UWA Handbook 2025

Unit Overview

Description

This practicum is designed to build on experiences gained in PODI6534 and explore more advanced surgical techniques within a tertiary setting.

During these placements it is expected that students will recognise surgical skills adopted by other professions that are relevant to the practice of podiatric surgery. They are expected to attend specialties such as orthopaedic, vascular

surgery, endocrinology, medical imaging, anaesthesia, pain management, rheumatology, plastic surgery, emergency medicine and infectious

diseases. They will also be exposed to safe and effictive use of medicines including antimicrobial stewardship. This can be at a local, national or international venue depending on availability. Rotations may be arranged in one or more hospitals.

Credit

6 points

Offering
(see Timetable)

Availability	Location	Mode
Non-standard teaching period	UWA (Perth)	Face to face

Outcomes

Students are able to (1) apply critical thinking pathways to develop comprehensive differential diagnoses for surgical and emergency cases; (2) apply risk stratification models to assess patient acuity and determine the necessity and timing of surgical or medical interventions; (3) interpret laboratory results, imaging (X-ray, CT, MRI, ultrasound), and patient data to guide clinical decision-making and surgical planning; (4) demonstrate proficiency in foundational surgical skills (e.g., aseptic technique, suturing, wound closure, knot tying, basic surgical assisting skills); (5) apply principles from multiple surgical specialties (e.g., general surgery, orthopaedics, trauma, vascular, and emergency medicine) to manage diverse cases; (6) communicate effectively with multidisciplinary teams, including anaesthesiologists, nurses, radiologists, pharmacists and emergency physicians, to optimize patient care; (7) apply ISOBAR (Identify, Situation, Observations, Background, Agreed plan, Readback) and other structured communication tools to ensure clear and concise handovers; (8) demonstrate interprofessional collaboration in emergency and surgical settings to enhance patient safety and outcomes; (9) analyse relevant patient data to support diagnosis, treatment planning, and clinical decision making; (10) integrate patient preferences, cultural considerations, and ethical principles in surgical decision-making; (11) recognise the importance of ethical reasoning and informed consent and shared decision-making in high-stakes surgical and emergency scenarios; (12) demonstrate respect for patient autonomy, cultural considerations, patient goals including self administered care and health literacy in surgical planning; (13) demonstrate culturally safe care, receive and reflect on feedback from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients; and (14) demonstrate reflection on ethical considerations in surgery and demonstrate sound ethical judgment.

Assessment

Indicative assessments in this unit are as follows: (1) assignment/s

; (2) clinical assessment/s

; (3) written assessment/s

; and (4) professional behaviour assessment/s. 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 clinical assessment/s , written assessment/s , and professional behaviour assessment/s components.

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

Unit Coordinator(s)

Dr Burke Hugo

Unit rules

Prerequisites

Enrolment in

the Doctor of Podiatric Surgery (91830)
and PODI5511 Foundations of Podiatric Surgery 1 (ID 3775) PODI5512 Foundations of Podiatric Surgery 2 (ID 3776) PODI5513 Concepts of Podiatric Surgery (ID 3777) PODI5514 Podiatric Medicine Practicum (ID 3778) PODI5515 Introduction to surgical skills (ID3779) PODI6531 Surgical Practicum 1A (ID 3787) PODI6532 Surgical Practicum 1B (ID3788) PODI6533 Surgical Practicum 1C (ID 3789) PODI6534 Surgical Practicum 2A (ID 3790) PODI6535 Surgical Practicum 2B (ID7857) PODI6536 Surgical Practicum 2C (ID7858)

Contact hours

Clinical placement: ~100 hours / semester

Texts

McGlamry’s foot and ankle surgery, 5th edition [Authors: Brian Carpenter. Editors: Michelle L. Butterworth, William D. Fishco, John T. Marcoux, Daniel F. Vickers, Ovid Technologies Inc.]

McGlamry’s comprehensive textbook of foot and ankle surgery, 4th Edition. [Authors: E. Dalton McGlamry, Joe T. Southerland]

The Foot and Ankle: Master Techniques in Podiatric Surgery, 1st Edition. [Author: Thomas K. Chang]

Foot and Ankle. 2nd Edition. [Author: David Thordarson]