AVM5003 - Clinical aviation medicine - 2019

Flying an aircraft is a demanding and challenging task. Ensuring the safety of the flight operation requires that pilots are medically fit to fly.

This in turn requires the aviation medicine practitioner to apply good clinical knowledge in combination with awareness of the flight environment in order to make an appropriate aeromedical decision on a pilots' fitness to fly.

Such decisions can be complex and challenging. To meet this challenge, a deep understanding of clinical medicine in the context of the aviation environment, and the processes and issues involved in making aeromedical decisions, is crucial.

In this unit students will explore the principles of clinical aviation medicine, and the application of those principles to the aeromedical decision-making process, using case-based teaching, videos and online discussion.

Topics will include: cardiology, respiratory medicine, gastroenterology, urology, psychiatry, ophthalmology, ENT, obstetrics and gynaecology, endocrinology, neurology, musculoskeletal issues, haematology, and drugs and medications.

Upon successful completion of this unit, students will be able to

1. Synthesise clinical aviation medicine issues related to the major body systems
2. Discuss the clinical challenges associated with mental health issues in pilots
3. Evaluate the clinical aviation medicine issues related to the special senses
4. Critically analyse the clinical challenges associated with women's health in the aviation context
5. Examine the clinical issues associated with the use of drugs and medications by pilots

• Critical reflections (1800 words - 10 x 180 words) (30%)
• Infographics (360 words, plus graphics) (2 x 15%)
• Report (2400 words) (40%) (Hurdle)

6 hours of teacher-directed learning activities per week, and 6 hours of self-directed study per week, plus 2 on-campus Block Days.

See also Unit timetable information