THE COLLEGE OF MEDICINE - Swansea University

Case Studies
Employability
Dr Anthony Lynch
Global Director Genetic Toxicology,
GlaxoSmithKline
College of Medicine
My undergraduate degree in Genetics at
Swansea University sparked my interest in
becoming a professional scientist. It provided
the foundation to pursue a postgraduate
degree (also in Swansea) and establish a
research career in molecular mutagenesis and
carcinogenesis at Imperial College, London,
before joining the pharmaceutical industry as a
genetic toxicologist. I now head up the genetic
toxicology unit for GlaxoSmithKline, a role
which contributes to the development of new
medicines to address the unmet medical needs
of patients in many disease areas.
College of Medicine
Andrew Phillips
MB BCh Medicine Student
I heard something on the news about the
government allowing four-year medicine
courses for mature students, which started a
candle burning in my mind that just wouldn’t
go away, so I applied. It’s tough to get on
the course, and it’s a full-time commitment,
but every lecture has been fascinating. You’re
immersed clinically from the start; you go and
see A&E, you sit in on GP consultations, you
do drug rounds in prison, and go out with
paramedics on a Friday night so you get a
real insight into medicine from all angles,
which really helps you find the path that
interests you most.
The College of Medicine offers a range of full and part time courses, each
designed in collaboration with industry and governing bodies to give the
best possible access to quite distinct career paths.
There are courses for all levels of study and all incorporate both compulsory
and extra-curricular opportunities to prepare students for their next step, whether
that’s further study, industrial placement or independently-sought employment.
The College also makes sure that all students have access to alumni, industrial
contacts and opportunities at the Institute of Life Science, the College’s research
enterprise, which is regarded as an international-level research facility.
The 2009/10 Destination of Leavers from Higher Education (DLHE) Survey
showed that 82% of full-time, first degree, home domiciled students who left the
College of Medicine were in employment and/or further study six months after
graduation and some individual courses boast a 100% employment rate in the
same timeframe, with 90% in degree-specific jobs.
BSc Genetics, Medical Genetic, Biochemistry and Medical Biochemistry
A number of strategies have been employed to assure employability for the
College’s BSc students, including:
u A careers website, careers afternoon and careers advice with involvement
from Alumni
u Industrial placements with GlaxoSmithKline and NHS laboratories
u Extension of links with major employers within the pharmaceutical industry
including Pfizer, Astra Zeneca and GlaxoSmithKline
u Communication-focused transferable skills in modules, including
presentation, abstract writing, assessment of peers, critical assessment of
scientific literature and CV writing
u Employment-focused transferable skills in modules, including a “dragons’
den” element
u Close links with recruitment firms, including MatchTech, who regularly run
CV workshops
u Providing final year projects within the ILS, often leading to future PhD
opportunities
u To find out more, contact Dr George Johnson on g.johnson@swansea.ac.uk
Contact the College of Medicine
for more information
www.swansea.ac.uk/medicine | +44 (0)1792 513400

Spotlight
Ben Rees
PhD Student
Ben carried out an industrial placement year
at GlaxoSmithKline R&D Ware between
2009 and 2010, a competitive placement
where he was interviewed against candidates
from around the country. During his time
there he was invited to speak at the United
Kingdom Environmental Mutagen Society
(UKEMS) annual meeting in 2010 and was
asked to return and speak for a second time
in 2011 and he was very well received at
both. When Ben graduated from Medical
Genetics, he was awarded the College of
Medicine’s Genetics Prize for the highest
first class honours. Following this, was then
successful with GlaxoSmithKline and EPSRC
awarding him a case studentship at Swansea
University.
Ben is currently enrolled on an EPSRC
entrepreneurial workshop and is continuing
his research. With industrial giants such
as GlaxoSmithKline already having great
appreciation of his work, he will be a sought
after researcher upon graduation from his
PhD. This was mirrored by him being offered
a PhD by the spin-out company, Gentronix,
based in Manchester University.
