Graduate Diploma in Forensic Medicine

Course code: 2279 + Course abbreviation: GradDipForensMed + Total credit points required: 48 + 4 semesters part-time

Study mode and course location

Off-campus (Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine, Southbank – P/T only)

Course description

The course, offered by the Department of Forensic Medicine, aims to prepare practitioners for a range of clinical forensic practice, teaching and research activities via both its generic core units and units designed for discipline-specific groups. On completion of the course, participants should be able to provide competent basic clinical forensic medical services, clearly communicate medico-legal issues to the justice system, prepare effective and objective medico-legal reports, critically evaluate the ethical and legal issues arising in forensic medical practice, and interpret wounds and injury patterns with particular reference to causation. Students are required to complete up to two weeks per year of on-campus blocks.

Course objectives

On completion of this course it is expected that graduates should be able to demonstrate a range of skills and knowledge specific to the units that they have undertaken. They should be able to: 1. Provide competent clinical forensic medical services; 2. clearly communicate medico-legal issues to the justice system; 3. prepare effective and objective medico-legal reports; 4. critically evaluate the ethical and legal issues arising in forensic medical practice; and 5. interpret wounds and injury patterns with particular reference to causation.

Course structure

First year

Students will be required to complete the following three core units:

FOR1001 Medical evidence
FOR1002 Injury interpretation
FOR1003 Ethics, medicine and the law

Second year

Students will be required to complete three of the following elective units:

FOR2001 Traffic medicine
FOR2003 Custodial medicine
FOR2004 Elements of the forensic sciences
FOR2005 Adult sexual assault
FOR2006 Paediatric forensic medicine
FOR2007 Elements of forensic toxicology
FOR6008 Mentally disordered offenders
FOR6009 Psychiatry, law and criminal justice systems

Assessment

The nature and content of the course require a range of assessment methods to be utilised. The assessment methods include assignments, case studies and presentations, a casebook and oral presentations.

Contact details

Ms Carole Spence, course administrator: telephone: +61 3 9684 4480; email: caroleb@vifm.org or visit www.vifm.org

Course coordinator

Associate Professor David Wells

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