This unit entry is for students who completed this unit in 2016 only. For students planning to study the unit, please 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 or area of study.

FOR5007 - Elements of forensic toxicology

6 points, SCA Band 2, 0.125 EFTSL

Postgraduate - Unit

Refer to the specific census and withdrawal dates for the semester(s) in which this unit is offered.

Faculty

Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences

Organisational Unit

Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine

Coordinator(s)

Dr Dimitri Gerostamoulos

Quota applies

This unit is quota restricted. Selection is on a first-in, first enrolled basis. For further information please contact the Postgraduate Course Administrator via email postgrad.courses@vifm.org or phone 03 9684 4115.

Offered

Southbank

First semester 2016 (Online)

Synopsis

Teaching in this unit aims to develop students' familiarity with the concepts of clinical and post-mortem toxicology. The unit also focuses on the basic pharmacokinetic and pharmacological properties of commonly abused drugs found in forensic medical cases. Emphasis will be on behavioural issues of these drugs and how they relate to forensic practice. Such issues include the effects on cognitive and psychomotor skills in drivers and in the workplace and other adverse reactions attributed to drug misuse.

Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this unit, students should be able to:

Appropriately and correctly use technical terms associated with analytical toxicology;
Give examples of the range of techniques used in forensic toxicology and illustrate where they may be applicable;
Discriminate between the common types of drugs seen in forensic medical cases;
Comprehend and evaluate the main pharmacological effects of alcohol and common illicit drugs with the emphasis on their effects on behaviours, psychomotor control and cognition;
Analyse the relevant behavioural effects of common illicit drug combinations and common adverse illicit drug reactions ;
Apply forensic toxicology to case work for the purpose of report preparation and presentation to courts.