Outline

Overview

Current medical problems and how we look at solving them are underpinned by not only by advances the basic medical sciences, but also among the many other stakeholders from government to the general public. Building on what you have learned in second year, this unit will delve deep into how we address complex problems in today's medical science. You will work together with experts in the field to study and explore the scientific complexities that lie behind medical problems, ranging from rare genetic diseases to widespread health issues that are impacting society. In addition, you will learn how other stakeholders (including philosophers, ethicists, communicators, engineers) navigate the terrain. MEDS3001 will explore how current medical scientists are tackling a range of complex medical problems by a obtaining a deeper understanding of the science of these problems, current research being undertaken and how this research and the subsequent findings impact on society. You will contribute your skills and expertise to think about strategies and approaches to address important challenges in medical sciences in a world that is rapidly evolving with new technologies.

Unit details and rules

Unit code	MEDS3001
Academic unit	Department of Medical Sciences
Credit points	6
Prohibitions ?	None
Prerequisites ?	18cp of MEDS200X
Corequisites ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	No

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Martin Brown, martin.brown@sydney.edu.au

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Small test	Module quizzes MCQ quizzes based on lecture content (note there are 2 x 15% quizzes)	30%	Multiple weeks	2 x 15% 30 min quizzes
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Participation submission of questions for lecturers (2 x 5% in each module)	10%	Multiple weeks	100 words x 2
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Policy report Written assignment	20%	Week 05	2000 words
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Module 1 group assignment group oral presentation	20%	Week 06	10 min
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Data visualisation Presentation of data in digital form	10%	Week 09	TBC
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Module 2 group assignment Virus prac report	10%	Week 12	1000 words
Outcomes assessed:
= group assignment ?

Assessment summary

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	At HD level, a student demonstrates a flair for the subject as well as a detailed and comprehensive understanding of the unit material. A ‘High Distinction’ reflects exceptional achievement and is awarded to a student who demonstrates the ability to apply their subject knowledge and understanding to produce original solutions for novel or highly complex problems and/or comprehensive critical discussions of theoretical concepts.
Distinction	75 - 84	At DI level, a student demonstrates an aptitude for the subject and a well-developed understanding of the unit material. A ‘Distinction’ reflects excellent achievement and is awarded to a student who demonstrates an ability to apply their subject knowledge and understanding of the subject to produce good solutions for challenging problems and/or a reasonably well-developed critical analysis of theoretical concepts.
Credit	65 - 74	At CR level, a student demonstrates a good command and knowledge of the unit material. A ‘Credit’ reflects solid achievement and is awarded to a student who has a broad general understanding of the unit material and can solve routine problems and/or identify and superficially discuss theoretical concepts.
Pass	50 - 64	At PS level, a student demonstrates proficiency in the unit material. A ‘Pass’ reflects satisfactory achievement and is awarded to a student who has threshold knowledge.
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.

This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below:

All assignments must be submitted by the due date and quizzes and exams attended when they are scheduled. Students are expected to manage their time and to prioritise tasks to meet deadlines. Assessment items submitted after the due date without an approved extension using a special consideration or special arrangement form or request will incur penalties. Failure to meet assessment deadlines will incur mark deductions of 5% of the maximum awardable mark available for every day past the due date (for electronic submissions, days late includes Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays). These deductions will continue for 10 calendar days, until the solutions for the assignment are released, or marked assignments are returned to other students. At that point the mark awarded will be zero. For example, on an assignment given a mark of 70/100, the penalty would be 5 marks if submitted up to 24 hours late, resulting in a final mark of 65/100. If the assignment is submitted 6 days late, the penalty would be 30 marks and the final mark would be 40/100. If the assignment is more than 10 days late, submitted after the solutions for the assignment are released, or marked assignments are returned to other students, the final mark will be 0/100.

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.

Learning support

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.

