Principles of Clinical Practice 2 (MEDS90004)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 81.25On Campus (Parkville)
Overview
Availability | Year Long (Extended) |
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Fees | Look up fees |
The overall aim of Principles of Clinical Practice 2 is to further develop applied biomedical knowledge, key clinical skills, and clinical reasoning in a full-time clinical environment. Students are expected to actively participate in a variety of different learning activities both online and in person, and to actively engage in clinical placement. The subject will be delivered in four-week terms. Over the course of the year students will be on clinical placement in adult medicine, surgery, anaesthesia, and emergency and will focus on becoming part of hospital-based teams to help them develop their diagnostic and therapeutic skills in the context of the patients presenting with acute and chronic medical and surgical conditions. Teaching activities include interactive modules that allow students to apply biomedical knowledge, clinical skills and clinical reasoning to develop a differential diagnosis and provide a management plan on core conditions and presentations; simulation exercises focused on the deteriorating patient; intensive clinical skills coaching, oral presentations of patient assessment findings and professional practice development.
Intended learning outcomes
On completion of this subject, students should be able to:
As a Scientist and Scholar:
- Theme: Clinician scientist (Knowledge). Apply biomedical sciences knowledge to explain the underlying mechanisms for patient presentations and recommendations for basic management.
- Theme: Clinician scientist (Skills). Incorporate essential biomedical sciences knowledge in proposing a scientifically supported differential diagnosis, a rationale for the principle diagnosis and a basic management plan for common adult presentations.
- Theme: Clinician Researcher (Knowledge). Describe the principles of evidence-based practice (EBP) using knowledge of study designs and critical analysis and an understanding of research governance.
- Theme: Clinician Researcher (Skills). Apply the principles of critical analysis to evaluate the applicability of health-related research to clinical problems.
As a Medical Practitioner:
- Theme: Partnership with patient (Knowledge). Appreciate and explain the importance of shared decision making with adult patients and their caregivers, being mindful of the patient's individual rights, circumstances and preferences.
- Theme: Partnership with patient (Skills). Establish relationships with adult patients and their caregivers, being mindful of the patient's individual rights, circumstances and preferences.
- Theme: Patient assessment (Knowledge). Formulate patient focussed assessments and appropriate initial investigations for adult patients, integrating knowledge of biomedical sciences and determinants of health.
- Theme: Patient assessment (Skills). Select and perform an appropriate patient focused assessment of an adult, demonstrating adaptations for differing physiological, psychosocial and cultural contexts.
- Theme: Clinical reasoning (Knowledge). Use clinical reasoning to synthesise assessment findings, population level data and patient context, to prioritise the differential diagnosis and inform a basic management plan for adult patients.
- Theme: Clinical reasoning (Skills). Synthesise information obtained from interview, examination and preliminary investigations to provide a coherent differential diagnosis and justification for basic management appropriate for the individual.
- Theme: Patient Management (Knowledge). Explain the key principles of basic management for common and serious conditions and presentations.
- Theme: Patient Management (Skills). Formulate a basic management plan based on patient assessment findings, ensuring patient safety.
As a Health Advocate:
- Theme: Determinants of health (Knowledge). Differentiate the global, societal and systemic factors that contribute to health promotion and education within adult patient populations to address health inequities and improve health status.
- Theme: Determinants of health (Skills). Discuss how to advocate for better health outcomes with individual patients, or patient groups, by application of the principles of equity and diversity within their health experiences.
- Theme: First Nations health (Knowledge). Examine the impact of health service access and delivery models on the health and well-being of First Nations peoples with recognition of historical and ongoing influences, including government policies.
- Theme: First Nations health (Skills ). Demonstrate the ability to provide culturally safe care with adult First Nations patients and families through developing reflexivity, self-awareness, and person-centred communication skills, as well as utilising First Nations health models in tandem with relevant clinical models.
- Theme: Healthcare systems (Knowledge). Examine the structures within placement settings that contribute to improvement in quality and safety of adult patient care, using knowledge of the Australian healthcare system, social and environmental accountability, and the judicious use of resources.
- Theme: Healthcare systems (Skills). Demonstrate a structured approach to improving key elements of patient safety by engaging in quality improvement activities within the hospital setting.
