Course Title: Professional Issues and Australian Health Care System

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Professional Issues and Australian Health Care System

Credit Points: 12.00

Terms

Course Code

Campus

Career

School

Learning Mode

Teaching Period(s)

COTH2185

Bundoora Campus

Postgraduate

150H Health Sciences

Face-to-Face

Sem 1 2015,
Sem 1 2016

COTH2185

Bundoora Campus

Postgraduate

173H School of Health and Biomed

Face-to-Face

Sem 1 2017,
Sem 1 2019,
Sem 1 2020,
Sem 1 2022,
Sem 1 2023,
Sem 1 2024

Flexible Terms

Course Code

Campus

Career

School

Learning Mode

Teaching Period(s)

COTH2185

Bundoora Campus

Postgraduate

173H School of Health and Biomed

Face-to-Face

PGRDFlex21 (ZZZZ),

PGRDFlex21 (All)

Course Coordinator: Dr. Suzi Mansu

Course Coordinator Phone: 03 9925 7318

Course Coordinator Email: suzi.mansu@rmit.edu.au


Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

None


Course Description

This course will provide you with an overview of the health care system in Australia, how it compares to major health care systems around the world and the location of Chinese medicine within the local and national system. The Professional Issues component aims to build problem-solving skills and abilities that are crucial for students: lifelong learning and reflective learning. You will be introduced to relevant research methodologies, learn to critically appraise a body of literature in order to inform evidence-based practice and engage in both theoretical and practical discourse in relation to Chinese Medicine therapies.


Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

This course contributes to the development of the Program Learning Outcomes for MC138 Master of Applied Science (Chinese Herbal Medicine) and MC024 Master of Applied Science (Acupuncture):

  • PLO 1: Apply your knowledge of Chinese Medicine principles and methods in the diagnosis and management of a range of internal medicine disorders
  • PLO 3: Critically analyse the literature in the efficacy and safety of acupuncture and moxibustion or Chinese Herbal Medicine and incorporate this information into your professional evidence based practice
  • PLO 4: Communicate effectively with patients, other health professionals, regulatory bodies and the general public
  • PLO 6: Reflect and improve upon your professional practice and build problem solving skills and abilities through lifelong learning.


On successful completion of this course you should be able to:

  1. Explain the Australian Health Care System in the context of public versus private health systems, and contributions from various health professions including: medicine, nursing, complementary medicine and mental health to the Australian Health Care System.
  2. Evaluate the clinical evidence of Chinese medicine using an evidence-based medicine approach translate into clinical applications.
  3. Critically review aspects of the research process including research methodologies as they relate to evaluation of health care practice, programs and policy development.
  4. Apply regulatory and professional guidelines into real world or simulated clinical settings.
  5. Apply cultural safety and the social and cultural determinants of health particularly for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples in health care. 
  6. Identify mental health factors that impact treatment and use advanced inter-professional communication skills with patients. 


Overview of Learning Activities

This course will use a range of learning activities including lectures and self-directed learning. Throughout the course you will be able to work both independently and in groups to solve problems involving aspects of course content.

Recorded lectures sessions will introduce you to the principles and methods of research and statistics used in health care, particularly in Chinese medicine You will also be introduced to the mechanisms of delivery of health care within the context of the Australian system.

Tutorials sessions will focus on how to answer clinical questions by appraising literature and the interpretation of data. Self-directed learning provides an opportunity for you to deepen your understanding of this course.

You are encouraged to be proactive and self-directed in your learning, asking questions of your lecturer and/or peers and seeking out information as required, especially from the numerous sources available through the RMIT library, and through links and material specific to this course that is available through myRMIT Studies Course.


Overview of Learning Resources

RMIT will provide you with resources and tools for learning in this course through myRMIT Studies Course.

There are services available to support your learning through the University Library. The Library provides guides on academic referencing and subject specialist help as well as a range of study support services. For further information, please visit the Library page on the RMIT University website and the myRMIT student portal.


Overview of Assessment

Assessment Tasks

Assessment Task 1: Critique of a Chinese medicine clinical trial research paper 
Weighting 30%
This assessment task supports CLOs 2 & 3 

Assessment Task 2: Powerpoint and oral presentation of health care issues
Weighting 40%
This assessment task supports CLOs 1, 4, 5 & 6 

Assessment Task 3: Short answer questions and case studies
Weighting 30%
This assessment task supports CLOs 1-6 

If you have a long-term medical condition and/or disability it may be possible to negotiate to vary aspects of the learning or assessment methods. You can contact the program coordinator or Equitable Learning Services if you would like to find out more.