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	Module 1 overview	Lecture (1 hr)
	Review of fasting metabolism	Lecture (1 hr)
	Review of feeding metabolism	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 02	Dietary Solutions (VLED, CR, IF, TRF) – What are they and Weight Loss Maths	Lecture (1 hr)
	Calorie Restriction (Humans and Animal Models)	Lecture (1 hr)
	Intermittent fasting (Humans and Animal Models)	Lecture (1 hr)
	Meal tests #1	Workshop (2 hr)
Week 03	Key Pathways (IGF-1,mTOR,AMPK)	Lecture (1 hr)
	Evolutionary Perspective	Lecture (1 hr)
	Clinician's Perspective	Lecture (1 hr)
	Meal tests #2	Workshop (2 hr)
Week 04	New Mechanisms from Omics - Humans	Lecture (1 hr)
	New Mechanisms from Omics – Mice	Lecture (1 hr)
	COVID19 and Obesity/T2D	Lecture (1 hr)
	Meal tests #3	Workshop (2 hr)
Week 05	Data visualisation/Group presentation #1	Workshop (2 hr)
Week 06	Data visualisation/Group presentation	Workshop (2 hr)
Week 07	Social hesitancy	Lecture (1 hr)
	Indigenous perspectives	Lecture (1 hr)
	An equity and ethical dilemma	Lecture (1 hr)
	Introduction to the literature	Workshop (2 hr)
Week 08	Predicting pandemics	Lecture (1 hr)
	Viruses R Us	Lecture (1 hr)
	Viruses #2	Lecture (1 hr)
	Visualising literature #1	Workshop (2 hr)
Week 09	Fake news and the media	Lecture (1 hr)
	Data telling a story	Lecture (1 hr)
	TBC	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 10	RNA vaccines	Lecture (1 hr)
	Other vaccine approaches	Lecture (1 hr)
	Future proofing	Lecture (1 hr)
	Visualising data #2	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 11	Virus prac	Workshop (2 hr)
Week 12	MEDS3001 wrap up	Workshop (2 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

The current standard work load for a 6 credit point unit of study is up to 6 hours per week of teaching contact hours and an additional approximately one hour out of class time independent study for each timetabled hour. This means for every face-to-face hour you are expected to undertake independent student effort of 1 hour for each unit of study.

In MEDS3001 our Tuesday lecture is on campus with the remaining lectures online via zoom. It is expected that you will attend and engage with the lectures during their scheduled time. It is important to note that although lectures will be recorded through Zoom, we cannot guarantee that every lecture will be recorded successfully. Lecture notes and recordings are intended to support, not replace, your attendance at lectures. Remember, you are in control of your own study strategy and it is up to you to devise a study plan that best suits you.

Attendance is essential for successful completion of this course. The workshops are COMPULSORY and any missed class without approved special consideration will be marked absent and deemed not to have met the threshold learning outcomes for this unit of study. Faculty guidelines stipulate a minimum 80% attendance to ALL scheduled classes must be maintained. Failure to attend may lead to an Absent Fail being awarded.

The assessments, as outlined on canvas, are COMPULSORY, and failure to attend/complete an assessment may result in a grade of Absent Fail (AF) for the Unit of Study. Each assessment task has marking criteria established and the marks generated should comply with University assessment policy. It is important to note that raw marks for individual assessments may be moderated in accordance with University Academic Board guidelines. Where this occurs, moderated results will be indicated as such with postings and notification provided on Canvas.

For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

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.

Required readings

All materials will be provided through the Canvas site.

Learning outcomes

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.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

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

LO1. Explain the significance of current medical science research findings, including translational clinical outcomes.
LO2. Demonstrate your ability to communicate scientifically through the use of non-science disciplines, such as policy and ethics.
LO3. Evaluate and apply evidence-based information from different sources to a given medical science problem.
LO4. Identify creative and innovative problem solving techniques to enhance individuals and collaborative efforts.
LO5. Communicate and collaborate with diverse groups from multiple disciplines and cultures.

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
Learning outcomes

Responding to student feedback

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

This is the first time this unit has been offered.

Additional information

Work, health and safety

We are governed by the Work Health and Safety Act 2011, Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 and Codes of Practice. Penalties for non-compliance have increased. Everyone has a responsibility for health and safety at work. The University’s Work Health and Safety policy explains the responsibilities and expectations of workers and others, and the procedures for managing WHS risks associated with University activities.

General Laboratory Safety Rules

No eating or drinking is allowed in any laboratory under any circumstances
A laboratory coat and closed-toe shoes are mandatory
Follow safety instructions in your manual and posted in laboratories
In case of fire, follow instructions posted outside the laboratory door
First aid kits, eye wash and fire extinguishers are located in or immediately outside each laboratory
As a precautionary measure, it is recommended that you have a current tetanus immunisation. This can be obtained from University Health Service: unihealth.usyd.edu.au/

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.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Work, health and safety

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect

Current students

MEDS3001: Contemporary Medical Challenges

Semester 1, 2022 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Work, health and safety

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect