INTRODUCTION TO INTEGRATED CASE-BASED MEDICINE - 2024/5

Module code: PASM012

Module Overview

Students will receive a basic introduction to learning clinical medicine, with and individual student needs assessment, and induction to the University and its student support services. They will then start the case based learning section of Year 1, undertaking
the first three cases.

Module provider

School of Health Sciences

Module Leader

DOULTON Jia (Health Sci.)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 7

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Overall student workload

Lecture Hours: 130

Guided Learning: 10

Captured Content: 10

Module Availability

Semester 1

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

A student has to complete the module before being able to sit the relevant section of the SBA paper at the end of the first semester.

Module content

Introduction to the Physician Associate programme and to Surrey University (including introduction to student support systems at Surrey), an overview of the course, initial needs assessment of new PA students, and introductions to professionalism, ethics and law, therapeutics and pharmacology and the clinical method.

Courses on Manual Handling, Basic Life Support and Child Protection. First three cases of the sequence of cases in Year 1: Musculoskeletal system and cardiovascular system.

Students will learn:

Professional Values Public Health and Epidemiology Ethical and legal issues Basic sciences relating to the cases in the module

Communication and development of interpersonal skills

The Clinical Method taking focussed histories and performing clinical examinations in the systems identified by the cases in the module Start on the case-based learning Pharmacology and Therapeutics

Assessment pattern

Assessment type Unit of assessment Weighting
Coursework PBCP PORTFOLIO Pass/Fail
Examination SINGLE BEST ANSWER EXAM 100

Alternative Assessment

N/A

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate progression in their learning in three domains of learning: Knowledge and Applied Knowledge of Clinical Medicine and the Basic Biosciences that underpin Clinical Medicine. Clinical Skills, in both core procedural skills, and consulting with patients, Professional Behaviour. Because this is an integrated course, many of the learning outcomes listed above are tested by more than one type of assessment method.

Knowledge and applied knowledge will be tested mainly by the SBA paper, Clinical skills by the Clinical Skills log, the portfolio, and Professional Behaviour by the SBA paper, the portfolio.

Students will receive frequent formative assessment, with rapid feedback and remediation as needed. This will take place at the end of each section of the module, ie induction, and the end of each Case. At the end of the module, students will need to show that they have attained the learning outcomes for the Module.

Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of:

Pass in Professional Behaviour and Clinical Practice (PBCP) portfolio to end of Case 3 (to include Tutor Report, Clinical Skills log, engagement with Coursework), successful completion of BLS course and manual handling course, Child Protection course levels 1 and 2). (This is a Pass/ Fail examination and needs to be passed in order to pass the module, but does not contribute to the module mark). 

50 questions from a 100 question Single Best Answer (SBA) paper at the end of Semester 1 (2 hour paper, 120 minutes). In order to pass Module PASM012, students will need to show a mark of 50% or more in the 50 questions relating to Module PASM012 content. 

Formative assessment:

Quizzes at the end of each Virtual Case, and formative SBA paper (30 questions, 45 minutes). Coursework as determined by module content (case studies, short essays on topical related issues in health etc) Clinical Skills log (formative section with feedback) Reflective diaries and short essays based on clinical placements Patient feedback (simulated and real patients)

Feedback: Students will receive rapid feedback from their frequent formative tests, and from the eportfolio marking.

Module aims

  • Introduce students to learning clinical medicine, the medical method of consulting with patients, professional conduct as a
    clinician and the NHS structure and function
  • Introduce students to some essential clinical skills including a Basic Life Support Course and Manual Handling course
  • Start students on the clinical case based learning, completing the first three cases

Learning outcomes

Attributes Developed
001 Define and describe aspects of professional behaviour and probity, such as awareness of own limits of professional competence, importance of team working, and importance of good communication with patients and colleagues P
002 Show understanding of appropriate care for vulnerable patients (in this case, children and young adults), and of children's rights (including Gillick competency). C
003 Identify when to share information in a timely and accurate manner while respecting legislation on the control and confidentiality of information C
004 Describe and demonstrate ability to take a patient-centred, focussed musculo- skeletal system history from a patient P
005 Describe the special aspects of the clinician-patient relationship P
006 Demonstrate basic ability to use clinical information to put together a likely differential diagnosis P
007 Introduction to radiology and XRay interpretation. KP
008 Identify relevant psychological and social factors, integrating these perspectives with the biomedical evidence to elucidate current problems T
009 Perform a focussed musculo-skeletal consultation (history and examination), tailored to the needs of the patient. P
010 Show basic ability to interpret evidence/ findings from the consultation T
011 Discuss common drugs used in musculo-skeletal conditions and their side-effects/ interactions K
012 Show knowledge of the British National Formulary and how to use it. K
013 Show ability to use reflective thinking and writing to critically evaluate own practice to identify learning/ developmental needs and identify and utilise learning opportunities C
014 Show knowledge of musculoskeletal presentations and their investigation and management K
015 Core Procedural Skills: Measure body temperature P
016 Show understanding of the basic structures and function of the NHS, and its guiding principles K
017 Core Procedural Skills: Measure pulse rate P
018 Core Procedural Skills: Draw up and give intra muscular, subcutaneous, and intra-dermal injections P
019 Core Procedural Skills: Take a venous blood sample on a simulator, using appropriate tubes for required tests P
020 Core Procedural Skills: Successful completion of manual handling course P
021 Core Procedural Skills: Successful completion of Child Protection Course Level 2 P
022 Show understanding of the purpose and use of clinical guidelines in general, and where to find them K
023 Value the roles fulfilled by other members of the health and social care team P
024 Recognise when to take appropriate action in safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the child P
025 Undertake and complete Child Protection Courses at Level 1 and Level 2 during Induction period, and Level 2 P
026 Describe the functional anatomy and physiology of the cardiovascular system and the pathophysiology and risk factors of common conditions affecting this system. K
027 Perform focussed cardiovascular system examination, tailored to the needs of the patient P
028 Discuss common drugs used in cardiovascular conditions and their side-effects / interactions K
029 Discuss principles promoting health and preventing disease, in particular healthy lifestyle issues such as smoking, alcohol consumption and diet, with particular reference to Primary and Secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease K
030 Participate in cardiopulmonary resuscitation to the level expected in Basic Life Support Training P
031 Perform and interpret a 12 lead ECG, relating abnormalities to the functional anatomy of the heart. KP
032 Obtain a manual blood pressure P
033 Perform intra-venous cannulation P
034 Monitor oxygen saturation transcutaneously P
035 Describe and demonstrate ability to take a patient-centred, focussed cardiovascular system histories from a patient P
036 Describe the principles of epidemiology as applied to coronary artery disease, the evidence base behind current clinical guidelines for these diseases and the National Institute for Clinical Evidence. K

Attributes Developed

C - Cognitive/analytical

K - Subject knowledge

T - Transferable skills

P - Professional/Practical skills

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to:

Allow students an opportunity to learn about facilities and support structures available at the University of Surrey, and to settle into a new learning environment. They will be introduced to the principles of adult and reflective learning, an overview of the integrated nature of the course and its assessment methods. The building of knowledge and understanding will be achieved by an integrated learning strategy in Year 1, centred around small group Case Based Learning, following a sequence of virtual cases. Concurrently, they will spend up to one day/ week on clinical placement in a carefully selected GP surgery, learning in the workplace and meeting patients who illustrate and add to their learning from the virtual cases.

The learning and teaching methods include:

Small group case based learning in Year 1, Lectures, Practicals including Clinical Skills sessions in the Simulation Suite, to learn consultation skills as well as core procedural skills. 

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: PASM012

Other information

This module is only available to students undertaking the Physician Associate programme.

The school/department of Health Sciences / Physician Associate PGDip is committed to developing graduates with strengths in Employability, Digital Capabilities, Global and Cultural Capabilities, Sustainability, and Resourcefulness and Resilience.

This module is designed to allow students to develop knowledge, skills, and capabilities in the following areas:

Resourcefulness and Resilience: This module will establish the active and independent learning required for lifelong learning throughout a career as a Physician Associate. Multiple Learning Outcomes in this module will cover the knowledge and skills required to demonstrate safe clinical practice together with developing an understanding of how to manage personal wellbeing when working in a demanding professional role. Students will be introduced to the concept of using reflection in their studies and future practice.

Programmes this module appears in

Programme Semester Classification Qualifying conditions
Physician Associate Studies PGDip 1 Core A weighted aggregate of 50% overall and a pass on the pass/fail unit of assessment is required to pass the module

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2024/5 academic year.