Foundations for Clinical Practice (MEDS90031)

As a scientist and scholar

• Theme: Clinician scientist (Knowledge). Use biomedical sciences knowledge to describe normal human structure, function and development across the lifespan, and the principles of the body's response to challenge 
• Theme: Clinician scientist (Skills). Explain the biomedical processes and mechanisms of common and important medical conditions, including the clinical features of these conditions and the options for management 
• Theme: Clinician Researcher (Knowledge). Identify the key principles of generating new knowledge and for practising evidence-based medicine, including research question formulation, study design, ethical compliance, literature searching and the critical interpretation of research findings
• Theme: Clinician Researcher (Skills). Formulate a clinical question using the PICO model, and examine the suitability of a variety of resources to determine the effectiveness, efficiency and appropriateness of current health care practices to answer it

As a medical practitioner

• Theme: Patient assessment (Knowledge). Describe a framework for patient assessment and the underlying biomedical knowledge and principles of patient focused care 
• Theme: Patient assessment (Skills). Perform an accurate patient focused assessment, with uncomplicated presentations, using an organised framework for history and examination 
• Theme: Clinical reasoning (Knowledge). Integrate biomedical sciences knowledge and determinants of health with patient assessment findings, to derive a list of probable diagnoses 
• Theme: Clinical reasoning (Skills). Construct a reasoned list of possible causes for common patient presentations, based on information gathered directly from a patient or provided from a medical history, examination and initial management report 
• Theme: Partnership with patient (Knowledge). Explain the importance of developing partnerships with patients, which lays the foundation for advocating for health promotion, healthcare delivery, improved patient experience and outcomes, well-being and safety  
• Theme: Partnership with patient (Skills). Demonstrate person-centred care, encompassing communication, health promotion and maintenance with consideration to patient safety 

As a health advocate

• Theme: Determinants of health (Knowledge). Outline the diverse systemic, social and individual factors that contribute to health status and health inequities
• Theme: Determinants of health (Skills). Demonstrate an understanding of each person's unique experience, the determinants of health (systemic, social, individual, ecological, biophysiological) and how these impact on health and health seeking behaviours in individuals, communities and populations
• Theme: First Nations health (Knowledge). Recognise and appreciate the resilience of First Nations peoples in advancing their own health and well-being, both now and in future generations
• Theme: First Nations health (Skills ). Demonstrate competence and confidence in utilising appropriate First Nation's health models with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait islander patients, families and communities and identify the role of these models in the health advancement of First Nation's peoples
• Theme: Healthcare systems (Knowledge). Characterise the organisational structure, funding, and function of the Australian Healthcare system and recognise what this system offers to individuals, communities and populations
• Theme: Healthcare systems (Skills). Identify key health provision structures within the health system

As a professional and a leader

• Theme: Professional practice (Knowledge). Describe the core ethical, legal and moral principles required in professional practice, and discuss the personal behaviours, interactions with others and self-care and improvement contributing to professional practice, identity and well-being. 
• Theme: Professional practice (Skills). Display professional behaviour encompassing reliability, respectful and honest communication and interactions with others, willingness to accept and respond to feedback, and personal behaviours, such as confidentiality, honesty, integrity, self-care, respecting privileges, codes of conduct and scopes of practice 
• Theme: Collaborative practice (Knowledge). Describe key members of the healthcare team and their roles, and the importance of collaborative practises, that includes effective teamwork, quality communication and interprofessional practice 
• Theme: Collaborative practice (Skills). Demonstrate effective teamwork skills by collaboration as members of learning groups 
• Theme: Reflective practice (Knowledge). Articulate the principles and value of reflective practice for performance improvement and identify that opportunities for assessment and feedback come in a variety of forms and from different sources, including self, emphasising the active role of the learner 
• Theme: Reflective practice (Skills). Participate in formal and informal opportunities for assessment of knowledge and skills, and engage in regular, constructive feedback processes about performance with the intention of promoting learning and ongoing improvement 

On completion of this subject, students should have developed the following generic skills:

• The ability to understand the relationship of basic scientific knowledge to health and disease
• The capacity to integrate scientific knowledge across disciplines and with clinical information
• The ability to work together in a team, including in small group settings, to understand a health problem and communicate solutions
• The capacity to communicate using clear, non-technical language
• The ability to adapt to and learn within a workplace setting
• An understanding of the diversity of the Australian community
• The capacity to self-regulate learning and respond constructively to feedback
• The capacity to respond to adversity and to manage personal health in a proactive manner