Hi

It's interesting that this focuses on an 'Exam Problem' - rather than an
ability one.  Surely what counts is the student's potential to cope with
the demands of the next level of her course.  One way forward would be
to allow the student proceed to level two on a provisional basis
allowing her to sit the exams at a later stage.  If her past coursework,
etc, suggests that she will sruggle to cope, then she should be
discouraged from progressing on that basis.

I'm sure that medicine is 'demanding'.  However, so are lots of other
courses, and it is all too easy for lecturers and administrators to use
that as an 'excuse' for failing to make adjustments that really are
'reasonable' - as opposed to being 'convenient' for the institution.

Regards

Peter Hill

Emma Kelly wrote:
> Dear All
>
> Help! I am faced with a difficult one. I have been contacted by a first
> year medicine student and their parent regarding exams. The student, who
> has a medical condition, was unable to do their exams in May/June as
> they had just been discharged from hospital and were recovering. I spoke
> to the student on a number of occasions, helped them to catch up work
> they had missed and re-assured them they would be able to take these
> exams in August as a first sitting. At this stage everyone was happy
> with this.
>
> Yesterday, the student got a standard letter from the Faculty which goes
> out to all students who did not sit the May/June exams, explaining the
> August exam procedure and informing them that to proceed into level two
> medicine they need to pass all of their exams. This is because medicine
> is too demanding for students to carry modules over and students are
> required to achieve a certain level before proceeding from level to
> another.
>
> The student/parent are extremely angry about this - they feel that the
> student is being discriminated against as they are not being given the
> same opportunity as their peers (who have two sitting to get the exams)
> and that the University is being unreasonable. They feel that such a
> letter should not have been sent and that it is unfair to only allow the
> student one chance, so to speak, to get these exams. I have tried to
> explain to the parent the reasons for a procedure like this, however
> they want to challenge it and are prepared to take every measure to do so.
>
> I am not sure what to do here and what is "reasonable". The student is
> being given a opportunity to do the exams again, which she was unable to
> do because of her disability in May/June - this is reasonable. However,
> should she be given a second chance after the August sitting if she
> fails one - all very hypothetical. The Faculty wish to ensure that all
> students are treated equally and she were to be given a second chance,
> so would all other students who were doing these exams as a first
> sitting. The other issue is time - the exams are in mid/late Aug and
> term beings on 27th September, is it physically possible to set another
> paper and for her to sit it?
>
> Any comments/suggestions would be gratefully appreciated. The student
> and parent are coming in later this afternoon and I could really do with
> some help on this please. NB: No SENDA in  Northern Ireland!
>
> Best Wishes
>
> Emma
> ------------------------------------------
> Emma Kelly
> Disability Projects Officer
> Disability Services
> Lanyon North
> Queen's University Belfast
> BT7 1NN
> 028 9097 3225
> [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
> www.qub.ac.uk/disability <http://www.qub.ac.uk/disability>

--
Peter Hill
Dyslexia Consultancy and Resources
01905 391547
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www.study-pro.com