Studying online

There are now 2 possible online modes for units:

Units with modes Online timetabled and Online flexible are available for any student to self-enrol and study online.

Click on an offering mode for more details.

Unit Overview

Description

The Doctor of Medicine (MD) course is based around six themes—professional, leader, advocate, clinician, educator and scholar. This unit provides teaching in all of these themes within the rural clinical attachments and related teaching in Year 4 of the MD course. This consists of student attachments to rural medical practitioners and includes exposure to, and practice in, a variety of clinical disciplines including, but not restricted to, emergency medicine, internal medicine, surgery including ENT, anaesthetics and pain management, oncology and palliative care, and rural general practice.

Students undertake clinical care of patients under the supervision of experienced clinicians in a real rural clinical environment including ward rounds, operating theatre, outpatient clinics, emergency department attachments, community practices and other clinical environments. Students are expected to apply the knowledge, skills and professional attitudes gained in a rural context.

Credit
12 points
Offering
(see Timetable)
AvailabilityLocationMode
Non-standard teaching periodAlbanyFace to face
Non-standard teaching periodBroomeFace to face
Non-standard teaching periodBunburyFace to face
Non-standard teaching periodGeraldtonFace to face
Non-standard teaching periodKalgoorlieFace to face
Outcomes

Students are able to (1) display professional behaviour in the educational and clinical settings, discuss challenges to professionalism in specified clinical disciplines, and reflect on and manage professional behaviours in the clinical setting; display critical and insightful self-awareness of own personal values, well-being, personal difficulties and professional performance and implement effective management strategies when necessary; and comply with medico-legal responsibilities, recognise and discuss complex ethical and legal issues in medical practice; and explain the

legal and regulatory requirements of health professionals.

; (2) discuss the leadership and management roles of the doctor at the societal, community, organisational, team and personal levels; and contribute professional knowledge, skills and resources within the clinical team to

enhance patient care; participate effectively in collaborative health teams involving other health professionals and patients/families/carers; and discuss health politics, health policy development, the journey of the patient within the health system, system improvement methodologies, and career pathways and governance.

; (3) demonstrate advocacy for individual patients, groups, communities or populations; display culturally secure, comprehensive health care for Aboriginal people and their carers/families/communities; display sensitive and individualised health care for patients taking into account diverse socio-cultural backgrounds and factors contributing to health inequalities; and discuss and plan health maintenance, promotion, and prevention interventions with patients and colleagues.

; (4) integrate knowledge of the classification, epidemiology, aetiology, anatomy, pathophysiology, clinical and

pathological manifestations, natural history, diagnostic and therapeutic strategies with core presentations and medical conditions; perform an accurate, relevant, timely and prioritised patient assessment; apply justifiable diagnostic reasoning strategies to formulate a relevant and prioritized differential diagnosis and diagnostic strategy for core presentations and medical conditions; and apply logical clinical judgement and decisionmaking in individual clinical situations; demonstrate an ability to prioritise management of illness and injury in partnership with patient/carers/families and other health professionals; select and use therapies under

supervision applying their evidence base to individual patients; and perform specified procedural skills appropriately, safely and effectively; assess and respect the patient's values, preferences, context, perspectives and impacts of their health and health problems, and involve and inform the patient/carers/families during the decision-making and management process; display caring, compassionate

and empathic behaviours with patients/carers/families and communicate professionally, respectfully, courteously and effectively with patients, carers, families and other health professionals; and apply a quality

framework to medical practice and display a commitment to continued improvement of clinical performance.; (5) demonstrate critical self-reflection skills as a learner a capacity for life-long learning; discuss and apply

effective approaches to developing mentoring and support relationships; plan and implement education for patients/carers/families based on the principles of patient education and counselling; implement teaching sessions that are guided by the principles of effective teaching and learning; and display effective selfassessment skills, seek and effectively respond to constructive feedback, provide constructive feedback to others, and evaluate different assessment methods and strategies.

; and (6) apply research-based knowledge from medical sciences as the basis for clinical practice; apply evidence-based

practice strategies and tools to specified core medical conditions and presentations and clinical practice; and

use clinical information and support systems and resources in a relevant, effective and professional manner.

Assessment

Indicative assessments in this unit are as follows: (1) in-training assessment during the clinical attachments including case presentations, structured clinical assessments, quizzes, other portfolio-based items; (2) end-of-unit written examinations; (3) professional behaviour assessment; (4) portfolio; (5) end-of-unit objective structured clinical skills examination; and (6) procedural skills log. Further information is available in the unit outline.

To pass this unit, a student must: (a) achieve an overall mark of 50 per cent or higher for the unit; and (b) achieve the requisite requirements(s) or a mark of 50 per cent or greater, whichever is higher and specified in the unit outline, for the in-training assessment during the clinical attachments including case presentations, structured clinical assessments, quizzes, other portfolio-based items, end-of-unit written examinations, professional behaviour assessment, portfolio, end-of-unit objective structured clinical skills examination, and procedural skills log components.

Student may be offered supplementary assessment in this unit if they meet the eligibility criteria.

Unit Coordinator(s)
Associate Professor, Michele Gawlinski
Unit rules
Prerequisites
IMED4220 Integrated Medical Practice 1 Part A
and IMED4222 Integrated Medical Practice 1 Part B
Co-requisites
Any one of the following Scholarly Activity units: PUBH4403 Epidemiology I, SRUR5331 Rural Specialisation—Research Unit 1' SRUR5332 Rural Specialisation—Service Learning Unit 1, SMED5331 Research Unit 1, SMED5332 Service Learning Unit 1
or IMED5801 Principles of Teaching and Learning.
Approved quota: Maximum 30—each rural site can host between two to eight students. Capacity to host students is dependant on availability of clinical placements and supervision.
Contact hours
Up to 40 hours per week
Note
In order to pass the unit, students are required to achieve a pass in the unit overall, AND a pass in the combined written examinations, AND a pass in the in- training assessment, AND a pass in the OSCE, AND a pass in the PBA, AND a pass in the portfolio component, AND a pass in the procedural skills log.
  • The availability of units in Semester 1, 2, etc. was correct at the time of publication but may be subject to change.
  • All students are responsible for identifying when they need assistance to improve their academic learning, research, English language and numeracy skills; seeking out the services and resources available to help them; and applying what they learn. Students are encouraged to register for free online support through GETSmart; to help themselves to the extensive range of resources on UWA's STUDYSmarter website; and to participate in WRITESmart and (ma+hs)Smart drop-ins and workshops.
  • Unit readings, including any essential textbooks, are listed in the unit outline for each unit, one week prior the commencement of study. The unit outline will be available via the LMS and the UWA Handbook one week prior the commencement of study. Reading lists and essential textbooks are subject to change each semester. Information on essential textbooks will also be made available on the Essential Textbooks. This website is updated regularly in the lead up to semester so content may change. It is recommended that students purchase essential textbooks for convenience due to the frequency with which they will be required during the unit. A limited number of textbooks will be made available from the Library in print and will also be made available online wherever possible. Essential textbooks can be purchased from the commercial vendors to secure the best deal. The Student Guild can provide assistance on where to purchase books if required. Books can be purchased second hand at the Guild Secondhand bookshop (second floor, Guild Village), which is located on campus.
  • Contact hours provide an indication of the type and extent of in-class activities this unit may contain. The total amount of student work (including contact hours, assessment time, and self-study) will approximate 150 hours per 6 credit points.