MED4002

Clinical practice

Dr M Oldmeadow, Associate Professor B Waxman, Dr R Salom and Dr I Pressnell

Approximately 7 hours per week in terms one and two · 2 hours per week and a separate two-week rotation in term three

Objectives On completion of this subject the student will have established skills necessary to elicit an organised and comprehensive history and perform an accurate physical examination, including mental-state examination and begin the process of interpretation and integration of the findings to arrive at an appropriate diagnosis; to apply knowledge of paraclinical disciplines including laboratory medicine, to the process of diagnosis through appropriate investigation; to recognise pathological processes relevant to clinical diseases encountered at the bedside; to communicate with consideration and sensitivity with patients and other health professionals.

Synopsis Two clinical bedside tutorials per week in terms one and two and one in term three. Each involves approximately two hours teaching for groups of six or seven students. One of the weekly tutorials in terms one and two is the responsibility of hospital-based specialty departments involving subspecialty areas of cardiology, respiratory medicine, gastroenterology, neurosciences, rheumatololgy, orthopaedics, vascular surgery, ENT, ophthalmology and plastic surgery, and will teach specialised bedside clinical skills. All other clinical tutorials concentrate on bedside skills related to general medical and surgical disease. Weekly psychological medicine clinical tutorials (1.5 hours) occur in terms one and two as do weekly pathology tutorials (1 hour) involving twelve or thirteen students in each group. Clinical teaching in tutorials and on unit ward rounds as well as patient clerking activities will take place during a continuous two week ward attachment in term three with one week in term three devoted to the learning and appreciation of the role of nursing care in hospital practice.

Assessment Medicine/Surgery tutorials (continual assessment): 10% (of final mark) · Psychological medicine (case report): 5% (of final mark) · Pathology - contribution to laboratory medicine exam

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