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  3. Foundations for Clinical Practice

Foundations for Clinical Practice (MEDS90031)

Graduate courseworkPoints: 81.25On Campus (Parkville)

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Overview

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Foundations for Clinical Practice introduces students to the scientific knowledge and clinical skills required for medical practice. Core content covered includes foundational biomedical science knowledge and clinical communication and examination skills as well as a focus on early professional identity formation. Throughout the year, students work towards establishing introductory level clinical competencies while working under the guidance of tutors from a mixture of scientific and clinical professions. Students are expected to actively participate in a variety of different learning activities, both online and in person. These include webinars, interactive modules, tutorials, practical classes and clinical placements. Biomedical science knowledge is introduced and consolidated through small group exploration of clinically focused cases, which provide the context for understanding how major body system’s structure and function contribute to patient health and well-being. Clinical skills are developed through use of peer learning, simulation and longitudinal community and hospital based clinical placements. A body systems approach guides learning throughout the year and emphasis is placed on three main streams of learning: Biomedical science knowledge; clinical skills; and professionalism in practice.

Intended learning outcomes

On completion of this subject, building upon the knowledge and skills gained in the subject, Foundations for Clinical Practice, students should be able to:

As a scientist and scholar

  • Theme: Clinician scientist (Knowledge). Use biomedical sciences knowledge to describe normal human development, structure and function across the lifespan, the principles of the body's response to challenge and the foundations for management.
  • Theme: Clinician scientist (Skills). Explain the biomedical processes and mechanisms of common and serious medical conditions, including the clinical features of these conditions and the foundations for management.
  • Theme: Clinician Researcher (Knowledge). Describe the key principles of how scientific discovery and evidence are used to support medical practice.
  • Theme: Clinician Researcher (Skills). Formulate focused clinical questions, apply the principles of literature searching and identify a range of relevant resources to resolve these questions or identify knowledge gaps.

As a medical practitioner

  • Theme: Partnership with patient (Knowledge). Describe the core skills required to establish relationships with patients and caregivers, being mindful of the patient's individual rights, preferences, social and cultural contexts.
  • Theme: Partnership with patient (Skills). Demonstrate a range of skills to establish rapport and build trust with patients.
  • Theme: Patient assessment (Knowledge). Describe a framework for conducting an initial patient history and physical examination, based on biomedical knowledge and the determinants of health.
  • Theme: Patient assessment (Skills). Perform at a foundation level a patient focused assessment, using an organised framework for history and examination.
  • Theme: Clinical reasoning (Knowledge). Identify the relevant biomedical science knowledge, determinants of health and clinical assessments that can explain patient presentations.
  • Theme: Clinical reasoning (Skills). Derive a list of potential causes for common clinical presentations, integrating knowledge of biomedical sciences and determinants of health with patient assessment findings
  • Theme: Patient Management (Knowledge). Relate how the biomedical sciences and the determinants of health, inform clinical skills and management plans to support patient outcomes and safety.
  • Theme: Patient Management (Skills). Demonstrate core clinical skills that contribute to patient and practitioner safety.

As a health advocate

  • Theme: Determinants of health (Knowledge). Outline the global, societal and systemic factors that contribute to health status and health inequities for individuals, communities and populations.
  • Theme: Determinants of health (Skills). Demonstrate an understanding of how the determinants of health and patient's own experiences impact on health and health seeking behaviours
  • Theme: First Nations health (Knowledge). Describe the historic and contemporary factors impacting First Nations peoples, including cultural strength, resilience, and the contribution and value of Indigenous knowledges in advancing health and wellbeing.
  • Theme: First Nations health (Skills ). Explain how to apply First Nations health models when working with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander patients, families and communities, taking a critical approach when reviewing information and resources.
  • Theme: Healthcare systems (Knowledge). Characterise the organisational structure 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 that support patient and practitioner safety.

As a professional and a leader

  • Theme: Professional practitioner (Knowledge). Describe the core ethical principles that underpin professional and clinical decision making, and the personal qualities that support practitioner well-being necessary for safe practice.
  • Theme: Professional practitioner (Skills). Consistently display professional behaviour encompassing reliability; appropriate interactions with others; willingness to accept and respond to feedback; and personal behaviours in line with relevant codes of conduct and scope of practice.
  • Theme: Collaborative practitioner (Knowledge). Describe how collaborative practices, such as teamwork, interprofessional practice and effective communication, contribute to the quality of healthcare and improved health outcomes for patients.
  • Theme: Collaborative practitioner (Skills). Demonstrate effective teamwork skills by collaboration as members of learning groups.
  • Theme: Reflective practitioner (Knowledge). Describe the foundational skills and attitudes required for self-regulated learning in medicine.
  • Theme: Reflective practitioner (Skills). Demonstrate the foundational skills and attitudes of a self-regulated learner.

Generic skills

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

  • The capacity to communicate using clear, non-technical language
  • An understanding of the diversity of the Australian community
  • The ability to adapt to and learn within a workplace setting
  • 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

Last updated: 6 November 2025