Module FOUN0838: Academic Practice and Basic Skills for Health Professionals

Department: Foundation Year

FOUN0838: Academic Practice and Basic Skills for Health Professionals

Prerequisites

• None

Corequisites

• None

Excluded Combination of Modules

• • Academic Practice for Social Scientists • Academic Practice for Business • Academic Practice for Scientists

Aims

• To provide students with a background in academic conventions and expectations in the study of medicine to prepare them to join the Community of Practice of medicine
• To develop an understanding of a range of fundamental clinical skills.
• To develop student’s appreciation of the social context of health.
• To develop student’s appreciation of the complexities of decision making.
• To encourage students to be aware of, and challenge their own assumptions and beliefs.
• To encourage students to reflect on the roles and responsibilities of being a professional.
• To provide students with a grounding in study skills and their supporting technology;
• To develop reflective practice;
• To develop an academic voice
• To develop critical analysis.

Content

• Introduction to a range of skills and topics to include: o Listening and questioning skills; o Teamworking; o Handwashing; o Pulse and blood pressure; o Heart and ECG; o CPR.
• Decision Making – different perspectives, subjective nature, incomplete information
• Social Context of Health – health from an individual, family, area, region, and cultural perspective, wider issues affecting an individuals health
• Challenging Assumptions and Beliefs – facing up to and owning prejudices, dealing with stereotypes • Preparation for Work Placements – ground rules, appropriate and acceptable behaviour, negotiation.
• Study of academic writing process (note-taking, planning, drafting, proof-reading);
• Study of selection of sources for academic study in Science;
• Study of exam techniques;
• Study of referencing and citation styles within Science;
• Study of research methodologies within Science including statistical methods; • Sampling - Distinctions between sample and population, sample selection. • Tabulation - Discrete/continuous data, Tally charts, frequency and grouped frequency tables, Class intervals and Implications of grouping. • Representation - Bar Charts, Pie Charts, Histograms, visual misrepresentation. • Introduction to computer use for statistics.
• Study of research methodologies within Science including statistical methods;
• Study of Critical Thinking and Analysis;
• Study of how to use online library catalogue and search tools;
• Use of DUO and associated tools.

Learning Outcomes

• On successful completion the student will be able to:
• 1. Knowledge of the importance of decision making in professional contexts.
• 2. Knowledge of the potential for personal belief to influence decision making.
• 3. Knowledge of reflective learning cycles.
• 4. Knowledge of importance of handwashing as part of infection control.
• 5. Knowledge of some standard calculation techniques.
• 6. Knowledge of the principles of CPR.

• On successful completion the student will be able to:
• 1. Demonstrate an understanding of a range of fundamental clinical skills including listening and questioning, team working, handwashing, use of some medical apparatus.
• 2. Demonstrate an ability to reflect on the multiple perspectives in decision making.
• 3. Demonstrate an ability to reflect on personal learning which challenges assumptions and beliefs about people.
• 4. Demonstrate an ability to reflect on the influence of personal assumptions and beliefs about people
• 5. Produce written work in an academic style appropriate to their future course of study
• 6. Use appropriate skills and strategies to avoid plagiarism;
• 7. Use the Durham Library Service, including on-line information resources to perform appropriate research tasks;

• By the end of this module students will be able to:
• 1. Communicate effectively orally, visually and in writing.
• 2. Apply number both in the tackling of numerical problems and in the collecting, recording, interpreting and presenting of data.
• 3. Demonstrate problem solving skills.
• 4. Demonstrate critical thinking skills.
• 5. Use IT and statistical methods in the presentation of a project.
• Project will assess SS5, SS6, SS7, KS1, KS2, KS3, KS4, KS5
• Reflective Log will assess SK1,SK2, SK3, SS1, SS2, SS3, SS4, KS1
• Exam will access SK4, SK5, SK6, SS1, KS1, KS2, KS3

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• Students will develop their key skills through a range of structured individual, group and whole class activities. Many of these activities will be linked to material on current issues, giving students the opportunity to practice applying their subject knowledge and to develop skills in critical analysis.
• Students will be encouraged to reflect on their own learning; identify strengths and weaknesses; and structure some of their own future learning through diagnostic exercises and completion of a personal learning portfolio. This process will be supported and formatively assessed through individual tutorial interviews.
• The assessments for the module will comprise a project and an exam. This will encourage students to use their skills holistically and recognise how they can be combined to support further study.
• Theory and practical skills will be introduced during practical sessions.
• Some practical sessions will require students to follow complex instructions and work together in a team, particularly when working with specific medical equipment. These sessions will be recorded in a reflective diary.
• Some practical sessions will require students to engage in specific activities designed to develop skills such as listening, questioning and arguing. Students will reflect on these in their reflective diaries.
• Subject specific knowledge will be tested through the invigilated test.
• Subject specific skills and key skills will be tested primarily through the reflective diary which is the coursework element.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

Self-diagnostic tests, exercises or formative activities will be set on a weekly basis.

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University