This course is the first semester of the four year Doctor of Medicine and Surgery (MChD) program. The MChD provides an integrated spiral curriculum to progressively develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes required of medical graduates to practice safely and ethically as junior doctors within internship programs at accredited teaching hospitals.
During your study you will progress through a series of Curriculum Blocks. Block 1 forms the whole of MEDI8011. During Block 1 you will be introduced to the basic concepts, language and skills required to progress your learning in the Themes (Medical Sciences, Clinical Skills, Professionalism and Leadership, Population Health) and Frameworks (Indigenous Health, Social Foundations, Rural Health and Research) that are the bases of the curriculum.
Course Structure and Content
Block 1: Foundation Block
MEDI8011, MEDI8012, MEDI8015, MEDI8020, MEDI8025 and either MEDI8022 or MEDI8023 form part of Phase 1 of the MCHD program.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
- Describe the constituents of cells and the function of the organelles; the transcription of genes and translation of proteins; the structure and function the different tissues and organs.
- Discuss the normal mechanisms of human anatomy physiology in health and describe the pathogenesis of disease states as presented within the curriculum.
- Comprehend and describe how a person comes to perceive themselves as well or unwell within different contexts and cultural settings.
- Define the principles of evidence-based practice and explain why medical practitioners have an obligation to contribute to knowledge.
- Discuss the ethical principles and professional attitudes and behaviour that are fundamental to all components of medical practice.
Research-Led Teaching
Courses within the Doctor of Medicine and Surgery (MChD) are categorised as Profession- Led. The Profession-Led features of MEDI8011 include teaching by medical practitioners in the course and expert tuition in clinical skills by medically trained tutors. The MChD curriculum is grounded in the principles of evidence based medicine and reflects current practice standards. Problem based learning cases have been devised by medically trained staff, who are discipline experts. Assessment is aligned to learning outcome statements and is developed in consultation with content experts.
The Themes (Medical Science, Professionalism and Leadership, Population Health, Clinical Skills) and Frameworks (Social Foundations of Medicine, Indigenous Health, Rural Health, Research) have been developed and are taught by active researchers.
The curriculum associated with the Research Framework provides students with an introduction to the principles of medical research and the foundation knowledge for students to develop a research question that will be investigated in the formal Research Project/Advanced Research Project Course in Year 2 of the program.
Additional Course Costs
Students are responsible for travel costs between the Acton and Canberra Hospital (TCH) campuses and other associated clinical teaching sites.
Examination Material or equipment
Examinations are conducted according to the Assessment Rule 2016. The information on the Examination Conduct page describes what to expect during an examination.
Required Resources
Students are required to purchase safety glasses and have suitable footwear for the laboratory. (Laboratory coats are provided to students, although you may elect to have your own).
Students are required to have a stethoscope. Students are provided one by the School of Medicine and Psychology in Year 1 but any replacements are at the cost of the student.
Recommended Resources
Students are strongly recommended to purchase a suitable laptop computer. There is no prescribed textbook for this course, however a recommended reading list of suitable textbooks is provided on the WATTLE course site. These resources are accessible via the library and/or PBL rooms.
There are a variety of online platforms you will use to participate in your study program. These could include videos for lectures and other instruction, two-way video conferencing for interactive learning, email and other messaging tools for communication, interactive web apps for formative and collaborative activities, print and/or photo/scan for handwritten work and drawings, and home-based assessment.
ANU outlines recommended student system requirements to ensure you are able to participate fully in your learning. Other information is also available about the various Learning Platforms you may use.
Staff Feedback
Students will be given feedback in the following forms in this course:
- Formative assessment and feedback will help to guide students understanding of the scope and format of the examinable material and expected level of comprehension required for a pass grade.
- Feedback will be provided summarising performance in key disciplines and in examination sections benchmarked to the performance of the cohort.
- Students who did not satisfy the pass criteria for the Medicine 1A examination will be provided with individual academic remediation in semester 2 and must pass the Medicine 1B examination to be eligible to pass Medicine 1A.
Student Feedback
ANU is committed to the demonstration of educational excellence and regularly seeks feedback from students. Students are encouraged to offer feedback directly to their Course Convener or through their College and Course representatives (if applicable). Feedback can also be provided to Course Conveners and teachers via the Student Experience of Learning & Teaching (SELT) feedback program. SELT surveys are confidential and also provide the Colleges and ANU Executive with opportunities to recognise excellent teaching, and opportunities for improvement.
Other Information
MChD students are also directed to the Assessment Rule 2016 and the Academic Progress Rule 2019 for information related to progression requirements.
Student feedback (additional information)
In addition to SELS, the School of Medicine and Psychology conducts in house formative surveys of the student experience of teaching and learning in its courses for the MChD.
