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The role of the Personal Tutor is fundamental to the student experience at UCL. The UCL MBBS programme is a leader in the UK and internationally and attracts an outstanding cohort of students, each one benefiting from the advice and mentoring of their Personal Tutor.
The role involves a commitment to the Personal Tutor programme and providing the best possible support to MBBS students, as well as developing a supportive and professional relationship with tutees through regular contact.
- Duties and Responsibilities
- Student Responsibilities
- Training
- Academic Student Records (ASR) and Recording Contact
- Student Allocation
- Meeting Schedules
- Writing References
- Funding And Administration
- Time Commitment and Job Planning
- FAQs
Duties and Responsibilities
- To provide tutees and the Programme and Progression Support Team with a reliable point of communication
- To undertake Personal Tutor contact with allocated tutees as outlined in the UCLMS guidance
- To maintain an up-to-date record of contact with tutees as outlined in the UCLMS guidance using the Academic Student Record (ASR)
- To review tutee academic progress and achievement and support students in their study skills
- To provide pastoral support and where necessary to refer tutees to additional sources of support and guidance, including the Programme and Progression Support Team
- To report to the Programme and Progression Support Team any concerns about professional behaviour that may affect student safety, the safety of others, or where a tutee’s fitness to practise may be called into question
- To provide an appropriate handover of tutees to subsequent personal tutors, where appropriate
- To maintain the skills and knowledge necessary to the role of personal tutor including attendance at training and/or completion of online training, as necessary
- To undertake all statutory and mandatory training as required by UCL
The role is undertaken in accordance with the UCL Personal Tutor Strategy. Roles and responsibilities are not exhaustive and may also be subject to change.
Student responsibilities
It is the tutor’s responsibility to make initial contact with their tutees, but thereafter, though the tutor should maintain contact, it is the tutee’s responsibility to arrange meetings with their tutor. If a tutee fails to respond to reasonable attempts at contact from you, please notify the Personal Tutors team who can contact them on your behalf.
Occasionally a student may need to be set clear objectives for the coming months to remedy identified difficulties. Students should be able to talk as openly and honestly as possible about any personal problems they may be facing.
Training
We have various training resources available. Tutors are required to attend training at the beginning of the academic year, for up-to-date advice about how to support your tutees, as well as important updates about the MBBS programme and Personal Tutoring scheme. During the year, the Personal Tutor team is on hand to answer any questions, and will also provide updates and reminders as the year progresses.
UCL has released a university wide Personal Training online course that Personal Tutors can undertake. It will take just a few hours of your time and does not have to be completed in one go. It provides advice about how to support your tutee and resources to use.
Remember that you are there to provide academic and pastoral support for our students – you do not need to be able to solve all their problems or to be the fountain of all knowledge about the MBBS programme, but you do need to be able to provide a listening ear and to be able to point students in the right direction for additional support and guidance.
- Personal Tutoring Top Tips
- UCL Extend – 3-4 hours training - UCL login not required
- UCL Personal Tutoring
ASR
ASR or Academic Student Record is where you will be able to access your list of tutees and their email addresses, make contact with them to book meetings, access the curriculum map, access their grades and attendance records, and record contact made with them. From here you will also be able to access their grades and attendance records for reference during your session. New tutors will be given details of how to set up an ASR account. If you have difficulty accessing ASR you should contact medsch.personaltutors@ucl.ac.uk in the first instance.
Recording contact
The records from tutor/student meetings do not need to be extensive, but it is necessary to keep brief notes for your own reference, as well as should the student come to you in future for a reference and should the notes be needed for regulatory matters. Recording contact is an institutional requirement as there are statutory UK reporting requirements for some students holding Tier 4 visas.
You will have the ability to share these notes with the Programme and Progression Support Team if needed and with the agreement of the student, unless in circumstances when it is necessary to breach confidentiality. If you choose to do this, please use the referral system so that they are aware.
Student Allocation
From 24/25, tutors will be assigned approximately 50 students each. The Personal Tutors team will contact all tutors at the start of term to notify of any new tutees. Occasionally there may be last-minute alterations due to Late Summer Assessments or changes in joining or returning students. Tutors will keep their tutee allocation from Year 1 to 2, and Year 4 to 5. In Year 6, tutees will need you to do their UKFPO reference (see below) and may stay in touch, but the requirement to meet and stay in contact will no longer apply. Y6 students have support from their Educational Supervisor at their DGH.
Meeting schedules
Initial meetings with new tutees must be face-to-face or via video call. Thereafter and otherwise, you and your tutees can decide how you prefer to continue contact, whether face-to-face, Teams calls, or email. As a guide, one-to-one meetings should last about 15-20 minutes, group meetings 30-60 minutes.
From 24/25, personal tutors will have access to Calendly as a tool to set up personal tutoring clinics and allow students to self-book. Tutors can connect their Teams calendar and set their availability.
Writing References
Your tutee may ask you at some point to provide them with a reference. UCL has specific policy guidance on this.
The author of a reference owes a ‘duty of care’ to the person about whom it is written to ensure it is true and accurate and does not gives an unfair overall impression. If you have any concerns about writing a reference for a current student, contact the Personal Tutor team in the first instance. A copy of any reference provided on behalf of UCL should be retained locally.
UKFPO Structured Reference
In the later years, Personal Tutors provide a reference for Foundation School (UKFPO) applications on behalf of the Medical School via an online form.
These references are brief, online ‘tick box’ style forms requiring a general knowledge of ability based on knowledge of their progress, portfolio, results and personal and professional attributes. Information needed can be accessed in the Medical School’s electronic Academic Student Record.
FAQs
Who should initiate contact?
The tutor should always initiate contact with the tutee at the start of the year and then aim to make contact throughout the year. However, it is the tutee’s responsibility to ask to arrange meetings and it is up to them to be proactively working to build a good professional relationship with their tutor.
What should I do if I cannot contact my tutees or they do not attend meetings?
If you are concerned, please contact the Personal Tutors team and they can attempt to make contact on your behalf. If the student does not attend their meeting without reason, record this on their notes. After two reminders, send them an email noting this and ask them to get in touch, whilst also notifying the Personal Tutors team.
When and where do I meet with my tutees?
Tutors should meet with their tutees at the start of the academic year and once a term thereafter. From 24/25, personal tutors will have access to Calendly as a tool to set up personal tutoring clinics and allow students to self-book. Tutors can connect their Teams calendar and set their availability to meet in person and/or online.
If meeting in person, or if you need somewhere private to conduct calls with your tutees, you can get in touch with the Personal Tutor team to see if a room in the Rockefeller Building is available. NHS clinicians should be able to access an appropriate venue on site as part of the institutional service level agreement.
Can I change tutees?
Only in exceptional circumstances, for example if you leave UCL, change jobs or go on extended leave. Good Personal Tutoring is about relationships and it is best for tutor and tutee to have continuity. Where continuity cannot be guaranteed, you should contact the Personal Tutor team as soon as you become aware of this.
How do I access UCLMS ASR?
All tutors will be provided with a username and password to access UCLMS ASR. If you do not have a UCL email address you must select 'other' at the login stage. Once logged in you will have access to the curriculum map, your list of tutees, their grades and attendance records, and the ability to record notes. If you have difficulty accessing ASR you should contact medsch.personaltutors@ucl.ac.uk in the first instance.
What shall I discuss when I meet my tutees?
UCL have compiled a booklet on discussion topics.