Before I came to Swansea University I
was unsure of what future career path to
take and choosing Medical Genetics was in
itself a bit of a gamble. However, quickly I
came to understand that a science degree
had so much to offer. What other career path
allows you to question the dogmas of a field
with exciting research utilising cutting edge,
novel techniques?! During my undergraduate
degree, my confidence, written and oral
ability as well as interest for this specific
field of research greatly increased. This
was further developed during my industrial
placement year at GlaxoSmithKline R&D,
where my personal interest in genotoxic
assay development and validation began.
MB BCh Graduate Entry Medicine
A number of strategies have been employed to assure employability for the
College’s trainee doctors, including:
u Careful selection of candidates who demonstrate the attitude and aptitude
required for medical practice
u Matching of teaching, learning and assessment to the GMC’s ‘Tomorrow’s
Doctors 2009’
u Early and repetitive exposure to clinical practice through Learning
Opportunities in the Clinical Setting (LOCS), Community-Based Learning,
Clinical Apprenticeships and Specialty Attachments
u Working closely with the Welsh Postgraduate Deanery to aid transition into
‘Foundation’ training
u An annual medical careers’ evening with talks from GPs, Consultants and
Careers’ Advisors
u The launch of a project - ‘Tracking our Graduates’ - to examine the
ambitions and aspirations of current and past trainees to improve future
training
u To find out more, contact Paul Jones on p.k.jones@swansea.ac.uk
MSc and PG Diploma in Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry and PG
Certificate in Applied Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry
A number of strategies have been employed to assure employability for the
College’s liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LCMS) masters students,
including:
u Developing three hands-on schemes (MSc, PG Diploma and PG Certificate)in
conjunction with major UK industrial partners
u Course content has been designed with industry, for industry and to support
professional development programmes
u Opportunities for ‘hands-on’ training in a research-led Institute with extensive
in-house equipment to improve analytical science skills
u Inviting expert guest lecturers from industry
u Encouraging problem solving skills in modules to develop analytical thinking,
professional and academic skills relevant to a wide range of industries,
public services and academia
u Developing assessments aimed at encouraging transferable skills essential
for employment, including case studies, presentations, data processing and
informatics exercises
u To find out more, contact Dr Ruth Godfrey on a.r.godfrey@swansea.ac.uk
MSc and PG Diploma in Trauma Surgery and Trauma Surgery (Military)
A number of strategies have been employed to assure employability for the
College’s trauma surgery masters’ trainees, including:
u Developing two innovative, hands-on programmes (Trauma Surgery and
Trauma Surgery (Military)) in association with the NHS as well as the
Academic Department of Military Surgery and Trauma (ADMST), Royal
Centre for Defence Medicine, Birmingham and associated military facilities
u Careful selection of candidates who demonstrate the aptitude and attitude
required for trauma surgery
u Focusing educational sessions on moulage scenarios and surgical skills
simulations to cement experience and factual knowledge with clinical
application
u Providing hands-on experience of practical skills, including planning,
execution and communication of treatment strategies and surgical tactics
u Working with trainees to plan further professional development
