HLTH SC 2107 - Precision Medicine

North Terrace Campus - Semester 2 - 2019

A major source of improvements in health outcomes in modern medicine have come from a precision medicine approach. Precision medicine involves the use of biomarkers, genetic information and state-of-the art imaging to ensure that the patient receives the right diagnosis; receives the right medicine for them and at the right dose for the right duration. Health care professionals working in public health, health policy, diagnostic laboratories, clinical research and clinical trials as well as clinical care require an understanding of how laboratory techniques and imaging contribute to improved health outcomes.

  • General Course Information
    Course Details
    Course Code HLTH SC 2107
    Course Precision Medicine
    Coordinating Unit Medical Sciences
    Term Semester 2
    Level Undergraduate
    Location/s North Terrace Campus
    Units 3
    Contact Up to 3 hours per week
    Available for Study Abroad and Exchange Y
    Prerequisites ANAT SC 1102 or BIOLOGY 1101
    Course Description A major source of improvements in health outcomes in modern medicine have come from a precision medicine approach. Precision medicine involves the use of biomarkers, genetic information and state-of-the art imaging to ensure that the patient receives the right diagnosis; receives the right medicine for them and at the right dose for the right duration. Health care professionals working in public health, health policy, diagnostic laboratories, clinical research and clinical trials as well as clinical care require an understanding of how laboratory techniques and imaging contribute to improved health outcomes.
    Course Staff

    Course Coordinator: Dr Viythia Katharesan

    Please email precisionmed@adelaide.edu.au for all course enquiries.

    Other course coordinators are;
    A/Prof Corinna Van Den Heuvel, Dr Nicola Eastaff-Leung and Prof Paul Rolan
    Course Timetable

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

    Please refer to MyUni for the most up to date and detailed course timetable. 
  • Learning Outcomes
    Course Learning Outcomes
    On successful completion of this course students will be able to:

    1. Describe how modern technologies have changed diagnosis, treatment and patient outcomes.
    2. Explain how the key principles of diagnostic testing inform disease screening of population and individuals.
    3. Demonstrate an understanding of the ethical issues that result from risk and genetic screening.
    4. Describe the determinants of individual response to medicines and demonstrate an understanding of how genetics alters therapeutic response to medicines.
    5. Apply the principles of precision medicine to propose diagnostic and treatment approaches to currently unmet medical needs.
    6. Describe the multidisciplinary nature of the development and application of new tools in precision medicine.
    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, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
    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
    5
    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, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
    Career and leadership readiness
    • technology savvy
    • professional and, where relevant, fully accredited
    • forward thinking and well informed
    • tested and validated by work based experiences
    2, 3, 4, 5
  • Learning Resources
    Required Resources
    All specific readings etc will be available on MyUni. 
    Recommended Resources
    Will be available on MyUni
    Online Learning
    The primary means of communication outside of the formal contact hours will be via MyUni. Announcements will be used as the main method of communicating with the student cohort. Course material will be supported by online resources and lecture recordings via MyUni. Material will be sequentially released in line with the teaching and learning activities in each week.
  • Learning & Teaching Activities
    Learning & Teaching Modes
    The weekly face-to-face contact will consist of one lecture and one 2 hour workshop, with the content of the workshops aimed to reinforce and deepen understanding of the concepts introduced in the lectures. Workshops will be highly interactive and use a problem-solving approach in which students will work in small groups.
    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. 

    Lectures - 12x1 = 12hours
    Workshops - 12x2 = 24hours


    Learning Activities Summary

    No information currently available.

    Small Group Discovery Experience
    N/A
  • 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

    No information currently available.

    Assessment Related Requirements
    N/A
    Assessment Detail
    Online quizzes (Summative-35%: 5 x 7% each) At the end of every second module students will be given 15-20 MCQs, true/false questions to test basic understanding of the content within the two preceding modules. Each MCQ online quiz is worth 5%.

    Workshop attendance and participation (Summative 10%: 10 x 1% each) - Using the Echo360 ALP students will be assessed using interactive presentations either individually or in small groups. These presentations will also be combined with other hands-on activities with students working in small groups. The 2 hours workshops will allow for such varied in-class assessments. The first workshop which will be an introductory.

    Literature review (Summative 30%) – Students will choose from a range of innovations within precision medicine and write a 2000 word literature review using original peer reviewed journal articles which will be submitted and assessed via MyUni.


    Individual narrated presentation (Summative 25%) – Students will choose from a range of innovations within precision medicine and create a 5 minute narrated presentation which will be submitted via MyUni. Students will have 12 weeks to research their topic of interest.
    Submission
    e-submission and e-marking through MyUni will be used for the narrated presentation. The 5 quizzes will be on Myuni.
    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.

  • 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
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    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.

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