If you have ever been interested in undertaking a higher degree in Medical Leadership, but have been concerned about how on earth you might find the time – look no further than the part-time MSc in Medical Leadership by the Institute of Clinical Leadership at Warwick Medical School. It is perfect for those of us trying to establish that all-too-tricky work-life balance.
I am a flexible ST4 psychiatry trainee, working 4 days a week in Bristol , with a husband, and two very small children (2.5 and 1.5years old). I have always wanted to do a Masters or MBA, but had to search at length for a course which was viable both financially and time-wise alongside my family commitments.
That’s where Warwick hit the spot!
The Warwick course, partnered with the internationally renowned Warwick Business School is designed to run for 3-5yrs depending upon how quickly you wish to complete, and consists of two course options: 1) An MSc with Professional Project which consists of 5 core & 2 optional modules plus a project with an 8-10,000 word report, or 2) An MSc with Dissertation which consists of 5 core & 1 optional module plus a dissertation of 15-20,000 words.
The course starts each April, with students usually undertaking the 5 core and 1 or 2 optional modules in the first 2 years. The 5 Core modules have to completed before the optional, of which there are approx 10 to choose from, after which the project/dissertation comes in to play.
Each module is run over approximately 16 weeks, with 4 taught days, split into 2 sets of 2days, with 6-8 weeks in between. In the gap between days 1-2 and 3-4, you are expected to undertake an un-marked practical assignment, generally related to your organisation, and have to feedback your findings to the group orally on day 3 of the module. After day 4, you have 8 weeks in which to submit a 4000 word written assignment. The next module starts just before the assignment for the preceding module is submitted.
The course itself costs £15k, and with plenty of reasonably priced B&B’s close to or at the University
(£35 – 100 per night), additional costs can be kept low.
The fifth core module (Comparative Healthcare systems), potentially involves a foreign trip (for us, Milan), which is self-funded, but, there are options available for those who are unable to go abroad.
I would highly recommend Warwick for several reasons:
1) The lecturing staff are superb and often nationally recognised figures – (eg. Prof Steve Field)
2) It generally requires a maximum of 4 days/nights away from home every 16 weeks (though some commute, and others stay only 1 night), which means it works well if you have other commitments.
3) The cohorts are mixed – primarily consultants & medical/clinical directors, but a handful of Registrars too & the variety of experience offers great networking/learning opportunities.
I am currently in my first year, at the end of module 2, and still managing to juggle my family, work & MSc balls with a smile. Ii clearly isn’t a breeze, no Masters is when you need to find 120-150hrs study per module, but the Warwick MSc is a challenge which is achievable alongside multiple other commitments.
If you’re interested, Further Information on the course structure can be found at: http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/med/study/cpd/subject_index/slm/b91g
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