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Unit of study_

AMED3888: Clinical Science

Semester 2, 2020 [Normal day] - Westmead, Sydney

Clinical science is a multidisciplinary science that combines the principles of experimental science with translational medicine. As a clinical scientist, you will have the capacity to interpret test results, isolate causes of disease, and ultimately develop new treatments that will save lives. Clinical Science will provide you with the breadth and depth of knowledge and skills that will give you a broad foundation of knowledge and open up a range of career opportunities in clinical sciences, including medical research, pharmaceutical development and clinical diagnostics. You will learn the language of the clinical world as you develop expertise in literature searching, study design, data interrogation and interpretation, evidence-based decision-making, and current knowledge in medical research. You will explore how discoveries in the medical sciences are translated into clinical practice, and pose your own clinical questions for investigation. You will study important medical conditions from the areas of infectious and genetic diseases and immunity. As part of the interdisciplinary capstone experience of your study in Clinical Science you will be emersed into clinical sectors of the hospital and associated departments . Consequently, at the end of this unit you will have experienced what it is like to work in interdisciplinary clinical teams, which is essential for both professional and research pathways in the future.

Unit details and rules

Unit code AMED3888
Academic unit
Credit points 6
Prohibitions
? 
AMED3004
Prerequisites
? 
12cp from (IMMU2101 or MEDS2004 or MIMI2002 or MIMI2902 or PHSI2005 or PHSI2905 or PHSI2006 or PHSI2906 or PHSI2007 or PHSI2907 or MEDS2001 or PCOL2011 or PCOL2021 or MEDS2002 or BCMB2001 or BCMB2901 or MEDS2003) or [BMED2401 and 6cp from (BMED2402 or BMED2403 or BMED2404 or BMED2405 or BMED2406)]
Corequisites
? 
None
Assumed knowledge
? 

None

Available to study abroad and exchange students

Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator Wendy Gold, wendy.gold@sydney.edu.au
Type Description Weight Due Length
Final exam (Open book) Type C final exam Final Exam
Final exam under exam conditions
20% Formal exam period 1.5 hours
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Tutorial quiz Quizzes
Quiz
10% Multiple weeks 5 minutes
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO5 LO4 LO3 LO2
Tutorial quiz Practical assessment 1A
Quiz
1% Week 03 5 minutes
Outcomes assessed: LO4 LO7 LO5
Small test Practical assessment 1B
Written exam with non-written elements
1% Week 03 n/a
Outcomes assessed: LO4 LO7 LO5
Presentation Practical assessment 1C
Presentation
1% Week 03 1-3 minutes
Outcomes assessed: LO4 LO7 LO5
Assignment Interdisciplinary research (literature review)
Written task
25% Week 06 1500 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Assignment group assignment Interdisciplinary creation (Digital health project)
Written task and video presentation
30% Week 07 1 piece, 1500 words, 2/3 minutes
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO4 LO6
Tutorial quiz Practical assessment 2A
Quiz
1% Week 07 5 minutes
Outcomes assessed: LO4 LO7 LO5
Assignment Practical assessment 2B
Written exam with non-written elements
6% Week 08 n/a
Outcomes assessed: LO4 LO7 LO5
Presentation Student presentation
Oral presentation
5% Week 11 5 minutes
Outcomes assessed: LO6 LO7
group assignment = group assignment ?
Type C final exam = Type C final exam ?

Assessment summary

  • Practical assessment 1: This assessment consists of 3 parts: 1 quiz, interpretation of experimental results and contribution to model organism discussion.
  • Practical assessment 2: This assessment consists of 4 parts: 1 quiz, interpretation of experimental results, calculations and contribution to debate.
  • Student presentation: This assessment requires students to demonstrate their capacity to efficiently articulate information about their placement to their peers.
  • Literature review: Students are required to create a literature review, providing a comprehensive summary of the research literature on a disease that they have selected and how that disease is monitored.
  • Interdisciplinary creation (Digital health project): The aim of this assessment is to generate a concept of a device to monitor a disease or a medical problem, and to pitch your idea on a crowd-funding page. This assignment links to and builds on your literature review where you researched a particular disease. Your idea will be presented and pitched on a Medstarter-like crowd-funding page called WestStartr. Here you will need to follow the format commonly used on the Medstarter site and create a word document. In a video medium of your choice, you need to create a 5-minute video presentation about your device.
  • Final exam: This is an open internet exam.
  • Quiz: On weeks 2-10, and 12, you will have a quiz at the beginning of your workshop. Each quiz is worth 1% of your final mark. You have to attend the workshop for your quiz to be marked.

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name

Mark range

Description

High distinction

85 - 100

 

Distinction

75 - 84

 

Credit

65 - 74

 

Pass

50 - 64

 

Fail

0 - 49

When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see sydney.edu.au/students/guide-to-grades.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

  • Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
  • After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website  provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.  

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

You may only use artificial intelligence and writing assistance tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator, and if you do use them, you must also acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section.

Studiosity is permitted for postgraduate units unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission.

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes
Week 01 Introduction and isolating the cause of disease Workshop (2 hr) LO1 LO7
Week 02 Case study and Endnote tutorial Workshop (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4
Week 03 Digital health Workshop (2 hr) LO6 LO7
Week 04 Scoping review for digital health projects Workshop (2 hr) LO2 LO5
Week 05 Human bioethics Workshop (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO6 LO7
Week 06 Clinical application research Workshop (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 07 Clinical discoveries Workshop (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO6 LO7
Week 08 Clinical research Workshop (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO7
Student placements (Capstone experience) Clinical practice (8 hr) LO2 LO3 LO4 LO7
Week 09 Preclinical research Workshop (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO7
Week 10 Population oriented research Workshop (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO7
Week 11 Placement presentations Workshop (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO6 LO7
Week 12 Allergy workshop Workshop (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO7

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. apply appropriate terminology and formulate approaches commonly used in the description of human diseases from biological, clinical and population/community standpoints
  • LO2. critique the current knowledge of a disease, its prevention, diagnosis and therapy. This will include demonstrating the capacity to appraise in a professional manner and at the individual and community level, the key characteristics of the disease at the genomic and molecular, systems, individual and community levels
  • LO3. critically analyse the various methodologies by which discoveries in clinical sciences can be made and validated
  • LO4. analyse and evaluate the key processes which underlie bench-to-bedside research and demonstrate an understanding of translational research
  • LO5. integrate statistical, data science and omic techniques, together with a knowledge of basic biology, to construct hypotheses relevant to the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of human disease
  • LO6. communicate in a professional manner to a range of audiences using a variety of media
  • LO7. demonstrate the generic competences appropriate to a graduate in applied medical sciences which include confidentiality, consent, team work, leadership and peer review.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1 Depth of disciplinary expertise

Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.

GQ2 Critical thinking and problem solving

Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.

GQ3 Oral and written communication

Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.

GQ4 Information and digital literacy

Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.

GQ5 Inventiveness

Generating novel ideas and solutions.

GQ6 Cultural competence

Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.

GQ7 Interdisciplinary effectiveness

Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.

GQ8 Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity

An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.

GQ9 Influence

Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes Graduate qualities
GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 GQ6 GQ7 GQ8 GQ9

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

1. Making the workshops more coherent 2. Better defined rubrics 3. Proving students with more assessment examples 4. Putting the exam in the formal exam period to remove the workload during semester

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.