Outline

Overview

This unit of study will focus on developing students' understanding of the Australian Health Care System, health policy and regulation affecting health in Australia and internationally and the role of pharmacy in public health/ health promotion. We will develop students' skills in identifying, accessing and interpreting relevant policy, regulation and literature. Topics which underpin understanding of public health including epidemiology/pharmacoepidemiology and pharmacoeconomics will also be addressed. Through workshops and assignments, students will be given the opportunity to integrate their learning and apply this knowledge to address population health care problems with a special emphasis on achieving the quality, safety and judicious use of medicines in health care.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit	Pharmacy
Credit points	6
Prerequisites ?	PHAR3100 and PHAR3815 and PHAR3825 and PHAR3816 and PHAR3817 and PHAR3818 and PHAR3819 and PHAR3826 and PHAR3827 and [PHAR3820 or (PHAR3828 and PHAR3829)]
Corequisites ?	(PHAR4814 or PHAR4815 or WORK3202) and PHAR4100
Prohibitions ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Barbara Mintzes, barbara.mintzes@sydney.edu.au
Tutor(s)	Danijela Gnjidic, danijela.gnjidic@sydney.edu.au
	Jennifer Ong, jennifer.ong@sydney.edu.au
	Edwin Tan, edwin.tan@sydney.edu.au
	Annim Mohammad, annim.mohammad@sydney.edu.au
	Kellia Chiu, kellia.chiu@sydney.edu.au
	Sally McDonald, sally.mcdonald@sydney.edu.au
	Sarab Mansoor, sarab.mansoor@sydney.edu.au
	Joy Dai-Keller, zhaoli.dai-keller@sydney.edu.au

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Final exam	Final exam MCQ	50%	Formal exam period	1.5 hours
Outcomes assessed:
Participation	Workshop participation and pre-work Participation in workshops and in some lectures; pre-work submission	10%	Ongoing	n/a
Outcomes assessed:
Presentation	First briefing paper 'pitching' your project On-line submission of briefing paper.	5%	Week 05 Due date: 27 Mar 2020 at 14:59	1 page
Outcomes assessed:
Presentation	Final project presentation Oral presentation	10%	Week 11	10 minutes
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Final project report Report	25%	Week 13 Due date: 29 May 2020 at 16:00	10 pages
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Project report peer assessment Evaluation	0%	Week 13	n/a
Outcomes assessed:
= hurdle task ? = group assignment ?

Assessment summary

Workshop participation and pre-work: Students are expected to actively participate in workshop activities, to complete pre-work before each workshop, and to have done the relevant readings and either attended or listened to linked lectures.
Project initial ‘pitch’: In groups, students will “pitch” their project, aiming to convince the need for the chosen intervention and the value of the planned approach.
Project final presentation: This final presentation describes the planned intervention of the group’s approach.
Final project report: The final report on team’s public health intervention should include the public health issue, region and at-risk population addressed, and the planned intervention.
Project report peer assessment At the end of the class, each student will conduct a peer evaluation of each project team member.
Final examination: The final examination is framed around the course learning objectives and focuses on the main content in the lectures and workshops. There will be 1-2 exam questions per lecture and 2 exam questions per workshop.

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 an aptitude for the subject and a well-developed understanding of the unit material. A ‘High Distinction’ reflects exceptional achievement and is awarded to students who demonstrate 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 units 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 units 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 material. A ‘Pass’ reflects satisfactory adequately referencing the original source of the work.
Fail	0 - 49	When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

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.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the AI in Education Canvas site.

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the Learning Hub’s Canvas page.

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The AI in Education Canvas site contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

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
Multiple weeks	Pharmacoeconomics	Workshop (3 hr)
Week 01	1. Introduction to PHAR4823; 2. Measures of health and illness	Lecture (2 hr)
	1. History of public health 2. Disease-mongering	Lecture (2 hr)
	Peer education: SALSA	Workshop (3 hr)
Week 02	1. Introduction to Health Policy 2. Pharmacoepidemiology	Lecture (2 hr)
	1. Pharmacoepidemiology (part 2) 2. Australian Healthcare System	Lecture (2 hr)
	Public health	Workshop (3 hr)
Week 03	1. Health Promotion Frameworks 2. Evaluation of health promotion initiatives	Lecture (2 hr)
	1. Obesity in the community 2. Indigenous health	Lecture (2 hr)
	Pharmacoepidemiology	Workshop (3 hr)
Week 04	1. Tobacco control; 2. Alcohol and drug policy and programs	Lecture (2 hr)
	1. Literature searches for public health 2. Medication error/patient safety	Lecture (2 hr)
	1. Public health interventions; 2. Project planning	Workshop (3 hr)
Week 05	1. Mental health policy 2. Infectious diseases and antibiotic stewardship	Lecture (2 hr)
	1. Pharmaceutical regulation; 2. NPS MedicineWise	Lecture (2 hr)
	Medication error, public safety	Workshop (3 hr)
Week 06	1. Critical appraisal of research in public health 2. Screening programs - judging effectiveness	Lecture (2 hr)
	1. Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS); 2. Health economics: key measures to evaluate medicines	Lecture (2 hr)
	Project pitch presentation	Workshop (3 hr)
Week 10	1. Medication safety - case studies 2. Overdiagnosis and overtreatment	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 10	1. Corporate influences on public health 2. Essential medicines policies	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 11	1. Health literacy; 2. Pharmaceutical advertisements.	Lecture (2 hr)
	Final presentations	Workshop (3 hr)
	1. Public health and the role of the pharmacist. 2. Opioids	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 12	Health communication/advertising	Workshop (3 hr)
Week 12	1. Public health ethics 2. Recap and exam review	Lecture (2 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Attendance: Attendance is compulsory. In accordance with the school Policy on Attendance, you must attend a minimum of 8 out of 9 workshops to satisfy attendance requirements for this unit of study. If you miss a workshop due to illness or misadventure, you are required to submit a special consideration form along with supporting documentation to the school office. Please note, you are responsible for checking that the form was received and approved by your tutor or coordinator.

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

Course textbook (also listed on e-Reserve):

Young TK. Population Health. Concepts and Methods. Oxford University Press. 2nd edition. 2005. Chapters 1 and 2, pp 1-24 and 25-69.

Additional readings are listed on e-Reserve.

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. demonstrate an understanding of public health practice and health promotion
LO2. demonstrate an understanding of the factors and tools used in developing health policy
LO3. demonstrate an understanding of the health care system in Australia
LO4. maximise patient safety through QUM and minimise and manage medicine error
LO5. demonstrate an understanding of key measures used to assess population health and the outcomes of medicine use at a population level
LO6. demonstrate an understanding of the role of the pharmacist in promoting public health.

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.

Changes have been incorporated into the lecture content and team assignments in response to student feedback. - a stronger emphasis on the role of the pharmacist in public health - guest lecturers asked to provide additional guidance by listing a key relevant reading and - use of an explicit research question to guide team projects.

Additional information

More information related to this unit can be found on Canvas and will be provided in class.

Additional costs

There are no additional costs for this unit.

Site visit guidelines

There are no site visit guidelines for this unit.

Work, health and safety

There are no specific WHS requirements for this unit.

Disclaimer

Important: the University of Sydney regularly reviews units of study and reserves the right to change the units of study available annually. To stay up to date on available study options, including unit of study details and availability, refer to the relevant handbook.

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

Additional costs

Site visit guidelines

Work, health and safety

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

PHAR4823: Pharmacy Services and Public Health

Semester 1, 2020 [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

Additional costs

Site visit guidelines

Work, health and safety

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links