James Cook University Subject Handbook - 2003

MD1003:06

Health in Practice

Townsville HECS Band 3

26 hours lectures, 104 hours other. Full year.

Available to level 1 students enrolled in the MBBS program.

Staff: Mr P Reser.

This subject will provide students with a foundation knowledge and understanding of social science and public health perspectives essential for effective analysis of health and healthcare, introducing students to the role of the medical profession in contributing to advancement of the health and wellbeing of communities and individuals. Human behaviours and interactions and their implications for medical practice will be examined and students will be introduced to communication skills and professional ethics, which will procide a foundation to be developed throughout the subject.

Learning Objectives:

  1. to know and understand the social science and public health perspectives relevant to an analysis of health and healthcare;
  2. to understand the biopsychosocial model of healthcare;
  3. to understand normal human behaviour;
  4. to know and understand the psychological and psychosocial processes relevant to the promotion of health and the prevention and treatment of illness in individuals throughout the lifespan;
  5. to understand the scientific method and the concept of evidence-based medicine;
  6. to acquire basic counselling and communication skills;
  7. to acquire the necessary skills to evaluate and interpret demographic and epidemiological evidence and to use health and demographic databases;
  8. to acquire the necessary skills to analyse and evaluate psychosocial and lifespan developmental factors relevant to health promotion, illness prevention and illness management;
  9. to appreciate the implications of social, cultural, economic and psychological factors in the delivery of medical care;
  10. to understand the basic concepts of medical ethics and the importance of these to medical practice.

Assessed as part of the end-of-year integrated examination consisting of a written component (67%) and a practical component (33%); informal on-course assessment tasks.