SSCs are important for the following reasons:

• They can introduce you to smaller specialties that you usually do not get a chance to experience. For example: clinical genetics, radiology and ophthalmology
• The skills you gain. These may be your critical analytical skills, especially if you work on a research project. Simon Watmough (2011) in his recent book (see resources below) has also listed the following:
  • ‘To extend experiences and interests beyond the core curriculum
  • To provide opportunity to choose and pursue topics of personal, academic and vocational interest
  • To apply and develop skills in research/evaluation of the scientific basis of practice
  • To enhance personal and professional development’

Common transferable skills are information gathering skills, IT skills, initiative, time management, planning and organisation skills. See our section on transferable skills.

On many medical degrees you will find that you will have one or two SSCs throughout each year. Often learning objectives will be given at the start of each SSC, so on choosing which SSC to undertake, it would be wise to take the opportunity to think about what you can demonstrate from the experience. For example, if it leads to a research paper, or an audit, this will look very good in a future application form or on your CV. Think also about your skills base and the areas which you would like to develop e.g. whether the SSC broadens your presentation skills, or essay-writing skills etc.

• SSCs are a perfect opportunity for career exploration and for you to learn further about a particular specialty. They could also help you make an early career decision, such as looking into an area that you may want to choose to study as an intercalated degree.
• The experience can help you and will also be relevant later on in your post-graduate career. The skills gained in research and writing will be great practice for the future if you are interested in an academic career. If you can publish a paper in a peer-reviewed journal this can help you when applying for competitive posts (academic or otherwise) later on in your career.

The topics that can be chosen as SSCs vary depending on your medical school. Simon Watmough (2011) describes the following different types of SSC:

• Structured review SSCs – these allow you to undertake a literature review on a certain area. You are then expected to discuss the literature, providing a background then a critical discussion of the literature, drawing conclusions and summarising the main findings and offering areas for future study.
• Survey-based SSCs – these will familiarise you with the process of undertaking primary research by developing a research proposal, data analysis and the writing up of the results.
• Interpretative-based SSCs – allow you to interpret with quantitative or qualitative data. An example of a study of the quantitative data could be that you could carry out an audit. A qualitative study could involve a review of the published results of interviews or focus groups or indeed you could carry out these yourself.
• Laboratory-based SSCs – you could carry out experiments yourself, or you could undertake a structured review based on laboratory methodology or you could integrate practical laboratory elements along side a structured review.
• Case-based SSCs – you would interpret patient-related information in the context of the current literature. Examples: treatment outcomes, management of an illness and the pathology of diseases.

You will usually find a list of SSCs on your medical school website or VLE and you may be allowed to choose one that can be adapted to your interests.

Siobhan Graham, 4^th year medical student at BSMS, adds that

‘At BSMS our SSCs tend to be either tutorial based or clinically based in the first 2 years, in year 3 there is more variety with choices in arts, humanities, socio-cultural, medical, scientific and lab-based SSCs. It is only in our fourth year where we do one SSC for the whole year that we do a research project based SSC which can be clinical or lab-based.’

• It’s not always possible to match students to their choices. You may have a burning desire to study a certain topic, but there may be limitations on what you can do e.g. maybe the laboratory facilities are not available or there is no suitable convenor (i.e. expert) for your topic.

• Ethical approval may need to be sought for survey-based or interpretative-based SSCs, so the time this takes must be factored into the project.

• Finally, Siobhan Graham adds: ‘It is really important when choosing SSC from the list suggested by your medical school that you choose something that will interest you rather than the SCC which has the least hours or the smallest travelling distance. As the more interested you are in the topic you choose the more rewarding and beneficial the SSC will be to you and your future career.’

The following case-study has been written by Siobhan Graham, 4^th year medical student, at Brighton and Sussex Medical School:

So far in my four year at medical school I have done a range of SSCs including play therapy, what do religious people really believe, malignant melanomas, as well as an individual research project. All of which have given me the opportunity to increase my knowledge in areas of medicine which otherwise would not have been covered in my medical degree. In addition I am finding out more about potential specialities which interest me and whether they really are potential future interests.

My favourite so far was an SSC I did in year 3 entitled ‘A patient’s experience of radiotherapy’. I chose this SSC as at that point I had had no direct contact with oncology and knew very little about radiotherapy and was keen to develop my knowledge in both these areas along with my communication skills.

In this SSC I was allocated a patient to interview each week for six weeks at one of their radiotherapy appointments to find out about the side effects the radical radiotherapy was causing, along with the overall effect the radical treatment was having on them personally and their families. This was an amazingly educational and emotional experience for me, as not only did I get to develop my communication skills and build a professional long term relationship through interviewing the patient but also I got to find out the massive impact both cancer and radiotherapy has on an individual and their family. Alongside this I had tutorials from members of the multidisciplinary team including dieticians and speech therapists learning more about their role with radiotherapy patients and how they manage the multiple side effects that radiotherapy patients have. At the end I had to write an accessed report summarising my patient’s experience.

This SSC extended my knowledge of both radiotherapy and gave me a chance to experience the speciality of oncology for the first time, which I discovered was a pathway that I would definitely consider for a career. However the most important skill I learnt was developing my communication skills in talking to patients with cancer. Prior to the SSC I had been very nervous about discussing this very sensitive issue with patient however I now feel much more confident in my ability to do this.

Please note the content and opinions expressed in all case studies are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of the medical careers team.