Class Schedule
| Week/Session | Summary of Activities | Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Block 1: Foundations (17 weeks) | Formative mid-semester testClinical Skills Progressive Reviews Weekly timetables are available in the Outlook calendar. Please refer to WATTLE for specific details of the individual week's activities. |
| 2 | Examination Period (1 week) | STUVACWritten Examinations |
Assessment Summary
| Assessment task | Value | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|
| Written examination (hurdle) | 100 % | 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,21,22 |
| Clinical Skills Progressive Reviews/Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) (hurdle) | 0 % | 6,13,17,18,20,21,22 |
| Attendance (hurdle) | 0 % | 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22 |
* If the Due Date and Return of Assessment date are blank, see the Assessment Tab for specific Assessment Task details
Policies
ANU has educational policies, procedures and guidelines , which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University’s academic standards, and implement them. Students are expected to have read the Academic Integrity Rule before the commencement of their course. Other key policies and guidelines include:
- Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure
- Special Assessment Consideration Guideline and General Information
- Student Surveys and Evaluations
- Deferred Examinations
- Student Complaint Resolution Policy and Procedure
- Code of practice for teaching and learning
Assessment Requirements
The ANU is using Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the Academic Skills website. In rare cases where online submission using Turnitin software is not technically possible; or where not using Turnitin software has been justified by the Course Convener and approved by the Associate Dean (Education) on the basis of the teaching model being employed; students shall submit assessment online via ‘Wattle’ outside of Turnitin, or failing that in hard copy, or through a combination of submission methods as approved by the Associate Dean (Education). The submission method is detailed below.
Moderation of Assessment
Marks that are allocated during Semester are to be considered provisional until formalised by the College examiners meeting at the end of each Semester. If appropriate, some moderation of marks might be applied prior to final results being released.
Examination(s)
MEDI8011 includes a formative mid-semester test, which provides students with an introduction to assessment structure and expected standards within marking criteria. Students who perform poorly on the formative mid semester test will be offered remediation.
Assessment Task 1
Learning Outcomes: 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,21,22
Written examination (hurdle)
A series of written examinations comprising the following items:
- single best answer multiple choice questions (MCQ) and extended matching questions (EMQ) (40%)
- evolving modified essay questions (Minicases) and short answer questions (SAQ) (60%)
The examination will assess content that is aligned to the Level 3 learning outcome statements for MEDI8011. While the majority of the exam question topics will also be aligned with teaching and learning activities (and their Level 4 sessional objectives), a proportion will assess related topics where there is a reasonable expectation that a student will have acquired the knowledge and skill through self-directed learning and discussions in problem based learning sessions.
The proportion of assessed content in the examination is also mapped to the curriculum Themes and Frameworks based on the representation of these components within the curriculum. Please note that some content from the curriculum of the Clinical Skills Theme is assessed in the written examination.
Assessment rubric:
Standard setting procedures are used to determine the pass mark for each assessment item.
Written examination papers will be marked according to criterion referenced marking rubrics.
Raw marks will be scaled to a standardised pass mark.
Students must achieve a scaled mark of 50 or greater to pass the examination.
Hurdle assessment requirement:
Students are required to attempt all assessment items to pass the course.
Due date
The assessment will take place in the examination period. See WATTLE for the final examination schedule
Assessment Task 2
Learning Outcomes: 6,13,17,18,20,21,22
Clinical Skills Progressive Reviews/Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) (hurdle)
Demonstration of competence in specific Clinical Skills. Students will be required to undertake a series of short performance based assessments to demonstrate their competency in Clinical Skills appropriate to their level of study.
Observed performance involving clinical assessment of a volunteer patient/actor focusing on history taking, clinical examination and/or reasoning skills developed in the Clinical Skills Theme.
Assessment rubric:
Marking criteria based on key step guides provided in Clinical Skills tutorials and by Clinical Skills academic coordinator.
Hurdle assessment requirement:
Students will be asked to demonstrate competence in history taking and physical examination skills, which will be observed and assessed. Students must be assessed as competent in the assessment tasks to meet the hurdle requirement.
Due date:
Exact details will be provided via WATTLE.
Assessment Task 3
Learning Outcomes: 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22
Attendance (hurdle)
In-person attendance is compulsory for all of the following learning activities:
- Orientation/Introduction week
- Rural immersion
- Problem Based Learning (PBL) sessions
- Medical Science practical sessions
- Professionalism and Leadership (PAL) class and group work sessions
- Population Health group work sessions
- Clinical Skills sessions
Hurdle assessment requirement:
A record of attendance of 85% or greater is required for each of the learning activities.
Absences
The procedures for taking a leave of absence from the Doctor of Medicine and Surgery Program are more stringent than other programs at the ANU. It is important that the school regulates and monitors the conditions of leave to ensure students are not missing out on key learning outcomes and also to ensure the wellbeing of our students is monitored and managed.
Approval for all planned and unplanned absences will be considered for professional development activities and personal circumstances on a case-by-case basis. Students must follow the Leave Application Process.
Absence due to COVID
The University’s expectation is that all those students who can attend in-person will do so. This is particularly important for the laboratory/workshop/tutorial (as appropriate) component of this course. If you are not able to attend because of Covid-19 related restrictions, please follow the standard Leave Application Process.
