HLTH SC 2103 - Contemporary Understanding of Disease and Treatment

North Terrace Campus - Semester 2 - 2019

This course will provide an overview of contemporary issues in pathology and drug use and expand on concepts developed in Disease and their Treatment. Students will learn to describe and recognise the cell and tissue changes and the main predisposing factors in common modern diseases, including infectious disease, endocrine disease, gastrointestinal disease and reproductive disease as well as forensic pathology. They will learn contemporary concepts in modern pharmacology, including basic pharmacokinetic concepts and drug-drug interactions, personalised medicine and modern drug development. They will learn how drug actions can be exploited in the treatment of common diseases. They will develop an understanding of the unique pathological and pharmacological factors impacting on different population groups and disease outcomes and how this can be exploited in personalised medicine. They will develop an understanding environmental issues in modern diseases. They will develop an understanding of the basic concepts of modern forensic pathology and toxicology, including an understanding of how drugs can have adverse effects and the forensic implications of toxicology.

  • General Course Information
    Course Details
    Course Code HLTH SC 2103
    Course Contemporary Understanding of Disease and Treatment
    Coordinating Unit Medical Studies
    Term Semester 2
    Level Undergraduate
    Location/s North Terrace Campus
    Units 3
    Contact Up to 5 hours per week
    Available for Study Abroad and Exchange Y
    Prerequisites ANAT SC 1102 or BIOLOGY 1101
    Incompatible PHARM 2200, PATHOL 2200, PHARM 2100
    Assumed Knowledge HLTH SC 2104
    Course Description This course will provide an overview of contemporary issues in pathology and drug use and expand on concepts developed in Disease and their Treatment. Students will learn to describe and recognise the cell and tissue changes and the main predisposing factors in common modern diseases, including infectious disease, endocrine disease, gastrointestinal disease and reproductive disease as well as forensic pathology. They will learn contemporary concepts in modern pharmacology, including basic pharmacokinetic concepts and drug-drug interactions, personalised medicine and modern drug development. They will learn how drug actions can be exploited in the treatment of common diseases. They will develop an understanding of the unique pathological and pharmacological factors impacting on different population groups and disease outcomes and how this can be exploited in personalised medicine. They will develop an understanding environmental issues in modern diseases. They will develop an understanding of the basic concepts of modern forensic pathology and toxicology, including an understanding of how drugs can have adverse effects and the forensic implications of toxicology.
    Course Staff

    Course Coordinator: Dr Ian Musgrave

    Course Coordinator: Dr Ian Musgrave
    Phone: +61 8 8313 3905
    Email: ian.musgrave@adelaide.edu.au
    Location: Room S515, Medical School South

    Course Coordinator: David Haynes
    Phone: +61 8 8313 3180
    Email: david.haynes@adelaide.edu.au
    Location: Room N315, Medical School North

    Additional Academic Staff

    Dr Scott Smid
    Phone: +61 8 8313 5287
    Email: scott.smid@adelaide.edu.au
    Location: Room N531, Medical School North

    Dr Abdallah Salem
    Phone: +61 8 8313 4327
    Email: abdallah.salem@adelaide.edu.au
    Location: Room N506, Medical School North

    Dr Janet Coller
    Phone: +61 8 8313 3906
    Email: janet.coller@adelaide.edu.au
    Location: Room N515, Medical School North

    Associate Professor Corinna Van Den Heuvel
    Phone: +61 8 8313 1456
    Email: corinna.vandenheuvel@adelaide.edu.au
    Location: Room N305a, Medical School North

    Dr Frances Corrigan
    Email: frances.corrigan@adelaide.edu.au
    Location: School of Medical Sciences Office, Level 4, Medical School North

    Dr Tania Crotti
    Phone: +61 8 8313 5986
    Email: tania.crotti@adelaide.edu.au
    Location: Room N305a, Medical School North

    Dr Mark Gibson
    Phone: +61 8 8313 5337
    Email: mark.gibson@adelaide.edu.au
    Location: Room N305a, Medical School North
    Course Timetable

    The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.

