title: Introducing medical students to prehospital care.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Studies show that prehospital care is an important, yet often neglected part of the medical undergraduate curriculum. Thus, the Prehospital Care Programme (PCP) was introduced at Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry in 2008, aiming to expose medical undergraduates to this unique area of medicine.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  The programme makes use of the links between the medical school and the London Ambulance Service (LAS) and the London Air Ambulance (LAA), and places students from Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) years 2-5 with mentors from these services during a series of working shifts. During shifts, students are assigned a set of learning objects and are instructed to complete a specially designed Student Report Form for each case that they observe. Students are recruited onto the programme at the end of MBBS year 1 through the submission of a CV and a written application. Shortlisted candidates are interviewed and those that are successful are invited to join the programme at the beginning of MBBS year 2.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Interest in the programme has increased exponentially since it was introduced in 2008. It appeals to medical students who are enthusiastic about the field of Emergency Medicine and Prehospital Care, and offers them a unique opportunity to enhance their knowledge and experience. It also encourages students to develop generic skills, communication skills, interprofessionalism and record keeping.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The PCP is a successful and immensely popular addition to the MBBS curriculum at Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry. We hope to observe and continue to support similar replications at other medical schools.
authors.affiliation: Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK. Maryam_ahmad_89@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ahmad
authors.forename: Danë
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Goodsman
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lightbody
mesh_terms: D002983:Clinical Competence; D003479:Curriculum; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000379:methods*; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000379:methods*; D004635:Emergency Medicine / Q000193:education*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D008131:London; D010865:Pilot Projects; D016730:Program Development; D015397:Program Evaluation; D013337:Students, Medical; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods*