Monash University

Leader: Dr Mee Yoke Ling

Offered

Clayton First semester (extended) 2008 (Day)
Clayton Second semester (extended) 2008 (Day)
Sunway First semester (extended) 2008 (Day)
Sunway Second semester (extended) 2008 (Day)

Synopsis

MED4071 develops students' understanding of medicine from general practice and psychological medicine perspectives. Discipline specific clinical skills, practical techniques and procedures underpinning knowledge specific skills are linked to clinical settings. Index cases, lectures and tutorials will integrate key knowledge, skills and techniques applicable across disciplines. Upon completion students are expected to demonstrate proficiency in selected clinical skills and practices and core knowledge of common and important clinical syndromes and the bio-psycho-social treatment modalities that can be applied. EBCP, Health Economics and Health Systems Mgt will be integrated into this unit.

Objectives

On successful completion of Year 4, for each of the key discipline areas, students are expected to be able to:

Theme 1: Personal and Professional Development

1. demonstrate appropriate communication, and interpersonal and professional skills for hospital and community clinical settings;

2. recognise legal and ethical issues relevant to the practice of medicine;

3. recognise the principles of team-work, and the role of doctors in clinical teams;

Theme 2: Population, Society, Health and Illness

4. explain the economic perspective on health issues and health care;

5. critique evaluations of a health intervention;

6. identify organisational factors which impact on patient care and participate in quality improvement processes;

7. identify the impact of public health policy on the delivery of health care to the individual;

8. identify the relevant programs and community resources available to patients and their families;

9. identify relevant approaches to health education, illness prevention and rehabilitation;

Theme 3: Foundations of Medicine

10. apply the knowledge and concepts of basic biological, psychological and social science to common and important clinical conditions;

11. identify biological, psychological and social factors pertinent to understanding the illness and its management;

There 4: Clinical skills

13. elicit and record an accurate clinical history appropriate for the patients and the clinical context;

14. perform and accurately record an appropriate physical examination;

15. develop differential diagnoses and formulate problems;

16. competently perform selected clinical practices, techniques and procedures;

17. formulate appropriate patient-centred management plans and discuss management issues; and

18. identify appropriate and cost-effective investigation strategies.

Assessment

Assessments are continuous and will be both formative and summative. Formative assessments include directed activities with short answer questions linked with case based learning scenarios together with observation of clinical skills, completion of clinical skills assessments, and oral presentations. Students will be expected to demonstrate satisfactory performance in clinical skills activities during clinical attachments in order to pass the unit. In addition students must satisfactorily complete in-course assessment tasks for Evidence-Based Clinical Practice and Health Systems Management or Health Economics. Summative assessment includes written examinations (EMQ) and OSCEs. In-course summative assessment tasks: 30%
Written Examination: 35%
OSCE: 35%
Hurdle requirement: Students must attend a minimum of 80% tutorials and clinical placements to pass this unit. After successful completion of MED4071 and MED4082 students will undertake a written vertically integrated assessment (VIA) examination. Students must achieve a satisfactory performance in the VIA examination to complete the medical course. An overall result for Year 4 will be based upon achievement in MED4071, MED4082 and the VIA examination.

Contact hours

This is a 24 credit point unit over 18 weeks in continuous rotations through clinical attachments

Prerequisites

MED3051, MED3062

Co-requisites

Must be enrolled in the MBBS or MBBS/LLB