  • Learning Outcomes
    Course Learning Outcomes
    1. Provide an overview of contemporary issues in pathology and drug use and expand on concepts developed in Disease and its Treatment
    2. Describe and recognise the cell and tissue changes and the main predisposing factors in common diseases, including infectious disease, endocrine disease, gastrointestinal disease and reproductive disease.
    3. Demonstrate knowledge of contemporary concepts in modern pharmacology, including basic pharmacokinetic concepts and drug-drug interactions, personalised medicine and modern drug development.
    4. Explain how drug actions can be exploited in the treatment of common diseases from learning outcome 2
    5. Demonstrate an understanding of unique pathology and pharmacology factors impacting on different population groups and disease outcomes and how this can be exploited in personalised medicine.
    6. Demonstrate an understanding of basic environmental issues in modern diseases.
    7. Demonstrate an understanding of basic concepts of modern toxicology, including how drugs can have adverse effects and forensic implications of toxicology
    8. Acquire, read, interpret and synthesise information from a variety of sources in a planned and timely manner
    9. Develop a critical and enquiring approach to the study of pathology and pharmacology/toxicology.
    University Graduate Attributes

    This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

    University Graduate Attribute Course Learning Outcome(s)
    Deep discipline knowledge
    • informed and infused by cutting edge research, scaffolded throughout their program of studies
    • acquired from personal interaction with research active educators, from year 1
    • accredited or validated against national or international standards (for relevant programs)
    1-9
    Critical thinking and problem solving
    • steeped in research methods and rigor
    • based on empirical evidence and the scientific approach to knowledge development
    • demonstrated through appropriate and relevant assessment
    1-9
    Teamwork and communication skills
    • developed from, with, and via the SGDE
    • honed through assessment and practice throughout the program of studies
    • encouraged and valued in all aspects of learning
    1-9
    Career and leadership readiness
    • technology savvy
    • professional and, where relevant, fully accredited
    • forward thinking and well informed
    • tested and validated by work based experiences
    1-9
    Self-awareness and emotional intelligence
    • a capacity for self-reflection and a willingness to engage in self-appraisal
    • open to objective and constructive feedback from supervisors and peers
    • able to negotiate difficult social situations, defuse conflict and engage positively in purposeful debate
    9
  • Learning Resources
    Required Resources
    Lecture handouts and recordings will be available through Canvas (echo360).
    Online Learning
    Canvas (Announcements, group emails, delivery of lecture materials and lecture recordings, echo360, some external weblink material). Articulate Storyline. Online Quizzes, Wiki page development. Material released over semester.
  • Learning & Teaching Activities
    Learning & Teaching Modes
    Lectures will be supported by tutorials and workshops to reinforce and further expand or develop material covered in lectures.
    Workload

    The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

    The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

    You should spend at minimum 12 hours a week on study activities for this course.
    This will include an average of 4 hours contact time (lecture/workshop/tutorial) and 8 hours
    revision/preparation/study.
    Learning Activities Summary

    Week

     

    Lecture 1                                            lecture 2

    Tutorial and Workshops

    1

     

    Contemporary Pathology

    Contemporary Pharmacology

     

     

    2

     

     

    Diagnosis of Diseases: A systems approach

    Diagnosis of Diseases: A medicinal chemistry approach

    Intro to Mechanisms and Treatment of Disease II

     

    3

     

    Drug absorption, distribution and elimination – why it matters 

    Drug – Drug interactions

     

    Workshop introduction

    4

     

    Basics of Toxicity

    (Toxin-induced disease)

    Basics of Toxicity

    (Drug induced Pathology)

     

    Drug ADME

    5

     

    Contemporary approaches to treatment of Infectious Diseases

    Contemporary issues in treatment  of Infectious Diseases  (the rise of resistance and the fall of antibiotics)

    Basics of Toxicity

     

    6

     

    Mechanisms of Endocrine Diseases

     

    Treatment of Endocrine Diseases

    Workshop

     

    7

     

    Mechanisms Gastrointestinal Diseases

    Treatment of Gastrointestinal Diseases

    Assessment test

    8

     

    Mechanisms of Bone and Joint Diseases

    Treatment of Bone and Joint Diseases

    Infectious disease

    9

     

    Mechanisms of Reproductive System Diseases

    Treatment of Reproductive System Diseases

     

    Endocrine Diseases

     

    10

     

    Forensic pathology – beyond CSI

     

    Contemporary issues in Forensic Toxicology

    Gastrointestinal Diseases

     

    11

     

    Natural products/food additives in modern health and disease

    Contemporary issues in Environmental Toxins:

    Bone and Joint Diseases

     

    12

     

    Making Better Drugs; contemporary approaches

     

    Making Better Drugs; Natural Vs Synthetic Drugs

     

    Reproductive System Diseases

    C
    Specific Course Requirements
    N/A
    Small Group Discovery Experience
    SGDE will be via workshops. Students will attend one SGDE workshop before they submit their individual assignment. Before attending the session. they will be expected to have read widely on the topic and be prepared to discuss the topic in the tutorial. They will have 3 weeks after the workshop to prepare their concise assignment report. Topics will be selected by the workshop leader (experienced member of the academic staff) and be related to the academic mentors research interests.

