Principles of Clinical Practice 1

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2012:

36 weeks

144 hours

None

None

None

N/A

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Description, Subject Objectives, Generic Skills and Assessment Requirements of this entry.
The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison Unit website:

http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

This subject aims to develop early clinical skills in a simulated setting and early community and hospital based clinical experiences. The subject will develop clinical communication, medical interviewing, physical examination and early diagnostic reasoning skills in small groups, with simulated patients and peers. Generic communication skills will be acquired over the year, but relevant components of medical history, physical examination and diagnostic reasoning skills will be taught in association with the relevant body system block in the Foundations of Biomedical Science subject.

In line with the graduate attributes of the MD, by the end of the subject students should have developed the following objectives to a level appropriate for the
first year of the course:

Patients
1. Learn from patients, health professionals and the community
2. Respect the rights of patients including patient choice, dignity and privacy
3. Listen to and respond to patients from diverse backgrounds and understand the importance of the patient's perspective
4. Construct with a simulated patient an accurate medical history and perform key physical examinations

Self
1. Understand the principles of empathy and compassion in a simulated clinical interaction
2. Apply the principles of reflective practice in a simulated clinical setting
3. Recognise when clinical problems exceed your knowledge in a simulated setting
4. Identify and address your learning needs in a simulated clinical setting
5. Respond constructively to assessment feedback
6. Apply effective time-management and organisational skills
7. Recognise your own emotion and emotion in others

Society
1. Respect community values and appreciate a diversity of backgrounds and cultural values
2. Understand the principles of practising medicine in an environmentally responsible way
3. Understand the interactions between humans and their social and physical environments

Knowledge
1. Understand basic symptoms and signs of important physical illnesses in adults

Medical Profession
1. Provide effective feedback to colleagues in a small group tutorial setting

• Objective Structured Clinical Examination of 20 minutes, Week 18 (20%);
• Objective Structured Clinical Examination of 40 minutes, end of year (60%);
• Tutor mark, Week 18 (10%), Week 36 (10%);
• Hurdle requirements: Achievement of a satisfactory grade for Professional Behaviour; 75% attendance at tutorials and 100% attendance at clinical placements and field visits; Current First Aid certificate

None – student workbooks will be provided at the beginning of the subject

Lloyd,M, Bor, R. Communication Skills for Medicine. 3rd ed. New York: Churchill, Livingstone; 2009.

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

By the end of this subject students should have developed the following generic skills:

• The capacity to communicate using clear,non-technical language
• The ability to work together in small group settings
• An understanding of the diversity of the Australian community