puts Professor Anita Thapar, who recently Mason in defining a standard of care patients at the heart of student learning. won the Ruane Prize for outstanding for locally advanced prostate cancer. Early student feedback fully endorses achievement in the field of child This work has changed medical practice the new programme and welcomes and adolescent psychiatry. I am guidelines in Europe and North America, the opportunity to engage with patients delighted Anita’s passion for child and which will result in the prevention of 43 early on. For many students, this adolescent psychiatry research has per cent of deaths in men with locally approach has helped to consolidate been rewarded in this way and that her advanced prostate cancer. learning and instils a more humanised efforts alongside those of her research approach to diseases. The work of the Senior Management team have received the international team in the Institute of Medical recognition they deserve. Community clinical learning is explained Education is explained in the “Meet in more detail in our main feature I hope you enjoy reading this first edition the Team’ feature. We also hear ‘Learning by the bedside” which gives us of the New Year and I wish everyone a of the volunteering efforts of one of a sense of the enormity of the logistics happy and productive 2015. our intercalated medical students involved in getting our students out who in her spare time, helps to run an Professor John Bligh learning in the community. However, orphanage in Kenya. Dean, School of Medicine C21 Update In September I took on the role of including the establishment and Much remains to be done to achieve Dean of Medical Education. Being consolidation of placement hubs across our goal of being one of the top ten relatively new to the area I understood South Wales where students will learn in medical schools in the UK. None that it would be a challenging role but the community environment, essential of this will be possible without our one that I hoped would be rewarding for their understanding of delivering 21st Institute academic and administrative and provide the opportunity to lead century healthcare. staff, our clinical teachers in the the dedicated team in the Institute NHS and the organisations and Locally we continue to develop of Medical Education responsible for people who plan and deliver hospital interdisciplinary teaching with delivering the C21 programme. and GP placements across the whole other Schools in the University. The of Wales. This has been a very busy period, we established links with the School are rolling out year two of the new of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical I finish by mentioning our students. curriculum as well as running years Sciences will be developed (both in Last week I had the pleasure of one and five for the second time clinical skills and in the community) participating in the inaugural “Cardiff having developed these based on and we recently ran highly successful Med Day” a student led fundraising feedback and experience from the joint placements with the School of event (featured on page 9). This was past few years. Years three and four Optometry and Vision Sciences. followed by the inaugural “MEDIC continue to develop in preparation of varsity” a sporting challenge between Our National Student Survey (NSS) the roll out over the next two years. Cardiff University School of Medicine data continues to show that overall and Bristol University Medical School. Over the past few months we have satisfaction is improving year-on-year. Both events were incredibly well visited all the local education providers Similarly positive news emanates from supported demonstrating the pride (Health Boards and many GP practices) the recent GMC visit where the team our students have in Cardiff and and have been overwhelmed by the were satisfied with our progress and their responsibility, teamwork and dedication, organisation and enthusiasm noted “students, foundation doctors dedication. to deliver an outstanding undergraduate and teaching staff that we met were teaching experience. As the course universally enthusiastic about develops we look forward to further the staged implementation of the Professor Nicholas Topley outreach activity in our communities C21 curriculum”. Dean of Medical Education 2 REMEDY · EDITION 18 · JANUARY 2015 Making an Impact: Defining a Standard of Care for Locally Advanced Prostate Cancer The research showed that the risk of death for men suffering from locally advanced or high-risk prostate cancer could be cut significantly by adding radiation therapy to standard hormone treatments. Locally advanced prostate cancer (where a tumour has extended outside the prostate gland to surrounding tissues) affects 4000 men per year in the UK. Prior to the underpinning research, there was no consensus on the standard of care, with hormone therapy often being given alone. Professor Malcolm Mason, Cancer Research Wales Professor of Clinical Oncology at the School of Medicine, has led the UK arm of the research trial into prostate cancer since 1998, when he was appointed as the UK Chief Investigator, leading the study in this country for the Medical Research Council. Prostate cancer kills around 10,000 men in the UK every year. Professor Malcolm Mason receiving the William Farr medal in recognition of his contribution Researchers presented new evidence to prostate cancer research. showing that survival rates significantly improve if radiation is added to Matt Sydes, Senior Scientist in the with a combination of radiotherapy and standard hormone treatments when Medical Research Council Clinical Trials hormone therapy halved the risks of treating men whose cancer has spread Unit added: dying of prostate cancer. beyond the prostate. Professor Mason said: “The study has triggered a change The trial has changed medical in clinical practice, whose reach is “This trial exemplifies the guidelines and practice in Europe and international, covering at least the importance of international North America. For example, the UK’s NICE guidelines now advise that 100% UK, Europe, and North America with randomised controlled trials recommendations extending to Asia.” of patients suitable for radiotherapy Based on the evidence we have, it in high quality evidence-based must be offered it. Two papers, would result in the prevention of 43 per medicine. Good data underpins describing the final analysis of this study and the quality of life analysis, cent of deaths from prostate cancer in good decision-making. By men with locally advanced cancer. are currently in press in the Journal of gathering robust statistics, Clinical Oncology. “Such men make up around 40 percent we were able to show how we of all new cases of prostate cancer in Professor Malcom Mason was awarded the UK, and therefore the results have could target and treat high the William Farr Medal in 2013 by the the potential, worldwide, to prevent risk patients.” Worshipful Society of Apothecaries and thousands of deaths from prostate jointly won the 2014 Cardiff University cancer every year. The success of this Medical Breakthrough Award for this The International randomised clinical study is a real testament to international underpinning international research. trial, led by Cardiff researchers showed collaboration.” that treating locally advanced disease REMEDY · EDITION 18 · JANUARY 2015 3 Meet the Medical Education Senior Management Team After a period of consultation working closely with the phase leads taught course provision. Cardiff and configuration the C21 and year directors to ensure delivery University is the largest provider of of the course. face-to-face and distance-learning curriculum was launched postgraduate taught courses across a Professor Helen Sweetland is the Vice wide range of disciplines. in 2013. This new medical Dean for Medical Education. Helen, a curriculum is aimed at consultant surgeon, brings a wealth of Dr Debbie Cohen is the Director of producing the best doctors experience of all aspects of medical Student Support. Debbie, a GP by to serve the healthcare education and has responsibility for training, is responsible for all aspects Quality and Governance that includes of student support policies and ensures needs of Wales and the wider our relationship with the postgraduate robust support for students’ wellbeing community nationally and Deanery and our interactions with the and education. Debbie also runs the internationally. General Medical Council (GMC). academic mentoring programme. Professor Kamila Hawthorne is the Professor Paul Kinnersley is the The underpinning principles of the Associate Dean of Medical Education Director of