UWA Handbook 2025

Unit Overview

Description

This is the first semester in the Global MD curriculum and consists of an integrated unit combining teaching from the disciplines of global health, primary care, Indigenous health, and an introduction to the medical sciences. The overarching goal of the semester-long unit is to present a balanced, holistic curriculum which prepares students for subsequent learning in the MD and fosters a humanistic understanding of global health, Indigenous health and primary care. This will provide a foundation level understanding of biomedical and clinical sciences and prepare the students for subsequent comprehensive learnings in biomedical science and clinical medicine in semester 2, 3 and 4 by assisting them to find the material comprehensible. Through global health teaching, Indigenous health teaching, primary care focused learning, and cultural immersions, students will extend their understanding of these disciplines throughout the semester.

This will help to prepare them for future diverse clinical placements including working with disadvantaged populations, Indigenous communities,, rural communities and with primary care health services. Students will gain foundation level skills in their understanding and practice of professional behaviour, communication, and consultation skills with a focus on the skills of observation and development of empathy. Clinical skills sessions will guide student learning with various medical humanities teaching methods.

There is a focus on AMC Domain 2: Clinical Practice, Domain 3: Health and Society, and Domain 4: Professionalism & Leadership.

Integration of the units learning outcomes between all disciplines will be facilitated through learning which is guided by case-based scenarios which follow the narratives of various families and individuals across broad social and demographic factors including people from underprivileged backgrounds, Indigenous peoples, and people who are refugees. The case scenarios will begin with health care provided before conception and during pregnancy, then follow the narratives of the various families and individuals throughout the lifespan with an emphasis on health care and infancy, childhood, adolescence, young adult, middle age, elderly, and end-of-life stages. Various core conditions will be chosen to best illustrate the important medical science, global health, Indigenous health and primary health care learnings.

Credit

24 points

Offering

Availability	Location	Mode
Not available in 2025	UWA (Perth)	Face to face

Outcomes

Students are able to (1) define and demonstrate professional behaviour expected from a medical student in the educational and clinical settings; outline challenges to professionalism, recognise personal abilities and difficulties, access support services when necessary; demonstrate the communication skills required of a medical student including effective, professional oral and written communication of biomedical and clinical principles, fundamentals of clinical communication skills, person centred communication, health education.; (2) demonstrate the learning skills required of a medical student including self-directed, reflective, and reflexive learning, peer learning, and learning through teamwork; demonstrate an understanding of human biology in selected clinical contexts relevant to normal and abnormal human structure and function.

; (3) outline the aetiology and pathophysiology of selected clinical and pathological manifestations and describe responses to illness and injury; discuss diagnostic principles and therapeutic principles for some common medical conditions.

; (4) demonstrate integration of biomedical and psychosocial knowledge into clinical reasoning; explain the impact of historical, geographical, and socio-cultural factors on the health of Aboriginal people and communities, and the elements of culturally safe medical practice when working with people from diverse backgrounds; describe the history, principles, and major fields of practice in global medicine and apply this knowledge to current and emerging global health issues that demonstrate knowledge of the underlying principles, evidence-base and disciplines of public health and global medicine

; and (5) demonstrate integration of biomedical and psychosocial knowledge into clinical reasoning

Explain the impact of historical, geographical, and socio-cultural factors on the health of Aboriginal people and communities, and the elements of culturally safe medical practice when working with people from diverse backgrounds; describe the history, principles, and major fields of practice in global medicine and apply this knowledge to current and emerging global health issues that demonstrate knowledge of the underlying principles, evidence-base and disciplines of public health and global medicine..

Assessment

Indicative assessments in this unit are as follows: (1) in-semester examination; (2) end of semester examination; (3) professional behaviour and attendance assessment; and (4) in-semester assessments. 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 professional behaviour and attendance assessment component.

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

Unit Coordinator(s)

Dr Rob White and Dr Vanessa Vaughan

Unit rules

Prerequisites

Enrolment in

92850 Doctor of Medicine (Global)

Co-requisites

GMED4103 Primary Care 1

Approved quota: 105—selection for the Global MD will be overseen with the Medical School's Medicine and Dentistry Admission and Selection Committee and be consistent with the approved and advertised selection processes for the standard UWA MD (course code 91850).

Incidental fees

Incidental student fees and charges are costs incurred by students as part of their studies at UWA that are in addition to their tuition fees (further information is available "
Participation in this unit will incur the following incidental fee(s):
Cultural Immersion Program (estimated cost - $1000).

Contact hours

20-25 hours per week