MD Discovery 4: Clinical Scholar (MEDS90042)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 50On Campus (Parkville)
Overview
| Availability | February |
|---|---|
| Fees | Look up fees |
This subject is the final in a series of four MD Discovery subjects embedded within the Doctor of Medicine course for students following the Clinical Scholar pathway. Students will engage in a total of 87.5 credit points of discovery-based learning in areas of interest across their course. Discovery learning allows medical students to engage in flexible, personalised and increasingly complex situational learning as they progress, providing opportunities to reflect on the professional practice of medicine in a variety of contexts and settings.
In the final two years of Discovery students will choose to extend their knowledge and skills in one of two pathways based on their learning needs and interests: the clinical scholar or research scholar pathway.
In Discovery 4: Clinical Scholar students will immerse themselves in an area of study with a focus on leadership and advocacy and develop scholarly work (output) that makes a novel contribution to the field, such as producing an evidence-based educational resource, completing a research project such as a literature review, developing a community information program, or implementing a new quality improvement process in the clinical setting.
Each of the learning options available within this subject is designed to enhance the student’s personal and professional growth and students are encouraged to choose options that broaden and deepen their learning. Students will preference an area of focus that may be informed by previous learning gained.
Students will have three 4-week terms in the first semester of the year which will be curated by focus. Placement settings of these terms may include but are not limited to community (including general practice) and hospital environments. All placement settings will have the capacity (including supervisory capacity) to facilitate students in taking a deeper dive and applying the principles of their focus area to that environment. The scholarly output and workplace-based assessments will also relate to the focus. In addition, students will be allocated 5 scholarly intensive weeks to concentrate on their scholarly output requirements without concurrent placement requirements.
Intended learning outcomes
On completion of this subject, students should be able to:
As a Scientist and Scholar:
- Apply ethical practice principles in the conduct of research or project work.
- Critically interpret, synthesise and communicate findings from a range of scientific and scholarly literature.
- Justify the choice of a research design or project work and methodology to address a research question or clinical need.
- Utilise strategies for keeping up to date and practising medicine in a specific context in line with the latest evidence.
As a Medical Practitioner:
- Perform clinical tasks (within the student's scope of practice) in their chosen field demonstrating patient assessment clinical reasoning and management in partnership with patients.
As a Health Advocate:
- Justify how their clinical engagement in a chosen field and scholarly output supports future practice to advance patient care at a systems level.
- Critique the role of the clinician scholar in advocating for and collaborating with First Nations patients and community to achieve health advancement and develop strategies for addressing inequities at an individual community and societal levels.
As a Professional and Leader:
- Engage as a self-regulated learner to inform professional practice, leadership, and professional identity as a clinician scholar.
- Work effectively and respectfully as a co-member and leader of a clinical team, recognising the contributions of all members to shared learning, to improve patient and populations health outcomes.
Generic skills
Students completing MD Discovery subjects will display skills in:
- Highly developed cognitive, analytic and problem-solving skills that best prepare them for professional practice.
- Ability to plan work and to use time effectively.
- Leadership capacity, including a willingness to engage in constructive public discourse, to accept social and civic responsibilities.
- Ability and self-confidence to comprehend complex concepts to express them lucidly, whether orally or in writing, and to confront unfamiliar problems.
- Ability and confidence to participate effectively in collaborative learning as a team-member, while respecting individual differences.
Last updated: 4 March 2025
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
Students must complete:
| Code | Name | Teaching period | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| MEDS90020 | Principles of Clinical Practice 3 | Year Long (Extended) (On Campus - Parkville) |
81.25 |
| MEDS90041 | MD Discovery 3: Integration |
Summer Term (On Campus - Parkville)
Winter Term (On Campus - Parkville)
April (On Campus - Parkville)
March (On Campus - Parkville)
August (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
None
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: 4 March 2025
Assessment
| Description | Timing | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
Professional portfolio (goals/learning plan, evidence of progress, self- assessment), 3 x 3000 words
| Throughout the teaching period - one at the end of each term | N/A |
Supervisor Reports, 3 x 1000 words
| Throughout the teaching period - one at the end of each term | N/A |
Scholarly output
| During the assessment period | N/A |
Oral Presentation
| During the assessment period | N/A |
Future practice focus
| During the assessment period | N/A |
Professional practice reflective pieces, 2 x 1000 words
| Throughout the teaching period | N/A |
Professional Behaviour Hurdle Hurdle requirement: Satisfactory standard in professional behaviour, as demonstrated by attendance and participation in learning activities and clinical placements and observed Professional Behaviour. | N/A |
Additional details
The level of performance required to pass each hurdle is determined by a rigorous standard setting procedure
Last updated: 4 March 2025
Dates & times
- February
Principal coordinator Louisa Ng Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours 18 week subject comprised of 3 x 4 week placements where students are expected to: - spend 35 contact hours per week engaged in the activities of the placement team that they are attached to, including student-supervisor consultations. This time includes the professional portfolio and engagement with team working towards the supervisor reports. (420 hours) - attend 9x1 hour Professional Practice tutorials (9 hours) - attend 1x2 hour First Nations Tutorial (2 hours) - attend 1x2 hour Interprofessional Advocacy Tutorial (2 hours) - attend 5x2 hour scholarlyoutput supervisor sessions, within the 5 weeks of scholarly intensive, focused on scholarly output. (10 hours) Total time commitment 680 hours Teaching period 3 February 2025 to 23 May 2025 Last self-enrol date 25 February 2025 Census date 28 February 2025 Last date to withdraw without fail 23 April 2025 Assessment period ends 30 May 2025 February contact information
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What do these dates mean
Visit this webpage to find out about these key dates, including how they impact on:
- Your tuition fees, academic transcript and statements.
- And for Commonwealth Supported students, your:
- Student Learning Entitlement. This applies to all students enrolled in a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP).
Subjects withdrawn after the census date (including up to the ‘last day to withdraw without fail’) count toward the Student Learning Entitlement.
Last updated: 4 March 2025
Further information
- Texts
Last updated: 4 March 2025