courses

3412

18 September 2017 24 April 2024
Monash University

Postgraduate - Course

Students who commenced study in 2013 should refer to this course entry for direction on the requirements; to check which units are currently available for enrolment, refer to the unit indexes in the the current edition of the Handbook. If you have any queries contact the managing faculty for your course.

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This course entry applies to students commencing this course in 2013 and should be read in conjunction with information provided in the 'Faculty information' section of this Handbook by the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences

Managing facultyMedicine, Nursing and Health Sciences
Abbreviated titleMForensMed
Total credit points required72
Standard duration of study (years)3 years PT
Study mode and locationOff-campus (Southbank)
Admission, fee and application details http://www.monash.edu/study/coursefinder/course/3412
Contact details

Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine: telephone +61 3 9684 4115; email debbie.hellings@monash.edu or debbiehellings@vifm.org

Course coordinator

Associate Professor David Wells

Notes

  • Unit codes that are not linked to their entry in the Handbook are not available for study in the current year.
  • This course is available to international students to study from within their own country or within Australia if they are on a Work Training Visa 457. The course is not available to international student visa holders.
  • Part-time study only. Students have a maximum of five years to complete this course.

Description

NOTE: This course has had one or more changes made to it since publication on 1 October 2012. For details of changes, please consult the 2013 Handbook change register2013 Handbook change register (http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/2013handbooks/2013-change-register.html).

This course is designed to further develop medical practitioners knowledge and skills so that they are able to provide a high quality clinical forensic medical service. This will include ethical and legal issues arising in forensic medical practice, the skills required to interpret injury patterns and communication with the justice system.

Outcomes

This course is designed to:

  • establish academic standards in clinical forensic medical practice
  • produce graduates who have a sound knowledge of medico-legal principles
  • develop practitioners skills in providing clinical forensic services in the community
  • strengthen the teaching- research nexus in forensic medical education
  • foster the development of career pathways in forensic medicine.

Assessment

Assessment activities, including the thesis option, are designed to further develop the participants' understanding of the theoretical principles underpinning forensic practice. Assessment methods will vary but may include coursework and workshop participation, formal assignments, casebooks and minor thesis.

Structure

This course consists of coursework and a minor thesis, or coursework only.

Requirements

Core units

Coursework and minor thesis option

Students must complete:

  • a minor thesis
  • 48 points of electives from those listed below

Students undertaking the minor thesis are required to prepare a research proposal at an early stage of their minor thesis enrolment and have this approved by their thesis supervisor. The area of research must cover a topic directly related to forensic medicine, and should include at least one elective unit of instruction on research methodologies and basic statistics.

Coursework only option

Students must complete:

  • 54 points of electives from those listed below

Elective units

  • FOR4004 Elements of the forensic sciences
  • FOR4005 Child and adolescent sexual abuse
  • FOR4006 Non accidental injury in childhood
  • FOR4007 Elements of forensic odontology
  • FOR4008 Post-mortem dental identification - principles and methods
  • FOR4009 Clinical forensic odontology
  • FOR4010 Disaster victim identification - principles and methods
  • FOR5005 Adult sexual assault
  • FOR5006 Traffic medicine
  • FOR5007 Elements of forensic toxicology
  • FOR5008 Custodial medicine
  • FOR5009 Advanced issues in sexual violence
  • FOR5010 Project in forensic medicine
  • other postgraduate units offered by the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, other faculties at Monash University or other tertiary institutions (with departmental approval)

Minimum grade for course completion

All assessable components of each unit must be passed in order to complete this course.

Students must achieve a minimum distinction grade average in all three core units to qualify for this award. Students who do not achieve this average may exit with a Graduate Certificate of Forensic Medicine or Graduate Diploma of Forensic Medicine, providing all requirements of those awards have been met.

Alternative exit(s)

Students wishing to exit this course may apply to graduate with one of the following, provided they have satisfied the requirements for that award:

  • Graduate Certificate of Forensic Medicine
  • Graduate Diploma of Forensic Medicine.

Award(s)

Master of Forensic Medicine