Course Title: Clinical Internship

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Clinical Internship

Credit Points: 48.00

Terms

Course Code

Campus

Career

School

Learning Mode

Teaching Period(s)

COTH2042

Bundoora Campus

Undergraduate

150H Health Sciences

Face-to-Face

 Sem 2 2008,
Sem 2 2009,
Sem 2 2010,
Sem 2 2011,
Sem 2 2012,
Sem 2 2013,
Sem 2 2014,
Sem 2 2015,
Sem 2 2016

COTH2042

Bundoora Campus

Undergraduate

150H Health Sciences

Workplace

 Sem 2 2006,
Sem 2 2007

COTH2042

Bundoora Campus

Undergraduate

173H School of Health and Biomed

Face-to-Face

 Sem 2 2017,
Sem 2 2018,
Sem 2 2019,
Sem 2 2020,
Sem 2 2021,
Sem 2 2022,
Sem 2 2023,
Sem 2 2024

Course Coordinator: A/Prof Tony Zhang

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 7758

Course Coordinator Email: tony.zhang@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: 202.04.078


Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

Enforced Pre-Requisite Courses 

Successful completion of

OR

Note: it is a condition of enrolment at RMIT that you accept responsibility for ensuring that you have completed the prerequisite/s and agree to concurrently enrol in co-requisite courses before enrolling in a course. 

For your information go to RMIT Course Requisites webpage.


Course Description

COTH2042 Clinical Internship is a one-semester course. It comprises a capstone experience - a culmination and application of all the knowledge and skills in acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine you have learnt within your program. You are required to complete an evidence-based research project. You will consolidate, extend and holistically integrate your learning in an internship involving observation and treatment of patients with a variety of clinical conditions. You will be supervised closely by registered and qualified Chinese medicine practitioners. You will diagnose and differentiate clinical conditions of internal medicine, gynaecology, paediatrics, traumatology/tuina and dermatology according to both Chinese and Western medicine. You will formulate appropriate acupuncture and/or Chinese herbal medicine treatment plans.

This course includes a Work Integrated Learning experience in which your knowledge and skills will be applied and assessed in a real or simulated workplace context and where feedback from industry and/or community is integral to your experience.


Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

This course contributes to the development of the Program Learning Outcomes for BP278 Bachelor of Health Science/Bachelor of Applied Science (Chinese Medicine) in the following way:

  • PLO 1: Provide specialised health care within a patient-centred, evidence-based framework;
  • PLO 2: Gather clinical information to make accurate differential diagnoses, assessment and management plans and carry out effective treatment;
  • PLO 3: Practice as a competent health care professional in a safe, ethical and legally responsible manner;
  • PLO 4: Demonstrate cultural awareness and sensitivity in the provision of specialized health care;
  • PLO 5: Communicate effectively in a range of forms (written, online, oral) and with diverse audiences (patients, community/public, agencies and health professionals);
  • PLO 6: Work independently and in teams, specifically to lead and contribute to inter-professional care partnerships
  • PLO 8: Understand the historical development of the profession, its ethos, organisation and philosophical foundations.


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

  1. Elicit from patients their reasons for seeking treatment, respond to their inquiries about Chinese medicine and advise them with consideration of cultural diversity and cultural safety on their health condition and lifestyle.
  2. Collect and record diagnostic information and treatment details which include questioning the patient regarding their medical history, their current symptoms and signs and the results of your physical examination.
  3. Explain and justify the formulation of your diagnosis and treatment plan and demonstrate the management of materials for acupuncture, moxibustion and related techniques; and apply and comply with legal and ethical responsibilities as a Chinese medicine practitioner.
  4. Determine when referral to other health professions is warranted and use reflective practice to evaluate your own diagnoses, treatment approaches and communication skills.


Overview of Learning Activities

You will be actively engaged in a range of learning activities such as lectorials, tutorials, practicals, laboratories, seminars, project work, class discussion, individual and group activities. Delivery may be face to face, online or a mix of both. 

The learning activities in this course are designed to engage you actively in the learning process, to aid development of both theoretical knowledge and clinical practice skills. You will be required to complete this course and treat patients in a wide range of conditions including but not limited to Internal Medicine, Traumatology, Gynaecology, Paediatrics and Dermatology based on the clinical roster at RMIT Health Clinic, virtual clinic, community clinic and/or hospital clinic.

Final Clinical capability assessments will be conducted at the conclusion of the internship.

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

This course contains hurdle requirements. All hurdle requirements for this course are indicated clearly in the assessment regime that follows, against the relevant assessment task(s) and all have been approved by the College Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Learning & Teaching).

A hurdle requirement is necessary in order to demonstrate to the accrediting body that students are competent and are being sufficiently assessed against practice-focused professional standards throughout the course of their program. Visit http://www.chinesemedicineboard.gov.au/ for all relevant polices and guidelines set by the Chinese Medicine Board of Australia.

Assessment Tasks

Assessment Task 1: Clinical Practicum (HURDLE)
Weighting 10%
This assessment task supports CLOs 1, 2, 3 & 4

Assessment Task 2: Evidence-based Research Project
Weighting 25%
This assessment task supports CLOs 1, 2, 3 & 4

Assessment Task 3: Acupuncture competency test (HURDLE)
Weighting 15%
This assessment task supports CLOs 1, 2, 3 & 4

Assessment Task 4: Clinical competency tests (HURDLE)
Weighting 50%
This assessment task supports CLOs 1, 2, 3 & 4

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.