u To find out more, contact Ceri Davies on c.l.davies@swansea.ac.uk
Postgraduate Research Degrees
A number of strategies have been employed to assure employability for the
College’s postgraduate researchers, including:
u Access to undergraduate and taught masters modules to broaden knowledge
u Compulsory attendance on a “statistics for biomedicine” course and at
weekly biomedical and health services research seminars with eminent
speakers from academia and industry
u Extension of links with the industrial and pharmaceutical sectors
u Facilitating visits from industrial bodies and opportunities to interact with
u A 1st year viva by independent academics
u An annual postgraduate research day to develop transferable skills,
including presentation, poster development and networking
u Encouragement to attend careers-related courses offered by the University’s
careers service as well as studentship sponsors, such as BBSRC
u For more information, contact Dr Vivienne Jenkins on
v.e.jenkins@swansea.ac.uk

Sbotolau
Ben Rees
Myfyriwr PhD
Cwblhaodd Ben flwyddyn mewn lleoliad
diwydiannol yn GlaxoSmithKline R&D Ware
rhwng 2009 a 2010, lleoliad cystadleuol
lle cafodd ei gyfweld yn erbyn ymgeiswyr
o wahanol rannau o’r wlad. Yn ystod ei
gyfnod yno, fe’i gwahoddwyd i siarad yng
nghyfarfod blynyddol Cymdeithas Mwtagenedd
Amgylcheddol y Deyrnas Unedig (UKEMS) yn
2010, a gofynnwyd iddo ddod yn ôl i siarad
â nhw eilwaith yn 2011. Cafodd dderbyniad
da iawn y ddau dro. Pan raddiodd Ben mewn
Geneteg Feddygol, dyfarnwyd iddo Wobr
Geneteg y Coleg Meddygaeth am y radd
anrhydedd dosbarth cyntaf uchaf. Wedi hynny,
bu’n llwyddiannus wrth i GlaxoSmithKline ac
EPSRC ddyfarnu ysgoloriaeth achos iddo ym
Mhrifysgol Abertawe.
Ar hyn o bryd mae Ben wedi cofrestru ar
weithdy entrepreneuraidd EPSRC, ac mae’n
parhau â’i waith ymchwil. Gan fod cewri
diwydiannol megis GlaxoSmith Kline eisoes yn
gwerthfawrogi ei waith yn fawr, bydd mawr alw
amdano fel ymchwilydd pan fydd yn cwblhau
ei PhD. Gwelwyd hyn eisoes gan fod y cwmni
deilliedig, Gentronix, a leolir ym Mhrifysgol
Manceinion, wedi cynnig PhD iddo.
Cyn dod i Brifysgol Abertawe doeddwn i
ddim yn siŵr pa lwybr i’w ddilyn yn y dyfodol
o ran gyrfa, ac roedd dewis Geneteg Feddygol
ynddo’i hun yn dipyn o fenter. Fodd bynnag,
fe ddes i ddeall yn fuan fod gan radd mewn
gwyddoniaeth gymaint i’w gynnig. Pa lwybr
gyrfa arall sy’n caniatáu i chi gwestiynu dogmâu
maes ag ymchwil gyffrous sy’n defnyddio’r
technegau diweddaraf a mwyaf newydd?! Yn
ystod fy ngradd israddedig, bu cynnydd mawr
yn fy hyder a’m galluoedd ysgrifenedig a llafar,
yn ogystal â’m diddordeb yn y maes ymchwil
penodol hwn. Datblygwyd hyn ymhellach yn
ystod fy mlwyddyn o leoliad diwydiannol yn
GlaxoSmithKline R&D, lle cychwynnodd fy
niddordeb personol mewn datblygu a dilysu
profion genotocsig.
MB BCh Meddygaeth Mynediad Graddedig
Defnyddiwyd nifer o strategaethau i sicrhau cyflogadwyedd ar gyfer meddygon dan
hyfforddiant y Coleg, gan gynnwys:
u Dethol ymgeiswyr yn ofalus sy’n arddangos yr agwedd a’r tueddfryd sy’n
ofynnol ar gyfer ymarfer meddygaeth
u Paru’r addysgu, y dysgu a’r asesu â ‘Tomorrow’s Doctors 2009’ y Cyngor
Meddygol Cyffredinol (GMC)
u Ymwneud cynnar ac ailadroddus ag arfer clinigol trwy Gyfleoedd Dysgu yn
y Cyd-destun Clinigol (LOCS), Dysgu yn y Gymuned, Prentisiaethau Clinigol ac
Atodynnau Arbenigedd
u Gweithio’n agos gyda Deoniaeth Ôl-raddedig Cymru i helpu’r pontio i
hyfforddiant ‘Sylfaen’
u Noson gyrfaoedd meddygol flynyddol gyda sgyrsiau gan Feddygon Teulu,
Meddygon Ymgynghorol ac Ymgynghorwyr Gyrfaoedd
u Lansio prosiect - ‘Olrhain hynt ein Graddedigion’ - i edrych ar uchelgais a
dyheadau hyfforddeion yn awr ac yn y gorffennol er mwyn gwella hyfforddiant y
dyfodol.
