Hi everyone,
I’m Jacob, your Education Officer, and it’s my job to ensure that every student has access to a high-quality academic experience that’s fit for the future – whether that’s in lectures, labs or on placement. A big part of what I was elected on was improving how placements work for you – making sure students feel supported, heard and able to thrive while gaining practical skills wherever they’re based.
Here’s a quick update on what I’ve been working on around placements, some of my ideas for improvement and ways you can get involved.
Understanding and improving the student experience on placement
This term, I’ve met with staff and students across the College of Medicine and Health to better understand their placement experience. Students told me placements are often some of the most rewarding parts of their courses, providing valuable hands-on experience and professional insight.
But they can also come with challenges, such as heavy workload pressures, long travel times and feeling unsupported or unheard.
I’ve been raising these concerns with senior education leaders within the colleges to ensure that student voices shape future improvements.
Working Collaboratively to Improve Placement Quality
Working alongside the College Education Teams, I’ve been exploring how we can improve the overall quality of placements and make it easier for students to report their concerns.
Some of the ideas I’ll be suggesting include:
- Developing a dedicated link on the MyUoB app to make reporting placement issues quick and easy
- Implementing a traffic light system to help the University track and respond to placement quality concerns more effectively
- Improving communication between colleges and placement providers so that staff are always aware when students are due to arrive.
By reporting concerns or issues you’ve experienced on placement, you help us build the evidence we need to push for more support and action. The more students who report, the clearer the picture we have and the more likely we are to see real change and resources allocated to improve placements for everyone.
National Campaign: Fair Pay for Medical Placements
I’ve also joined forces with Essex Students’ Union on a national campaign to explore moving towards paid medical placements, starting with nursing students. This is part of a wider push to ensure students are valued for the vital contributions they make while on placement.
Useful Links and Ways to Get Involved
If you’re passionate about improving placement experiences, there are several ways to get involved right now.
Looking Ahead
Over the next few months, I’ll continue to lobby for stronger placement support, simpler reporting mechanisms, and better communication between colleges, placement providers, and students.
Together, we can make sure placements are not just a requirement – but a rewarding, supportive, and empowering part of your degree.
Thanks for reading.