Leader: Associate Professor Ross Young and Dr Ian Presnell
Offered
Clayton First semester 2008 (Day)
Sunway First semester 2008 (Day)
Synopsis
MED1011 will introduce students to the four themes (sub-units) upon which the five-year curriculum is based:
THEME I: Personal and Professional Development: students will participate in a three-day residential program, focusing on transition to university life, personal ethics, healthy lifestyle, group support and communication skills. This will be followed by a Health Enhancement program concentrating on self care (stress management, relaxation training, coping skills), other aspects of healthy lifestyle and group support, and introduction to the science of Mind-Body Medicine. Also included: an introduction to Ethics and Medical Law.
THEME II: Population, Society, Health and Illness: Health, Knowledge and Society. A series of 'hypotheticals'(debates and discussions) will provide a framework of inquiry allowing analysis of the social aspects of medicine, utilizing the 'sociological imagination'. The sociological imagination refers to a framework of inquiry into the social phenomena that examines events in historical, cultural, structural and critical terms.
THEME III: Foundations of Medicine: The Fabric of Life provides students with foundation knowledge in genomics and cell biology in health and disease. An integral part of this theme will be the weekly patient-centred learning activity
(PCL). Each PCL integrates material presented to students in this and other themes throughout the week.
THEME IV: Clinical Skills: introduces students to practical clinical skills, including scrub, gloving, sharps disposal; Basic Life Support (Level 2) First Aid Program; subcutaneous and intramuscular injecting. Students will interact with health care professionals during medical contact visits, and will be introduced to the medical interview, taking a family history, ethical aspects of medical contact visits.
Objectives
Theme I: On completion of this sub-unit students will be able to:
- Identify issues which affect their transition from school to university
- Develop strategies for maintaining their mental and physical health status
- Examine the similarities/differences between ethical issues in personal and professional life
- Be acquainted with the legal framework within which medical practice operates and the legal basis of the doctor-patient relationship
Theme II: On completion of this sub-unit students will be able to:
- Discuss different perspectives on health, illness and medical practice through application of the 'sociological imagination'
- Describe associations between health and illness and social influences like disability, place, social position, gender, ethnicity, ecology and access to health care
- Consider appropriate adaptations of medical practice to suit cultural and social circumstances
- Critically examine the influence their own experiences, background and culture have on their attitudes towards medicine
- Demonstrate basic skills in accessing research materials from personal, print and electronic sources
Theme III: On completion of this sub-unit, students will have knowledge and understanding of:
- Normal cell and tissue structure and function
- Genes in health and disease
- The immune system in health and disease
- Interaction between microbial organisms and the human host
- Injury and the host response
- Genetic and environmental factors leading to neoplasia, its progression and spread
Theme IV: On completion of this sub-unit students will be able to:
- Demonstrate clear and appropriate communication skills
- Understand different forms of communication and the need for active listening
- Work cooperatively with health professionals (nurses, GPs) and trainees (nurses) to achieve specified tasks
- Understand the framework for taking a comprehensive medical history
- Be competent in First Aid as shown by the completion of the first aid course
- Demonstrate an awareness of ethical and legal issues when communicating with patients and their families
Assessment
Examinations and written assignments to account for 20% of the end of year one mark.
Co-requisites
Must be enrolled in the Bachelor of Medicine / Bachelor of Surgery