Unsatisfactory attendance
Attendance will be monitored. Where attendance falls below 85%, even with doctor’s certificates, the student is required to discuss with the relevant clinical or academic supervisor the opportunities to ‘make up’ the learning that was missed. At that time, and especially if attendance cannot be made up or falls even further, a referral to the Course Convenor for discussion regarding progression will be made and possible review under the Professional Behaviour Guidelines by the Professional Behaviours Committee.
Due date:
To be assessed at the end of MEDI8011.
Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is a core part of the ANU culture as a community of scholars. The University’s students are an integral part of that community. The academic integrity principle commits all students to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support, academic integrity, and to uphold this commitment by behaving honestly, responsibly and ethically, and with respect and fairness, in scholarly practice.
The University expects all staff and students to be familiar with the academic integrity principle, the Academic Integrity Rule 2021, the Policy: Student Academic Integrity and Procedure: Student Academic Integrity, and to uphold high standards of academic integrity to ensure the quality and value of our qualifications.
The Academic Integrity Rule 2021 is a legal document that the University uses to promote academic integrity, and manage breaches of the academic integrity principle. The Policy and Procedure support the Rule by outlining overarching principles, responsibilities and processes. The Academic Integrity Rule 2021 commences on 1 December 2021 and applies to courses commencing on or after that date, as well as to research conduct occurring on or after that date. Prior to this, the Academic Misconduct Rule 2015 applies.
The University commits to assisting all students to understand how to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support academic integrity. All coursework students must complete the online Academic Integrity Module (Epigeum), and Higher Degree Research (HDR) students are required to complete research integrity training. The Academic Integrity website provides information about services available to assist students with their assignments, examinations and other learning activities, as well as understanding and upholding academic integrity.
Online Submission
You will be required to electronically sign a declaration as part of the submission of your assignment. Please keep a copy of the assignment for your records. Unless an exemption has been approved by the Associate Dean (Education) submission must be through Turnitin.
Hardcopy Submission
For some forms of assessment (hand written assignments, art works, laboratory notes, etc.) hard copy submission is appropriate when approved by the Associate Dean (Education). Hard copy submissions must utilise the Assignment Cover Sheet. Please keep a copy of tasks completed for your records.
Late Submission
Individual assessment tasks may or may not allow for late submission. Policy regarding late submission is detailed below:
- Late submission permitted. Late submission of assessment tasks without an extension are penalised at the rate of 5% of the possible marks available per working day or part thereof. Late submission of assessment tasks is not accepted after 10 working days after the due date, or on or after the date specified in the course outline for the return of the assessment item. Late submission is not accepted for take-home examinations.
Referencing Requirements
The Academic Skills website has information to assist you with your writing and assessments. The website includes information about Academic Integrity including referencing requirements for different disciplines. There is also information on Plagiarism and different ways to use source material.
Extensions and Penalties
Extensions and late submission of assessment pieces are covered by the Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure. Extensions may be granted for assessment pieces that are not examinations or take-home examinations. If you need an extension, you must request an extension in writing on or before the due date. If you have documented and appropriate medical evidence that demonstrates you were not able to request an extension on or before the due date, you may be able to request it after the due date.
Privacy Notice
The ANU has made a number of third party, online, databases available for students to use. Use of each online database is conditional on student end users first agreeing to the database licensor’s terms of service and/or privacy policy. Students should read these carefully. In some cases student end users will be required to register an account with the database licensor and submit personal information, including their: first name; last name; ANU email address; and other information.In cases where student end users are asked to submit ‘content’ to a database, such as an assignment or short answers, the database licensor may only use the student’s ‘content’ in accordance with the terms of service – including any (copyright) licence the student grants to the database licensor. Any personal information or content a student submits may be stored by the licensor, potentially offshore, and will be used to process the database service in accordance with the licensors terms of service and/or privacy policy.
If any student chooses not to agree to the database licensor’s terms of service or privacy policy, the student will not be able to access and use the database. In these circumstances students should contact their lecturer to enquire about alternative arrangements that are available.
Distribution of grades policy
Academic Quality Assurance Committee monitors the performance of students, including attrition, further study and employment rates and grade distribution, and College reports on quality assurance processes for assessment activities, including alignment with national and international disciplinary and interdisciplinary standards, as well as qualification type learning outcomes.
Since first semester 1994, ANU uses a grading scale for all courses. This grading scale is used by all academic areas of the University.
Support for students
The University offers students support through several different services. You may contact the services listed below directly or seek advice from your Course Convener, Student Administrators, or your College and Course representatives (if applicable).
- ANU Health, safety & wellbeing for medical services, counselling, mental health and spiritual support
- ANU Access and inclusion for students with a disability or ongoing or chronic illness
- ANU Dean of Students for confidential, impartial advice and help to resolve problems between students and the academic or administrative areas of the University
- ANU Academic Skills and Learning Centre supports you make your own decisions about how you learn and manage your workload.
- ANU Counselling Centre promotes, supports and enhances mental health and wellbeing within the University student community.
- ANUSA supports and represents undergraduate and ANU College students
- PARSA supports and represents postgraduate and research students
Convener
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Dr Karin Messerle
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