Master of Medicine (Palliative Medicine)

This course is not open to new students and is being phased out. Prospective students should refer to the Master of Philosophy instead.

The information provided is for currently enrolled students only.

The degree of Master of Medicine (Palliative Medicine) comprises two parts. Some candidates may proceed directly to Part II if given credit for Part I.

Part I may be undertaken by coursework only (Part I is not available). Part II may be undertaken by research, supervised by research staff and resulting in a thesis which is examined externally.

Research Masters degrees at the University of Melbourne are designed for students to develop advanced skills in carrying out independent and sustained research. The thesis should demonstrate a critical application of specialist knowledge and make an independent contribution to existing scholarship in the area of research.

On completion of the course students should be able to:

• demonstrate advanced learning in research skills and mastery of appropriate techniques, such as the use of archival or primary evidence, analysis of data, judgment of conflicting evidence etc;
• demonstrate specialist knowledge in the area of their research;
• present the results of their research in publishable form or work towards incorporating their findings in further research;
• proceed to a research doctorate if the Masters thesis has demonstrated appropriate research potential;
• gain admission to certain types of employment through this specialist qualification;
• apply the research skills acquired to other projects;
• demonstrate an understanding of, and commitment to, research ethics or code of practice.

Candidates are enrolled in a year-long research subject for the duration of the course and produce a thesis of between 30,000 and 40,000 words which is examined externally.

• An approved MBBS degree or recognised equivalent of at least two years standing and not less than two years experience as a medical officer in a hospital affiliated to an appropriate university for the purpose of teaching;
• successful completion of Part I or has been granted exemption from Part I;
• has been approved for admission by the faculty.

Applicants may be granted exemption from Part I of the examination for the degree of Master of Medicine if they have passed a comparable examination offered in a relevant discipline by an approved body. The following have been approved to date as exemptions for the purpose of proceeding straight to Part II candidature and other relevant experience or examinations may also be approved for this purpose from time to time:

• Australian College of Dermatologists (Part I, FACD);
• Royal Australasian College of Physicians (FRACP Examination);
• A Royal College of Physicians of the United Kingdom (MRCP);
• University of Singapore (Master of Medicine);
• Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (Part I, FRACS);
• Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (FRACGP) - for Part II Primary Medical Care;
• Royal Australasian College of Radiologists (Part I, FRACR) - for Part II Radiology;
• Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (Part 1 FANZCA) - for Part II Anaesthetics by research;
• Royal College of Pathologists of Australia (Part I, FRCPA) - for Part II Haematology;
• Royal College of Pathologists (UK) (MRC Path) - for Part II Haematology;
• Royal Australian College of Ophthalmologists (Part I, FRACO) - for Part II Ophthalmology

For the purposes of considering requests for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this course are articulated in the Course Overview, Objectives and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this course are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and the Disability Liaison Unit: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

Research Masters degrees at the University of Melbourne seek to develop graduates who have a capacity for defining and managing a research project characterised by originality and independence. Their training equips them for more sustained and original work at the doctoral level or for applied research positions in a wide variety of contexts.

The University expects its research masters graduates to have the following qualities and skills:

• an ability to initiate research projects and to formulate viable research questions;
• a demonstrated capacity to design, conduct and report independent and original research on a closely-defined project;
• an ability to manage time to maximise the quality of research;
• an understanding of the major contours of international research in the research area;
• a capacity for critical evaluation of relevant scholarly literature;
• well-developed and flexible problem-solving abilities appropriate to the discipline;
• the ability to analyse research data within a changing disciplinary environment;
• the capacity to communicate effectively the results of research and scholarship by oral and written communication;
• an understanding of and facility with scholarly conventions in the discipline area;
• a profound respect for truth and intellectual integrity, and for the ethics of research and scholarship;
• a capacity to cooperate with other researchers;
• an ability to manage information effectively, including the application of computer systems and software where appropriate to the student's field of study.

-

Refer to the University's Masters by Research Generic Guidelines for general information about masters by research course requirements at the University of Melbourne.

Refer to the Melbourne School of Graduate Research for information about thesis examination and submission.

For information about the application process, refer to the Melbourne Medical School.