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Sports Pharmacotherapeutics (PHRM90022)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5Online
For information about the University’s phased return to campus and in-person activity in Winter and Semester 2, please refer to the on-campus subjects page.
About this subject
- Overview
- Eligibility and requirements
- Assessment
- Dates and times
- Further information
- Timetable(opens in new window)
Contact information
Term 3
Please refer to the LMS for up-to-date subject information, including assessment and participation requirements, for subjects being offered in 2020.
Overview
Availability | Term 3 - Online |
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Fees | Look up fees |
This subject will build on student’s knowledge of the use of medicines commonly used in sports medicine in the context of recovery from injury and illness and optimising athlete health and performance. Content will include information on the therapeutic actions of medicines, their time course to action, interaction with other medications and the short and potential long-term impact on the individual. Further, consideration will be given to how sport and exercise affects the absorption and action of these medications and the impact of prescribed (including injectables) and over the counter medications on athletes in and out of competition. Attention will be given to both the beneficial and deleterious effects of drug regimes.
The subject will commence with a four-week module on standard nomenclature, foundational principles and theory of pharmacotherapeutics in sports medicine. Attention will be paid to use of medicine in acute scenarios such as anaphylaxis, injury, pain and trauma including concussion as well as chronic or diagnosed conditions such as diabetes, asthma and other cardiovascular, endocrine and metabolic conditions. In addition, obligations and procedures in accordance with the WADA code will be addressed.
The use of pharmacotherapeutics in sport will be explored in the context of application to sports medicine practice, professional scope of practice, doping regulations, codes of conduct and ethics. Further complex scenarios will be examined with case studies involving athletes in competition and out of competition.
Following the foundational module, students will select two from three modules that will explore and apply pharmacotherapeutics in sport in the context of three athletic populations: paediatrics & adolescent athletes, female athletes, and performance athletes. These modules are relevant to management of athletes of all ages and abilities, and also specifically relevant to three areas of practice specialisation. This fully online subject will be taught with the use of case studies, video presentations, selected readings, webinars and discussions with colleagues, as well as with assessment tasks. This subject can be taken as a single subject or as part of a Graduate Certificate in Sports Medicine, Graduate Diploma in Sports Medicine or Masters of Sports Medicine.
Intended learning outcomes
The curriculum is designed around three elements that provide integration throughout the program. The subject aims to provide students with the ability to:
Sports Medicine Theory & Practice:
- Describe the use of pharmacotherapeutics in the management of common injuries, illnesses and chronic conditions experienced by athletes.
- Debate the ethical issues and efficacy of pharmacotherapeutics (medicines and supplements) use in athlete performance and injury recovery
- Synthesise the efficacy, actions, time course, and side affects for managing acute injuries and chronic conditions affecting sport performance
- Demonstrate an advanced knowledge of commonly used medicines for the management of pain, inflammation, sleep management and illness in sport with special attention to side effects and drug interactions
- Demonstrate accurate knowledge of the WADA code and regulations and its guidelines for practice, including procedures for Therapeutic Use Exemptions
Clinical Practice in Context:
- Explain likely effects as well as the signs and symptoms of potential adverse effects of drugs/supplements to athletes of all ages and abilities
- Advise athletes on the appropriate use of pharmacotherapeutic agents according to their needs and sport and exercise context, within professional scope of practice
Evidence & Innovation:
- Critically analyse and discuss advances in pharmacotherapeutic interventions in the area of sports medicine with attention to specific athlete populations.
- Analyse contemporary evidence on the use of pharmacotherapeutics on athlete health and performance in the short and long term.
Generic skills
- Applying advanced knowledge of biological, social and medical sciences relevant to Sports Medicine to best-practice injury and case management
- Advanced understanding, application and monitoring of the processes of clinical reasoning and the need to develop strategies of expert reasoning
- Providing evidence-based advice and education to athletes and other professionals regarding the optimal activity or sport for specific individuals and the ways in which they can minimise risk of injury and promote health
- Critically evaluating their practice in relation to new information, promoting the appropriate application of new knowledge and innovations in multidisciplinary practice and decision-making processes
- Communicating and collaborating with the interdisciplinary team and all involved parties in case management
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
None
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
None
Recommended background knowledge
Bachelor degree or equivalent in the discipline of Physiotherapy, Medicine, Podiatry; or another relevant qualification with medical prescribing rights is recommended.
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Assessment
Due to the impact of COVID-19, assessment may differ from that published in the Handbook. Students are reminded to check the subject assessment requirements published in the subject outline on the LMS
Description | Timing | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Contribution to online discussions 1000 words (equivalent)
| From Week 1 to Week 8 | 10% |
Online Quiz x 3, 30 minutes each (10% each, total 30%), weeks 2, 4 & 6
| From Week 2 to Week 6 | 30% |
Case Study Presenation
| Week 7 | 20% |
Written report
| Week 9 | 40% |
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Dates & times
- Term 3 - Online
Mode of delivery Online Contact hours Total time commitment 140 hours Pre teaching start date 13 July 2020 Pre teaching requirements There is a one week pre-teaching period during which students can choose to: View a video presentation of an overview of the subject, assessment requirements and student expectations Engage with discussion board to meet their tutors and colleagues enrolled in the program Become familiar with the library by completing a small task that requires navigation of library resources and Complete one online task that will familiarise them with online learning requirements. This task can involve a quick quiz, reading a newspaper piece on a contemporary debate or reading a seminar paper on the subject. These activities serve to familiarise the students with the online learning environment and prepare the students for commencing in their learning fully informed about the requirements of the subject. Teaching period 20 July 2020 to 13 September 2020 Last self-enrol date 14 July 2020 Census date 7 August 2020 Last date to withdraw without fail 28 August 2020 Assessment period ends 20 September 2020 Term 3 contact information
Melbourne School of Professional and Continuing EducationPhone: + 61 3 8344 0149Monday to Friday 8am to 9pm AEST/AEDT. Weekends and University of Melbourne observed Public Holidays 10am to 5pm AEST/AEDT.
Time commitment details
Approximately 140 hours, (9 weeks x 12 hrs + 32 contact hrs). The final assessment task will be submitted at the end of week 9. Students will be expected to complete independent learning
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
There is no specified prescribed text for this subject, readings will be made available online via LMS.
- Available through the Community Access Program
About the Community Access Program (CAP)
This subject is available through the Community Access Program (also called Single Subject Studies) which allows you to enrol in single subjects offered by the University of Melbourne, without the commitment required to complete a whole degree.
Entry requirements including prerequisites may apply. Please refer to the CAP applications page for further information.
Additional information for this subject
Minimum of one year equivalent of post qualification sports relevant experience required to undertake the subject.
Last updated: 3 November 2022