u Hybu eich defnydd o’r iaith Gymraeg ym mhob agwedd o’ch astudiaethau gan
fod gallu yn yr iaith yn sgil ddefnyddiol iawn wrth ddilyn gyrfa yng Nghymru
u I gael rhagor o wybodaeth, cysylltwch â’r Paul Jones ar p.k.jones@swansea.ac.uk
MSc a Diploma ôl-raddedig mewn Sbectrometreg Más Cromatograffaeth Hylif
a Thystysgrif ôl-raddedig mewn Sbectrometreg Más Cromatograffaeth Hylif
Gymwysedig
Defnyddiwyd nifer o strategaethau i sicrhau cyflogadwyedd myfyrwyr meistr
sbectrometreg más cromatograffaeth hylif (LCMS) y Coleg, gan gynnwys y canlynol:
u Datblygu tri chynllun ymarferol (MSc, Diploma ôl-raddedig a Thystysgrif ôlraddedig)
ar y cyd â phartneriaid diwydiannol pwysig yn y DU
u Lluniwyd cynnwys y cwrs gyda diwydiant, ar gyfer diwydiant ac er mwyn
cynnal rhaglenni datblygiad proffesiynol
u Cyfleoedd ar gyfer hyfforddiant ‘ymarferol’ mewn Athrofa ymchwil sydd â
chyfarpar helaeth yn fewnol i wella sgiliau gwyddoniaeth dadansoddol
u Gwahodd darlithwyr gwadd arbenigol o fyd diwydiant
u Annog sgiliau datrys problemau mewn modiwlau er mwyn datblygu sgiliau
meddwl dadansoddiadol, proffesiynol ac academaidd sy’n berthnasol i ystod eang
o ddiwydiannau, gwasanaethau cyhoeddus ac academia
u Datblygu asesiadau sy’n ceisio annog y sgiliau trosglwyddadwy sy’n hanfodol
ar gyfer cyflogaeth, gan gynnwys astudiaethau achos, cyflwyniadau, prosesu data
ac ymarferiadau hysbyseg
u I gael rhagor o wybodaeth, cysylltwch â’r Dr Ruth Godfrey ar
a.r.godfrey@swansea.ac.uk
MSc a Diploma ôl-raddedig mewn Llawfeddygaeth Trawma a Llawfeddygaeth
Trawma (Milwrol)
Defnyddiwyd nifer o strategaethau i sicrhau cyflogadwyedd ar gyfer hyfforddeion meistr
y Coleg mewn llawfeddygaeth trawma, yn cynnwys y canlynol:
u Datblygu dwy raglen arloesol, ymarferol (Llawfeddygaeth Trawma a
Llawfeddygaeth Trawma (Milwrol)) ar y cyd â’r GIG, yn ogystal ag Adran
Academaidd Llawfeddygaeth a Thrawma Milwrol (ADMST), y Ganolfan Frenhinol ar
gyfer Meddygaeth Amddiffyn, Birmingham a chyfleusterau milwrol cysylltiedig
u Dethol ymgeiswyr yn ofalus sydd yn arddangos tueddfryd ac agwedd addas ar
gyfer llawfeddygaeth trawma
u Canolbwyntio’r sesiynau addysgol ar sefyllfaoedd moulage ac efelychiadau
sgiliau llawfeddygol er mwyn atgyfnerthu profiad a gwybodaeth ffeithiol â
chymhwysiad clinigol
u Darparu profiad uniongyrchol o sgiliau ymarferol, yn cynnwys cynllunio,
cyflawni a chyfleu strategaethau triniaeth a thactegau llawfeddygol