As a Professional and Leader:
- Theme: Professional practitioner (Knowledge). Analyse the core ethical, legal and moral principles for professional practice in clinical scenarios and experiences, including factors such as personal behaviours, interactions with others, systems and practices that impact on outcomes.
- 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). Explain how collaborative practices in placement settings enable unique contributions of all health care team members to improve health outcomes of patients. Appraise collaborative practices within healthcare teams, learning groups and the contributions of all team members including themselves.
- Theme: Collaborative practitioner (Skills). Appraise collaborative practices within healthcare teams, learning groups and the contributions of all team members including themselves.
- Theme: Reflective practitioner (Knowledge). Explain the skills and attitudes required for self-regulated learning in medicine in a clinical setting.
- Theme: Reflective practitioner (Skills). Demonstrate the skills and attitudes of a self-regulated learner, being aware of one's own capabilities and limitations in a clinical setting.
Generic skills
Extensive knowledge of a particular professional area, including relevant professional knowledge and skills, and informed respect for the principles, disciplines, values and ethics of a chosen profession:
- Highly developed cognitive, analytic and problem solving skills
- Capacity for independent critical thought, rational inquiry and self-directed learning
- Ability and self-confidence to comprehend complex concepts to express them lucidly, whether orally or in writing, and to confront unfamiliar problems
- Leadership capacity, including a willingness to engage in constructive public discourse, to accept social and civic responsibilities
- Ability and confidence to participate effectively in collaborative learning as a team-member, while respecting individual differences
- Ability to plan work and to use time effectively
Last updated: 4 March 2025
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
All of
Code | Name | Teaching period | Credit Points |
---|---|---|---|
MEDS90031 | Foundations for Clinical Practice | Year Long (Extended) (On Campus - Parkville) |
81.25 |
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 |
---|---|---|
Portfolio tasks. A student curated compilation that responds to prescribed tasks submitted regularly throughout the year, addressing five key themes – First Nations – Clinician researcher – Professional Practitioner – Self regulated learning – Determinants of Health and health systems
| Throughout the year | N/A |
Combined Cumulative Assessment Test (CAT) 5 / Progress Test 1 (MCQ format)
| End of first semester | N/A |
Situational Judgement Test (SJT)
| End of first semester | N/A |
Progress Test (MCQ format)
| Mid second semester | N/A |
CAT 6 (MCQ format)
| During the examination period | N/A |
Short Answer Question (SAQ) Paper
| During the examination period | N/A |
Procedural Skills
| N/A | |
Mini CEX - Completion of 8 mini Clinical Evaluation Exercises
| Throughout the teaching period | N/A |
Long Case Assessment 1
| During first semester | N/A |
Long Case Assessment 2
| During second semester | N/A |
Final Long Case
| End of the teaching period | N/A |
Objective Structured Clinical examination (OSCE) (5 station)
| During the examination period | N/A |
CLINICAL ASSESSMENT HURDLE Hurdle requirement: Satisfactory performance both end of year assessments (i.e. end of year OSCE assessment AND final long case). | N/A | |
KNOWLEDGE ASSESSMENT HURDLE Hurdle requirement: Satisfactory performance in each format (i.e. combination CAT5/CAT6 papers (excluding all progress test items) and SAQ paper) of the written examination. | N/A | |
PROFESSIONAL BEHAVIOUR HURDLE Hurdle requirement: Satisfactory standard in professional behaviour, as demonstrated by attendance at learning activities and clinical placements, observed Professional Behaviour Assessment, Situational Judgement test and satisfactory completion of the Academic Integrity Quiz. | N/A |
Last updated: 4 March 2025
Dates & times
- Year Long (Extended)
Principal coordinator Morgan Rayner Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours 360 hours of formal teaching comprised of problem or topic orientated classroom-based tutorials, structured professional and procedural skills sessions and bedside tutorials. Students will also participate in clinical activities such as ward rounds, outpatient clinics, operating theatre sessions and team meetings as well as independently clerking patients on medical and surgical wards. Estimated non-contact time commitment: an average of at least 30 hours per week. Total time commitment 1,105 hours Teaching period 28 January 2025 to 31 October 2025 Last self-enrol date 7 February 2025 Census date 2 June 2025 Last date to withdraw without fail 26 September 2025 Assessment period ends 21 November 2025 Year Long (Extended) 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
- Related Handbook entries
Last updated: 4 March 2025