CSB532 Medicine for Podiatrists

Unit Outline: Semester 1 2024, Kelvin Grove, Internal

Overview

Many of the patients treated by podiatrists present with co-morbidity which affects their foot health. This unit provides a medical basis for clinical practice in the third and fourth years of the course. It provides you with insight into medical conditions, their effects on general and foot health, and an understanding of how appropriate foot care may be delivered with these factors in mind. You should be able to recognise and understand the related theory and clinical features, pathogenesis and significance of medical conditions likely to be seen in clinical practice. Podiatrists are constantly involved in the diagnosis and treatment of foot conditions in patients with associated medical comorbidity, particularly dermatological disorders which are also discussed in this unit.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:

1. Apply knowledge of the basic clinical features, pathogenesis and significance of common systemic diseases relevant to podiatric medicine;
2. Discuss clear, effective and empathic communication of medical conditions relevant to podiatric medicine to specialist and non-specialist audiences;
3. Differentiate and interpret the clinical features of medical conditions relevant to podiatric medicine, to arrive at an accurate diagnosis and identify the most appropriate treatments; and
4. Integrate medical knowledge with the clinical therapeutic needs of patient with podiatric pathology to assist with clinical decision-making and create client focused and multidisciplinary management plans.

Content

Learning Approaches

This course will utilise asynchronous and synchronous modes of delivery of content, via pre-recorded lectures and case-based learning. There is a strong focus on interdisciplinary and interprofessional learning, where a medical practitioner will deliver the theoretical content and a registered podiatrist leading the synchronous, case-based tutorials.

Feedback on Learning and Assessment

Formative feedback on your progress in this unit will be provided through quiz questions and case-based scenarios held progressively throughout the semester to test your understanding of weekly content. Group feedback will also be provided on your performance in your mid-semester assessment task. You will be expected to reflect on this feedback and your performance in order to continually improve and progress towards becoming a podiatrist.

Assessment

Overview

Each assessment item is designed to measure your ability to apply the knowledge and skills stated in the unit learning outcomes. Your first assessment item is an infographic that allows you to demonstrate your ability to provide safe and effective information and education for a common lower limb condition. Following this, you will undertake a viva voce to demonstrate your knowledge application and clinical reasoning. Finally, your knowledge of medicine relevant to podiatric practice will be assessed in a written examination.

Unit Grading Scheme

7- point scale

Assessment Tasks

Assessment: Infographic

Acting as a podiatrist in clinical practice you will draw upon your knowledge of dermatological principles, together with a structured approach for clinical reasoning to develop an infographic to inform patients or other health professionals about the clinical features, clinical decision making process, and therapeutic intervention of a common dermatological condition affecting the lower limb.

This is an assignment for the purposes of an extension.

Assessment: Viva Voce

Verbal explanation of scenario-based clinical problems will be used to evaluate your understanding of systemic medical conditions and how they impact on the lower extremity.

Assessment: Examination (Written)

You will be required to demonstrate knowledge within a theoretical examination which may include multiple choice question and short answer questions to assess theoretical knowledge about clinical features, pathogenesis, significance, and management of common systemic diseases.

Academic Integrity

Students are expected to engage in learning and assessment at QUT with honesty, transparency and fairness. Maintaining academic integrity means upholding these principles and demonstrating valuable professional capabilities based on ethical foundations.

Failure to maintain academic integrity can take many forms. It includes cheating in examinations, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, and submitting an assessment item completed by another person (e.g. contract cheating). It can also include providing your assessment to another entity, such as to a person or website.

You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.

Further details of QUT’s approach to academic integrity are outlined in the Academic integrity policy and the Student Code of Conduct. Breaching QUT’s Academic integrity policy is regarded as student misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.

Resources

Resource Materials

Recommended text(s)

Beers, M.H. (2006). The Merck manual of diagnosis and therapy. [Electronic resource]. Whitehouse Station, N.J.: Merck Research Laboratories. Available online: www.merckmanuals.com/professional/index.htm.

Risk Assessment Statement

There are no out-of-the-ordinary risks associated with this unit.

You will be made aware of evacuation procedures and assembly areas in the first few lectures. In the event of a fire alarm sounding, or on a lecturer's instruction, you should leave the room and assemble in the designated area, which will be indicated to you. You should be conscious of your health and safety at all times whilst on campus.