u Gweithio gyda hyfforddeion i gynllunio datblygiad proffesiynol pellach
u I gael rhagor o wybodaeth, cysylltwch â Ceri Davies ar c.l.davies@swansea.ac.uk
Graddau Ymchwil i Ôl-raddedigion
Defnyddiwyd nifer o strategaethau i sicrhau cyflogadwyedd ymchwilwyr ôl-raddedig y
Coleg, yn cynnwys y canlynol:
u Mynediad at fodiwlau israddedig a meistr a addysgir er mwyn ehangu gwybodaeth
u Presenoldeb gorfodol ar gwrs “ystadegau ar gyfer biofeddygaeth” ac mewn
seminarau ymchwil biofeddygol a iechyd wythnosol gyda siaradwyr amlwg o fyd
academia a diwydiant
u Estyn cysylltiadau â’r sectorau diwydiannol a fferyllol
u Hwyluso ymweliadau gan gyrff diwydiannol a chyfleoedd i ryngweithio â hwy
u Viva blwyddyn 1af gan academyddion annibynnol
u Diwrnod ymchwil blynyddol i ôl-raddedigion er mwyn datblygu sgiliau
trosglwyddadwy, yn cynnwys cyflwyno, datblygu posteri a rhwydweithio
u Anogaeth i fynychu cyrsiau cysylltiedig â gyrfaoedd a gynigir gan wasanaeth
gyrfaoedd y Brifysgol yn ogystal â noddwyr ysgoloriaethau, megis BBSRC
u Hybu eich defnydd o’r iaith Gymraeg ym mhob agwedd o’ch astudiaethau gan fod
gallu yn yr iaith yn sgil ddefnyddiol iawn wrth ddilyn gyrfa yng Nghymru
u I gael rhagor o wybodaeth, cysylltwch â’r Dr Vivienne Jenkins ar
v.e.jenkins@swansea.ac.uk

Astudiaethau Achos
Cyflogadwyedd
Dr Anthony Lynch
Cyfarwyddwr Byd-eang Tocsicoleg
Genetig, GlaxoSmithKline
Ennynwyd fy niddordeb mewn bod yn
wyddonydd proffesiynol gan fy ngradd
israddedig mewn Geneteg ym Mhrifysgol
Abertawe. Roedd yn darparu sylfaen ar
gyfer gradd ôl-raddedig (eto yn Abertawe)
a sefydlu gyrfa ymchwil mewn mwtagenedd
molecwlaidd a charsinogenedd yng Ngholeg
Imperial, Llundain, cyn ymuno â’r diwydiant
fferyllol fel tocsicolegydd genetig. Bellach
fi yw pennaeth yr uned tocsicoleg genetig
i GlaxoSmithKline, rôl sy’n cyfrannu at
ddatblygu meddyginiaethau newydd i ymateb
i anghenion meddygol cleifion nad ymatebir
iddynt ar hyn o bryd, a hynny ym maes llawer
o afiechydon.
Coleg Meddygaeth
Coleg Meddygaeth
Andrew Phillips
Myfyriwr MB BCh Meddygaeth
Fe glywais i rywbeth ar y newyddion am y
llywodraeth yn caniatáu cyrsiau meddygaeth
pedair blynedd ar gyfer myfyrwyr aeddfed, ac
fe daniodd hynny rywbeth yn fy meddwl oedd
yn gwrthod diffodd, felly fe wnes i gyflwyno
cais. Mae’n anodd cael lle ar y cwrs, ac
mae’n ymrwymiad amser llawn, ond mae pob
darlith wedi bod yn eithriadol o ddiddorol.