    The assignment will be
    • On the topic of a common disease or aspect of a common disease related to the academic mentors area of research (eg. arthritis, bowel cancer, dementia, etc.). Students will research the topic and discover in depth about the pathology and pharmacology as well as our current research in the field.
    • Maximum 1000 words
    • Sections
    o Significance and epidemiology
    o Pathogenesis (cell and tissue level)
    o Outcomes and other tissue effects if untreated
    o Treatments (include a treatment introduced in the last decade) and pharmacological basis 
    o Current prognosis with therapy
    • Reports can contain 1 figure but it must be original. This can be hand drawn but must be neat. It can be based on a published work but this must be acknowledged and referenced. It should be attached to the assignment on a separate page to the report
    • There should be at least 3 references in the reference list. These must be published peer reviewed articles listed on Medline. No web sites or text books.
  • Assessment

    The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

    1. Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
    2. Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
    3. Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
    4. Assessment must maintain academic standards.

    Assessment Summary

    ASSESSMENT TASK 
    TASK TYPE WEIGHTING COURSE LEARNING OUTCOME(S)
    Online quizzes  Formative 1-9
    Workshops  Summative 30% 1-9
    Mid semester Test

    Summative  25%  1-9
    Exam  Summative  45% 1-9
    Assessment Related Requirements
    N/A
    Assessment Detail
    Online tutorials, Students will complete online quizzes at weeks 4, 8 and 11. These will be 25, mainly, multiple choice questions and provide formative feedback to students on how they are progressing.
    Mid Semester test, MCQ and short answer questions (weeks 1-6): 25%
    Workshops weeks 3, 6: 30%

    Examination: A 3 hour exam to be held at the end of semester consisting half multiple choice questions and half short answer. 45% weighting.
    Submission
    All submission are electronic via MyUni.

    Late submissions of any student work are not acceptable. Penalties will apply for late submission of assignments unless an extension can be granted for appropriate reasons. The details that apply for this can be obtained from the following web site http://www.adelaide.edu.au/student/exams/pdfs/maca_medical_compassionate_info.pdf . This should be applied for BEFORE the due date and time of submission. Otherwise, submission up to 3 days late will result in a loss of 50% of your assignment mark and submission later than this will result in no marks being awarded.
    Course Grading

    Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

    M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
    Grade Mark Description
    FNS   Fail No Submission
    F 1-49 Fail
    P 50-64 Pass
    C 65-74 Credit
    D 75-84 Distinction
    HD 85-100 High Distinction
    CN   Continuing
    NFE   No Formal Examination
    RP   Result Pending

    Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

    Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

    Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.

    Replacement Assessment

    Academic replacement assessments will be offered at the discretion of the School and only to students whose overall marks are within 5% of a Pass grade (i.e. 45%). If students feel their exam performance was impeded by medical or personal factors, applications for replacement assessments on Medical or Compassionate grounds may be made. Note that colds and minor
    respiratory infections do not constitute grounds for granting Medical Supplementary Examinations. Students should make every reasonable attempt to sit the final exam, and must apply for replacement assessments within 7 days of the exam. Replacement assessment application forms and forms for completion by Medical Practitioners (required for Medical Supp applications) are available at: http://www.adelaide.edu.au/student/current/exams/ .
  • Student Feedback

    The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

    SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.

  • Student Support
  • Policies & Guidelines
  • Fraud Awareness

    Students are reminded that in order to maintain the academic integrity of all programs and courses, the university has a zero-tolerance approach to students offering money or significant value goods or services to any staff member who is involved in their teaching or assessment. Students offering lecturers or tutors or professional staff anything more than a small token of appreciation is totally unacceptable, in any circumstances. Staff members are obliged to report all such incidents to their supervisor/manager, who will refer them for action under the university's student’s disciplinary procedures.

The University of Adelaide is committed to regular reviews of the courses and programs it offers to students. The University of Adelaide therefore reserves the right to discontinue or vary programs and courses without notice. Please read the important information contained in the disclaimer.