XNB386 Exercise in Clinical Populations

Unit Outline: Semester 2 2026, Kelvin Grove, Internal

Overview

This unit develops key clinical knowledge required for exercise physiology practice. It provides an understanding of various diseases, including their epidemiology, aetiology, pathophysiology, clinical course, diagnostic and assessment procedures, and treatments. By identifying the underlying mechanisms that affect movement capacity, the unit aims to develop your knowledge of these disorders so that you can recognise how they affect and respond to movement, exercise, and physical activity.

Learning Outcomes

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

1. Describe the aetiology, epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical course, diagnostic and assessment procedures and treatments, and medications at a level that allows students to work with other health professionals to assess and provide exercise and activity suitable for managing chronic condition
2. Analyse client information and make informed judgments to appropriately risk stratify an individual for exercise and physical activity
3. Demonstrate professionalism, communication skills and appropriate use of clinical terminology relevant to the disorder

Content

Learning Approaches

The unit adopts a blended learning approach where you are to view filmed patient scenarios and come to class to discuss the scenarios, where you will engage in collaborative activity with peers and tutors. You will have an opportunity to discuss various approaches to assessment, client management and provide a sound rationale for your approach. 

Students will learn how to: 

• critically evaluate the provenance, relevance, biases, inaccuracies and credibility of GenAI output and sources
• understand the limitations and capabilities of GenAI
• provide more nuanced and constructive critiques using evidence-based knowledge and skills

Feedback on Learning and Assessment

Feedback to Students
Assessment will be spaced throughout the semester to provide the opportunity for feedback on your learning to that point. Feedback in this unit is provided to you in the following ways:

• you will be provided with verbal and/or written feedback on each piece of formative and summative assessment during the semester;
• criteria sheet grading;
• comments on summative assessment work in addition to criteria sheets; and
• generic comments back to the cohort via QUT Canvas.

You are encouraged to communicate with the unit coordinator or unit tutor if you have any questions or concerns about the assessment items.

Assessment

Overview

General Assessment Information
Each assessment item is designed to measure your knowledge and mastery of professional skills stated in the learning outcomes. The assessment tasks have been chosen as tools to enhance and guide your learning as well as measure your performance.

Unit Grading Scheme

7- point scale

Assessment Tasks

Assessment: Presentation

Reviewing a real-world client case, you will critically analyse and develop a client education piece for a clinical condition. This task simulates the explanation of the health education component of evidence-based care relevant to exercise physiology practice. You will be allocated a set time to give your presentation and then you will be asked follow-up questions.

The ethical and responsible use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools is authorised in this assessment. See the relevant assessment details in Canvas for specific guidelines.

Assessment: Case Study

Students will use an approved GenAI tool to generate an initial exercise program from a clinical case scenario, supported by well-designed prompts. You will then use peer-reviewed literature to research the relevant condition and exercise guidelines, critically evaluate the generated program (including strengths, limitations, and risks), and refine it to ensure suitability for the target population.

This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.

The ethical and responsible use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools is authorised in this assessment. See the relevant assessment details in Canvas for specific guidelines.

Assessment: Written Examination

You will be required to demonstrate your knowledge of the pathophysiology, diagnostics, treatment, side effects and the role of exercise in managing the health conditions presented in this unit.

The use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools is prohibited during this assessment.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a commitment to undertaking academic work and assessment in a manner that is ethical, fair, honest, respectful and accountable.

The Academic Integrity Policy sets out the range of conduct that can be a failure to maintain the standards of academic integrity. This includes, cheating in exams, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion and contract cheating. It also includes providing fraudulent or altered documentation in support of an academic concession application, for example an assignment extension or a deferred exam.

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.

Breaching QUT’s Academic Integrity Policy or engaging in conduct that may defeat or compromise the purpose of assessment can lead to a finding of student misconduct (Code of Conduct – Student) and result in the imposition of penalties under the Management of Student Misconduct Policy, ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.

Resources

Risk Assessment Statement

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