Wounds and soft-tissue injury
Assess the wound and the structures beneath it before discussing closure.
Clinical learning outcomes: Awaiting named clinical review.
What you should learn
- Describe mechanism, contamination and possible deeper injury.
- Recognise wounds needing specialist advice and discuss aftercare.
Recognise and explain
- Bites, foreign bodies, crush injuries and injuries near tendons, nerves or vessels need particular consideration.
On your placement
Agree the activity and supervision with the clinical team. For patient-facing learning, seek permission and respect the patient’s comfort and care needs.
- Take a mechanism and tetanus-immunisation history.
- Examine and document relevant movement, sensation and circulation with supervision.
- Discuss cleaning, analgesia, closure options and follow-up.
Observe and understand
- Observe complex wound exploration or repair; undertake basic closure only with agreed direct supervision.
Observation does not establish competence to perform these activities.
Start here
MLA: wound care and local anaesthetic
Read Wounds, injections and local anaesthetic. Discuss assessment, agreed supervision and aftercare before practising a procedure.
Current guidance
NICE NG184: human and animal bites
Read assessment and referral advice for bite wounds, including deeper injury, infection and safeguarding concerns.
On your next shift
Explain what examination finding mattered before deciding to close one wound.
Go deeper
Optional material. Advanced resources extend discussion; they do not define independent student practice. Check the publication date and compare clinical advice with current guidance.
MLA: trauma, immobilisation and wound-care resources
Locate trauma, immobilisation and wound-care resources; distinguish advanced procedures from the agreed student task.
SAEM/CDEM: assessing a wound
Read the history, examination and initial-assessment sections. Compare the closure decision with your supervisor and follow local UK procedure and sharps guidance.
GMC: procedure supervision and graduate requirements
Check the competence and supervision level for a procedure; agree what you can practise with your placement supervisor.
How this relates to GMC graduate outcomes and the MLA
These are St Emlyn’s learning connections, not a claim that this page covers every national requirement.
Presentations and conditions: Lacerations; Soft tissue injury.
Clinical and professional capabilities: Assessment and clinical reasoning; Recognising limits and seeking help.
Practical skills: Basic wound care and closure under direct supervision.
St Emlyn’s interpretation of relevant GMC graduate outcomes and MLA themes; these are summary labels, not official topic codes or a complete curriculum.
Explore the student placement programme
Student practice and graduate expectations
About this resource and its review
A St Emlyn’s guide to learning Emergency Medicine during undergraduate placements. It is not an official medical-school or GMC curriculum. Your medical school’s curriculum and assessment requirements take precedence.
National foundations: GMC Outcomes for Graduates, the practical-skills supplement and the MLA content map applying from September 2026.
Framework checked: 8 October 2026. This is a source check, not clinical sign-off.
Clinical learning outcomes: awaiting named clinical review.
The four learning routes are St Emlyn’s groupings. The six interconnected MLA domains remain part of the official content map.