Management of Tropical Disease

Subject POPH90251 (2015)

Note: This is an archived Handbook entry from 2015.

Credit Points: 25
Level: 9 (Graduate/Postgraduate)
Dates & Locations:

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2015:

April, Parkville - Taught on campus.
Pre-teaching Period Start not applicable
Teaching Period 27-Apr-2015 to 08-May-2015
Assessment Period End 30-Jun-2015
Last date to Self-Enrol 29-Apr-2015
Census Date 15-May-2015
Last date to Withdraw without fail 05-Jun-2015


Timetable can be viewed here. For information about these dates, click here.
Time Commitment: Contact Hours: 48 hours (intensive delivery)
Total Time Commitment:

340 hours

Prerequisites:

To enrol in this subject, you must be admitted in the Graduate Diploma in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene or the Specialist Certificate in Travel Medicine. This subject is not available for students admitted in any other courses.

Subject
Study Period Commencement:
Credit Points:
Corequisites: None
Recommended Background Knowledge: None
Non Allowed Subjects: None
Core Participation Requirements:

For the purposes of considering requests for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Objectives, Assessment 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 subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and the Disability Liaison Unit:
http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

Contact

Program Coordinator - Fiona Burns

Email - DTMH@commercial.unimelb.edu.au

Phone - (03) 9810 3148

Subject Overview:

Health practitioners working in regions of high prevalence of tropical disease, and those caring for new arrivals from endemic areas or for travellers, require deep working knowledge of infectious and other disease to which exposure is common in the tropics. Furthermore, travel itself presents specific hazards and considerations for health.

This 25-point subject is a core subject of the Postgraduate Diploma in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (DTM&H). A range of presentations and interactive activities will cover:

  • the epidemiology of tropical disease,
  • prevention, diagnosis and management of tropical disease,
    • vector-borne diseases
    • food and water borne disease, parasitic disease
    • dysentery and protozoal disease
    • (for example, malaria, dengue, leishmaniasis, filiariasis, schistosomiasis, tetanus, tuberculosis, acute respiratory disease and sexually transmitted infections/HIV)
  • parasitology, entomology and helminthology,
  • pretravel consultation and post-travel triage, determination of fitness to travel,
  • vaccination, prophylactic medication and other strategies of disease prevention (travellers’ information and databases),
  • accidents and emergency repatriation, and
  • high altitude sickness, pregnancy (and other pre-existing health conditions) and travel.

This subject will be taught on campus in block mode (10 days during a 2-week period)..

Learning Outcomes:

At the completion of this subject, students should be able to:

  • express intimate understanding of the pathology of infectious disease important to tropical and travellers’ health.
  • expertly practice prevention, diagnosis and management of key tropical diseases.
  • effectively consult with travellers, and new arrivals from areas of high tropical disease prevalence, to design and implement tailored prevention/management strategies.
  • access current information and databases relevant to tropical and travellers’ health.
  • give consideration to specific non-infectious issues of health pertinent to travel and tropical regions.
Assessment:
  1. 2 x MCQs and/or short answer questions/assessment activities – 2.5-hour examination - 50%
  2. Written assignment(s) 5,000 words - 50%
Prescribed Texts:

Students will be issued key readings for this subject.

Breadth Options:

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

Fees Information: Subject EFTSL, Level, Discipline & Census Date
Generic Skills:

Upon completion of this subject, students should have developed skills in:

  • Critical thinking and analysis
  • Working with others and in teams
  • Initiative, autonomy and organisation
  • Problem-solving
  • Oral communication
  • Finding, evaluating and using relevant information
  • Written communication
  • Decision-making
  • Persuasion and argumentation
  • Using computers and relevant software
Links to further information: http://www.commercial.unimelb.edu.au/tropicalmedicine/
Related Course(s): Graduate Diploma in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
Specialist Certificate in Travel Medicine

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