Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

1. Foundations of Internal Medicine and Surgery Block: Examine the system/s relevant to patient’s medical/surgical complaint, elicit physical signs and integrate the physical findings in relation to the history and likely underlying pathophysiology of the patient’s illness.
2. Develop competency in basic procedures for patients presenting with conditions managed in a hospital setting.
3. Recognise the appropriate indications for undertaking a diagnostic test, and interpret common diagnostic test results undertaken in the hospital setting.
4. Outline the management options for medical/surgical conditions commonly presenting in hospital settings, including pharmacological and surgical treatments.
5. Explain and elicit informed consent for investigations, surgical and interventional medical and pharmacological therapies.
6. Discuss palliative strategies in end-of-life care for the patient, including avoidance of unnecessary tests and invasive treatments, instituting pain relief, and counseling.
7. Formulate a management plan for the patient's major problems in the short, medium and long term, integrating aspects of acute and chronic disease management, and recognise the value of palliative strategies in end-of-life care for the patient.
8. Integrated Community and Child Health Block: Discuss healthcare delivery within Australian communities, in particular access to healthcare for vulnerable and hard to reach populations, effective use of resources and partnerships with allied health providers in the community, and the value of holistic care and longitudinal relationships between patients and health care professionals.
9. Demonstrate inclusion of the patient’s concern and agenda in clinical decision-making, with an understanding of the importance of family, support systems, culture and community.
10. Take an appropriate history and conduct relevant examination for patients presenting with common conditions managed in community healthcare settings.
11. Describe and apply Murtagh’s framework for undifferentiated presentations, be able to identify appropriate investigations and identify any need for referral.
12. Outline management approaches for acute, chronic and co-morbid conditions in the community.
13. Develop competence in procedural skills that are commonly applied in the community setting
14. Discuss current guidelines for prevention, early detection and health maintenance in the community.
15. Describe the common and complex issues facing Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander peoples in community health settings, and be able to identify health services and support systems specific for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Other Information

Inherent Requirement Descriptors continued:

Insight into their own health and behaviour

• Medical students will be expected to demonstrate an ability to recognise when they experience poor health and put in place effective processes to ensure their own health or behaviours do not pose a risk to others.

Cognition, critical thinking and problem solving skills

• Medical students will be expected to have an aptitude for problem solving, based on scientific principles to understand and solve the complex medical needs of patients, whilst also considering the context of the patient’s circumstances and the health system they are working in.

Team work

• Medical students will be expected to work willingly and cohesively as part of a team, taking responsibility for their actions as well as recognising and respecting the skills of other professionals.

Physical and observational capabilities

• Medical students will be expected to demonstrate their ability to acquire information, carry out a range of procedures suitable to their level of capability, and understand and carry out their role in assisting during a medical emergency.

Sustainable performance

• Medical students will be expected to demonstrate both physical and mental performance at a consistent and sustained level to perform multiple tasks in an assigned period of time that provides safe and effective care without compromise.

Indicative Assessment

1. During MEDI8030 students will undertake periodic formative assessments and are required to fulfill the requirements of the year 3 clinical skills and experiential learning portfolio. An Academic Supervisor is assigned to each student to assist the student to develop their Learning Plan for the blocks and to formally review and sign off on the portfolio. (null) [LO 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15]
2. Written Examination (Hurdle requirement) (50) [LO 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15]
3. Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) (Hurdle requirement) (40) [LO 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15]
4. Population Health Project (10) [LO 8,14,15]
5. Must demonstrate satisfactory completion of the Phase 2 experiential learning portfolio. (0) [LO 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15]
6. Must meet 85% attendance at Clinical Skills and Fixed Resource Sessions (0) [LO 2]
7. Must be in good standing with the Professional Behaviours Committee (0) [LO 10]

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Workload

This course must be enrolled in twice over two consecutive semesters (24 units +24 units)

The general expectation in Year 3 is a minimum of 6 clinical sessions (4 hours per session) per week in addition to the structured teaching commitments e.g. all day Wednesday. Please see course outline for more information.

Inherent Requirements

During the Clinical placements, students will participate in the medical care of patients including vulnerable persons. This requires students to put into practice a range of professional competencies developed in earlier courses. These competencies are guided by the Medical Deans of Australia and New Zealand Inclusive Medical Education guidance note and require students to be able to:

 

Communication skills – verbal, non-verbal and written

• Medical students will be expected to communicate effectively and sensitively with a range of different people to establish rapport, involve patients and carers in decision making, and practise in a culturally safe way to deliver high quality, safe care. This applies to listening, speaking, reading, writing, and the capability to use these different modes to elicit information from people, often under pressure and in difficult situations.

Professionalism

• Medical students will be expected to demonstrate capabilities consistent with those of a medical professional, including a commitment to making the care of patients their priority, and to practise safely and effectively, treat people with dignity and respect, and be aware of the limits of their own knowledge, skills and health. They will also be required to comply with the law, regulations and any other university codes or policies.

Insight into their own health and behaviour

Cognition, critical thinking and problem solving skills

Team work

Physical and observational capabilities

Sustainable performance

(See the Other Information for the full descriptors of the final five areas).

It should be recognised that there may be cases where students will not be able to meet the requirements of the program, even with reasonable adjustments. Students unable to meet the course inherent requirements will be unable to complete the Doctor of Medicine and Surgery and will be offered a transfer to the Master of Preclinical Science.

Requisite and Incompatibility

Prescribed Texts

Please refer to course outline

Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links