TM5581 - Expedition and Wilderness Medicine

Credit points:	03
Year:	2013
Student Contribution Band:	Band 3
Administered by:	Sch Public Health,Trop Medicine&Rehabilitation Sc

Available to postgraduate students enrolled in the Discipline of Public Health and Tropical Medicine only or by permission of Head of School.

Expedition and wilderness medicine involves maintaining the physical and psychological health of those undertaking expeditions or venturing into wilderness areas. The minimisation of disease and trauma by expeditioners is promoted by proper planning, preventive measures (such as health advice, immunisation and prophylaxis), and acquisition of relevant medical and practical skills for dealing with various expedition and wilderness environments. These environments include high altitude, mountain, remote, polar, diving, jungle and desert areas. This includes developing responsible attitudes towards the environment and the welfare and ethics of dealing with indigenous peoples encountered. Medicolegal aspects are also covered.

Learning Outcomes

• Knowledge and understanding of pre-expedition planning and preventive measures;
• Knowledge of expeditions in the field, including epidemiology of expedition related health and safety events;
• Knowledge of extreme environments and environmental medicine;
• Understanding of expeditionary skills needed.

Graduate Qualities

• The ability to adapt knowledge to new situations;
• The ability to define and to solve problems in at least one discipline area;
• The ability to think critically, to analyse and evaluate claims, evidence and arguments, and to reason and deploy evidence clearly and logically;
• The ability to deploy critically evaluated information to practical ends;
• The ability to find and access information using appropriate media and technologies;
• The ability to evaluate that information;
• An understanding of the economic, legal, ethical, social and cultural issues involved in the use of information;
• The ability to select and organise information and to communicate it accurately, cogently, coherently, creatively and ethically;
• The acquisition of coherent and disciplined sets of skills, knowledge, values and professional ethics from at least one discipline area;
• The ability to read complex and demanding texts accurately, critically and insightfully;
• The ability to speak and write clearly, coherently and creatively;
• The ability to generate, calculate, interpret and communicate numerical information in ways appropriate to a given discipline or discourse;
• The ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences;
• The ability to work with people of different gender, age, ethnicity, culture, religion and political persuasion;
• The ability to work individually and independently;
• The ability to select and use appropriate tools and technologies;
• The ability to use online technologies effectively and ethically.

Assumed Knowledge:	As per entry requirements for postgraduate programs in public health and tropical medicine, i.e. normally a health professional qualification.
Prerequisites:	Suggested textbook Johnson C, Anderson SR, Dallimore J, Winser S, Warrell DA. Preface In. Oxford Handbook of Expedition and Wilderness Medicine. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008

Availabilities
Townsville, Limited, Study Period 1
Census Date 28-Mar-2013
Face to face teaching 06-Apr-2013 to 07-Apr-2013
Coordinator:	Assoc. Professor Marc Shaw, Professor Peter Leggat
Lecturers:	Assoc. Professor Marc Shaw, Professor Peter Leggat.
Contact hours:	50 hours 10 hours professional experience
Assessment:	end of semester exam (40% - 60%); assignments (40% - 60%); case discussion forum (% - 20%); practical skills demonstrations (% - 20%); take-home quiz (% - 20%).
Special Assessment Requirements:	Students must normally obtain an average of 40% over all invigilated components of the assessment to pass the subject overall, unless there are exceptional circumstances supported by the Head of School based on the recommendation of the Course Coordnators.

Note: Minor variations might occur due to the continuous Subject quality improvement process, and in case of minor variation(s) in assessment details, the Subject Outline represents the latest official information.