Events | 2009.08.20
Junior doctors suspended after exam mix-up
Four were wrongly told they had gained medical degrees after \'clerical data error\', but had actually failed one module
Four junior doctors have been suspended from hospitals in Wales after it emerged they had failed their medical degrees, despite being told they had passed.
A "clerical data error" at Cardiff University meant the four had been awarded the wrong exam result for one module, giving them overall passes, and had started work as junior doctors.
They had been doing the first year of foundation programmes, where medical graduates typically spend two years before specialising in a particular area of medicine or training as a GP, at Morriston hospital in Swansea, Llandough hospital in Cardiff, Prince Philip hospital in Llanelli and Withybush general hospital at Haverfordwest.
The mistake was identified after a fifth student was told he or she had failed the same module and appealed against the decision, sparking a university investigation. This led to the discovery that the four students, who had been working in hospitals for less than 10 days, had failed.
"The university has identified five final year students in the school of medicine where a clerical data error has resulted in the wrong exam result being recorded for one module of their degree," said a Cardiff University spokesman.
"The error was identified following an upheld appeal for one of the students who had failed but on re-examining the data through the appeal process was found to have passed the module. This student has now been informed of the decision and will receive certification in due course. The student can now proceed with their medical career."
The university said that after the fifth student\'s appeal was upheld an investigation was launched "immediately".
"Given the seriousness of the situation an exam board, including independent external examiners, was immediately convened to review and ratify student marks for the module in question. Four other students were identified as having failed the module having previously been allocated a pass mark.
"In failing this module the four students in question have failed the exam as a whole," said the spokesman.
Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University NHS Trust, which is responsible for the Morriston hospital in Swansea where one of the students had been working, said in a statement that the junior doctors had been "heavily supervised" while at the hospital.
"All foundation programme trainees are heavily supervised and would have formed just one part of the wider clinical team caring for patients. No significant decisions about the medical care of a patient would have been made without the involvement of a more senior doctor."
Cardiff University confirmed that trusts where the four junior doctors have been working would check on patients attended by the trainees.
"No issues have been raised by clinical staff, or patients, about the work of the individuals concerned. However as a precaution, where appropriate, trusts are reviewing the care of patients seen by the students," said the spokesman, adding that the General Medical Council had been informed.
Today the GMC, which registers doctors to practise in the UK and regulates the industry, said it was in contact with all parties involved.
"We have spoken to each of the students affected to explain that we will have to remove their names from the medical register, we will refund their registration fee in full. We will remain in close contact with Cardiff medical school until this situation is resolved," said a spokesman.
The GMC confirmed it would be asking the university to prove a similar incident would not happen again. "We will be asking them to investigate the incident and to demonstrate to the GMC that they will take appropriate action to prevent a reoccurrence," the spokesman said.
For more information, please visit
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2009/a[...]r-doctors-suspended-exam-error
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