Rydych yn cael eich trochi yn glinigol o’r
cychwyn; rydych chi’n mynd i weld yr adran
Damweiniau ac Argyfwng, yn bresennol ar gyfer
ymgynghoriadau gyda Meddygon Teulu, yn
gwneud rowndiau cyffuriau yn y carchar, ac yn
mynd allan gyda pharafeddygon ar nos Wener
er mwyn i chi gael cipolwg gwirioneddol ar
feddygaeth o bob ongl, sydd o gymorth mawr
wrth ddewis y llwybr mwyaf diddorol i chi.
Mae’r Coleg Meddygaeth yn cynnig ystod o gyrsiau amser llawn a rhan amser, ac
mae pob un ohonynt wedi eu dylunio ar y cyd â diwydiant a chyrff llywodraethu i
sicrhau’r mynediad gorau posib i lwybrau gyrfa eitha pendant.
Mae cyrsiau ar gyfer pob lefel astudio, ac maent i gyd yn ymgorffori cyfleoedd gorfodol
ac allgyrsiol i baratoi myfyrwyr ar gyfer eu cam nesaf, boed hynny’n astudio pellach, yn
lleoliad diwydiannol neu chwilio am waith yn annibynnol. Mae’r Coleg hefyd yn sicrhau
bod gan yr holl fyfyrwyr fynediad at alumni, cysylltiadau diwydiannol a chyfleoedd yn y
Athrofa Gwyddor Bywyd, menter ymchwil y Coleg, a gydnabyddir fel cyfleuster ymchwil
ar lefel ryngwladol.
Dangosodd Arolwg Cyrchfannau Ymadawyr Addysg Uwch 2009/10 (DLHE) fod 82%
o’r myfyrwyr amser llawn, gradd gyntaf, oedd yn dod o’r wlad hon, ac a oedd wedi
gadael y Coleg Meddygaeth, mewn swyddi a/neu astudiaethau pellach chwe mis ar ôl
graddio, ac mae rhai cyrsiau unigol yn ymffrostio mewn cyfradd gyflogaeth o 100% o
fewn yr un cyfnod, gyda 90% mewn swyddi oedd yn ymwneud yn benodol â’u gradd.
BSc Geneteg, Geneteg Meddygol, Biocemeg a Biocemeg Meddygol
Defnyddiwyd nifer o strategaethau i sicrhau cyflogadwyedd myfyrwyr BSc y Coleg, yn
cynnwys y canlynol:
u Gwefan gyrfaoedd, prynhawn gyrfaoedd a chyngor gyrfaoedd, y mae Alumni
yn ymwneud â hwy
u Lleoliadau diwydiannol gyda GlaxoSmithKline a labordai’r GIG
u Estyn cysylltiadau â phrif gyflogwyr yn y diwydiant fferyllol, yn cynnwys Pfizer,
Astra Zeneca a GlaxoSmithKline
u Sgiliau trosglwyddadwy sy’n canolbwyntio ar gyfathrebu mewn modiwlau,
gan gynnwys cyflwyno, ysgrifennu crynodebau, asesu cymheiriaid, asesu
llenyddiaeth wyddonol yn feirniadol ac ysgrifennu CV
u Sgiliau trosglwyddadwy sy’n canolbwyntio ar gyflogaeth mewn modiwlau, gan
gynnwys elfen “dragons’ den”
u Cysylltiadau agos â chwmnïau recriwtio, gan gynnwys MatchTech, sy’n cynnal
gweithdai CV yn rheolaidd
u Darparu prosiectau blwyddyn olaf o fewn yr Athrofa Gwyddor Bywyd, gan arwain
yn aml at gyfleoedd PhD yn y dyfodol
u I gael rhagor o wybodaeth, cysylltwch â’r Dr George Johnson ar
g.johnson@swansea.ac.uk
Cysylltwch â’r Coleg Meddygaeth
i gael rhagor o wybodaeth
www.swansea.ac.uk/medicine | +44 (0)1792 513400