Master of Forensic Medicine

This course is designed to further develop medical and dental 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.

These course outcomes are aligned with the Australian Qualifications Framework level 9, the Bologna Cycle 2 and Monash Graduate AttributesAustralian Qualifications Framework level 9, the Bologna Cycle 2 and Monash Graduate Attributes (http://monash.edu/pubs/handbooks/alignmentofoutcomes.html).

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 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 a project in forensic medicine.

This course consists of core and elective units.

Students must complete:

(a.) the following core units:

• FOR4001 Medical evidence
• FOR4002 Injury interpretation
• FOR4003 Ethics, medicine and the law

(b.) 54 points in one of the following streams:

Forensic medicine stream

(i.) 54 points of electives from the following:

• FOR4004 Elements of the forensic sciences
• FOR4005 Child and adolescent sexual abuse
• FOR4006 Non accidental injury in childhood
• FOR4007 Elements of forensic odontology
• FOR4009 Clinical forensic odontology
• FOR4011 Elements of forensic anthropology
• 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
• FOR5011 Advanced issues in non-accidental injury of children
• other postgraduate units (as outlined under 'Identifying electives' below)

Odontology stream

(i.) 36 points of compulsory electives:

• FOR4004 Elements of the forensic sciences
• FOR4007 Elements of forensic odontology
• FOR4008 Post-mortem dental identification - principles and methods
• FOR4009 Clinical forensic odontology
• FOR4010 Disaster victim identification - principles and methods
• FOR4011 Elements of forensic anthropology

(ii.) 18 points of electives from those listed below:

• FOR4006 Non accidental injury in childhood
• FOR5007 Elements of forensic toxicology
• FOR5008 Custodial medicine
• FOR5010 Project in forensic medicine
• other postgraduate units (as outlined under 'Identifying electives' below)

Identifying electives

Other postgraduate units can be those offered by the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health SciencesFaculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences (http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/handbooks/units/index-byfaculty-med.html), other facultiesother faculties (http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/handbooks/units/index-byfaculty.html) at Monash University, or other tertiary institutions (with departmental approval).

Suitable elective units can also be identified using the browse units toolbrowse units tool (http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/handbooks/units/search) in the current edition of the Handbook. The level of the unit is indicated by the first number in the unit code; postgraduate units are those that commence with the numbers 4-5 or 9. Note: Students must be able to meet any unit prerequisites.

Students may undertake additional units offered by the faculty or other universities provided they are relevant to the Master of Forensic Medicine course. Note: It is a requirement to seek approval of the Course Coordinator prior to enrolling in any of these units.

Minimum grade for course completion

In order to complete this course and receive the award students must:

• achieve a minimum distinction grade average in all three core units
• pass all assessable components of all units.

Students who do not achieve these results will exit the course with a suitable alternative exit.

Students wishing to exit this or who have not achieved the required results 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.