Course Title: Laboratory Medicine Project

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Laboratory Medicine Project

Credit Points: 36.00


Course Code

Campus

Career

School

Learning Mode

Teaching Period(s)

MEDS2151

Bundoora Campus

Undergraduate

160H Medical Sciences

Face-to-Face

Sem 2 2015,
Sem 2 2016

MEDS2152

Bundoora Campus

Postgraduate

160H Medical Sciences

Face-to-Face

Sem 2 2015

Course Coordinator: Dr Ronda Greaves

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 7080

Course Coordinator Email: ronda.greaves@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: 223.2.15

Course Coordinator Availability: Please email for an appointment


Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

 Enforced Pre-requisites: 

Laboratory Medicine Project-Haematology MEDS1110 Haematology 2; Laboratory Medicine Project-Transfusion and Transplantation Science ONPS2300 Transfusion and Transplantation Science 2;  Laboratory Medicine Project-Cytopathology MEDS1125 Cytopathology; Laboratory Medicine Project-Histopathology MEDS1129 Histopathology 2;  Laboratory Medicine Project-Clinical Biochemistry BIOL2139 Clinical Biochemistry; Laboratory Medicine Project-Medical Microbiology ONPS2118 Medical Microbiology 1.


Course Description

 This capstone course has a vocational focus in a specific discipline of Laboratory Medicine. This course is taken as part of a major discipline stream in the final year of the program and is designed to equip graduates with the knowledge and skills to competently undertake investigations into a range of discipline specific diseases. A series of problem solving exercises examine the clinical presentation and laboratory investigation of a range of discipline specific diseases.

In addition, a laboratory based project will assist you to develop skills in biological research and scientific communication, including design and performance of experiments, analysis and presentation of experimental data, oral and written scientific reports that use these skills.

WIL: Some projects are conducted with the industry.  In practical class simulations are used with technology, equipment and assay processes as work integrated learning activities.


Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

 This course contributes to the following Program Learning Outcomes for BP147 Bachelor of Biomedical Science (Laboratory Medicine):

  • PLO1. Knowledge capability (of discipline specific theoretical and applied concepts of normal health and disease, how to design, conduct and report a research project),
  • PLO2. Technical capability (in laboratory skills in discipline specific areas and research techniques),
  • PLO3. Professional work practices (by learning about assay development and validation; problem solving and critical analysis),
  • PLO4. Communication skills (through participation in tutorials, written reports and project report), and
  • PLO6. Research capability (by learning how to design, carry out, analyse, problem solve and report either oral or written of research activities).


 On completion of this course you should be able to:

  • CLO1. Define the complex nature of events contributing to normal and abnormal disease states in your discipline.
  • CLO2. Evaluate and perform laboratory techniques and instrumentation with respect to accuracy, precision, sensitivity and cross-reactivity.
  • CLO3.  Describe the clinical presentation of a variety of discipline based disorders.
  • CLO4.  Investigate an independent laboratory based project.
  • CLO5.  Apply proper laboratory practice regarding data collection and recording, laboratory safety, time and project management, experimental design, accuracy and precision, analysis and interpretation of results.
  • CLO6.  Analyse and interpret scientific literature, experimental data, prepare a minor thesis (literature review, materials and methods, results, discussion and bibliography).
  • CLO7.  Report findings of a laboratory based project in an oral seminar.


Overview of Learning Activities

This is a discipline-based course from a major stream that is designed to prepare graduates for a career in laboratory medicine, or to pursue postgraduate research in the discipline. The syllabus is covered in a program of lectures, tutorials, laboratory based project and seminar. Tuition is primarily based on problem solving exercises which are designed to extend theoretical knowledge and to develop analytical and critical thinking skills.
Preparation of a reference list and project outline, project work under the guidance of a supervisor, participation in laboratory meetings, seminars, writing and editing a minor thesis in consultation with supervisor, preparation of and presentation of a seminar and a poster.

Total study hours: 10 hours per week (120 hours per semester face to face contact) including lecture (2 hours), 1 hour tutorial and 7 hours practical class.  You are expected to do equivalent hours of independent study each week around each of their assessment tasks and for active revision of their course.


Overview of Learning Resources

This course uses a combination of:

Texts
Practical manuals

Scientific journals

Internet based material/references
Lecture notes/supplementary material available via Online@RMIT
You should obtain material appropriate to your individual topic, by discussion with your supervisors and by searching the appropriate data bases and literature eg: PubMed.


Overview of Assessment

 This course has hurdle requirements. Students need to Pass both the theory and practical project component to PASS this course.

Assessment tasks

Theory: 40%

 

Assessment Task 1:  Final theory exam.

Weighting 20%

This assessment task supports CLOs 1, 3, 5 and 6.

Assessment Task 2:  Assignments (Morphology or Case Reports or Quizzes depending upon discipline)

Weighting 20%

This assessment task supports CLOs 1 and 3.

 Practical Project: 60%

Assessment Task 3: Literature review

Weighting 10% 

This assessment supports CLOs 6.

Assessment Task 4: Laboratory work (submission of lab notebook and supervisor assessment

Weighting 10% 

This assessment supports CLOs 2 and 5.

Assessment Task 5:  Poster

Weighting: 5%

This assessment covers CLO 2 and 5.

Assessment Task 6: Final project report

Weighting 25% 

This assessment supports CLOs 2, 4, 5 and 6.

Assessment Task 7: Oral presentation

Weighting 10% 

This assessment supports CLOs 7.

Marking rubrics are available for the poster presentation, oral seminar, literature review, laboratory work and final project report.  Formative feedback is given to all students during the semester with assignments, discipline based quizzes and foundation of clinical research quizzes.