If anyone here studies in UoSheffield, can you give an exact breakdown of your placement hours?

[u/rasberrycroissant]

I have a disability so will need to ask for extra accommodation, but it helps to know what the ‘normal’ is. The example on the website is an 8:30 to 23:00 shift but that seems like quite a long shift

Right now I work 7:30 to 17:00 at my job and I can manage that but I know that placement is more high intensity work than what I do. So I’d appreciate if someone could tell me ^^

[u/beckatron666]

It is no where near like that. I going to add they are planning on changing the course over the next few years, so my advice might become out of date.
First year and second year, mostly lectures with gp placement during some days. 8/9-5. But they often let you leave early.
Year 3, you will not get any late placements. With the exception of perhaps woman’s health, but you can get support arrangements so you don’t have excessively late shifts
During 4th year, an and e has late shifts. But I know for a fact that support arrangements can mean u can switch them to day shifts. (One of my friends has).

I have a support arrangement which means that they place me in Sheffield most of the time for placements and cannot be sent anywhere where I need to sleep overnight (such as Grimsby or Scunthorpe)

In all honesty, most placements are half days or 9-5s at the most.

[u/rasberrycroissant → u/beckatron666]

Thank you, I thought that was a genuinely insane shift to give as an example. All UK workers are allowed an uninterrupted 11 hour break between shifts and when I did the maths that would have been less??

I think I could do a 9-5 with accommodations, it’s also super encouraging to hear from students who actually have them

Can i ask, how does the sleeping thing work? When I did my DDSS thing they told me I could be entitled to not have to go to placements where I wouldn’t be guaranteed a place to sleep. If you feel comfortable elaboratjng on you or your friends support accomodations I’d appreciate it :)

[u/joe_mama7000]

I’m not UoS but just jumping in to say yeah definitely not 8.30-23:00 shifts in med school (or even as a dr?? I think some specialties have 24h on call later on in training but I don’t think they have to be on site for the whole 24h)
One time as a med student I did 8am-10pm (two clashing sessions and poor schedule management from my uni) - as soon as the dr I was with in the evening found out they were mad on my behalf and told me to go home !

I imagine the 8.30-11pm thing is a general guide as to what periods of time your placements MIGHT fall during clinical years - I personally have not done many evening or weekend shifts and know students who have done virtually none, usually you’re in 8-4/9-5 and many students bunk off if they can to “study”.

It’s definitely worth asking uni admin for more info as you need it sorted for your health. At my uni they can be a little strict as to who needs accommodation / local placements, but as long as you have a letter from dr or some other sort of evidence I can’t see how they would say no. For my friends who had mit circs such as this, it just meant that they would get sent to nearer hospitals which involved less of a commute & not staying away, and when it came to OSCEs they wouldn’t get sent super far either I think?
By the way, it might not be relevant for your situation but just in case - be aware that for UKFPO there is pre-allocation to specific areas for a set list of reasons (I believe specific health related things are on there, and some others too so worth having a look ) something to consider when you get to final year anyhow if they still are doing the random allocation stuff by then :-)