iBSc in Primary Care and Clinical Practice Modules and Assessment

Compulsory modules

IEHC0012 Clinical Practice (30 credits)

Terms 1&2

Module Leads:  Dr Sarah Armstrong, Dr Kingshuk Pal, Prof Sophie Park & Dr Doug McKechnie

The Consultation Module explores and examines the nature of doctor-patient consultations and the impact of global political and ideological discourse on practice. This includes a strong focus on the cross-cultural aspects of patient-professional interaction taking into account the multi-cultural range of patient and professional identities of populations within London and its surroundings.

Students will have opportunity to engage with a designated practice and participate in surgeries, whether seeing patients remotely or face-to-face.  The module combines clinical experience with an in-depth exploration of the nuances of doctor-patient interactions so students can develop the crucial skills of synthesising theory, skills, evidence and policy to excel as clinicians in the future.

Module assessment

Case presentation (30%) and a 3-hour hour written exam on consultation models (70%)

IEHC0001 Research methods and dissertation (30 credits)

Terms 1, 2 & 3

Module Leads: Dr Nathan Davies and Dr Nuriye Kupeli

Training in research methods is an essential component of this course and each of you is required to undertake a research project in a primary care setting. Research projects include systematic reviews, secondary data analysis and joining existing research projects interviewing participants. You will be expected to develop a research protocol presented orally as a poster, and then submit your project written as a 6000-word journal article. Lectures are blended including pre-recorded lectures and in person interactive seminars. Lectures include principles of scientific method, qualitative and quantitative research methods ethical issues in research, statistical computer packages and their use, writing a scientific paper.

This module will encourage you to consider the international relevance of your research project, including implications for clinical practice or policy. The module will draw upon international primary care research texts as examples of a variety of methodological approaches, participant population groups, ways of problematizing healthcare issues, and impact on healthcare outcomes.

Module assessment

Presentation for the project protocol (20%) & 6000-word research paper (80%)

IEHC0077 Changing Population Perspectives (15 credits)

Term 1

Module Leads:  Dr Sarah Armstrong

This module provides students with an understanding of the development and structure of UK primary care and the important role it plays in population health management.  Students will examine the basics – for example what exactly is Public Health as well as the intersection of public health and UK primary care.  We will also explore health-care for excluded groups and look at health protection responses to outbreaks and pandemic threats.  The specific module changes will enhance students’ understanding of a number of the themes addressed within this module (e.g. assessing population health needs; preventing disease and promoting health; evaluating healthcare delivery), by providing learning with clinicians working for Doctors of the World. 

Module assessment

Presentation (75%) & Reflective pice (25%)

CHLD0089 Critical Appraisal of Primary Care and Paediatric Practice (15 credits)

Term 1.

Module Leads: Prof Caroline Fertleman and Dr Elizabeth Fitchett

This Term1 module will be delivered as a series of interactive seminars as a joint module with students studying on the iBSc in paediatrics. The sessions will cover an introduction to evidence-based practice, library teaching on finding evidence and hands on searching skills, and key seminars on how to appraise a range of papers focusing on different types of study. Bringing together these skills, there will be assessed coursework in which you will write a clinical guideline based on a clinical scenario relevant to primary care or paediatric practice. The skills you acquire in this module should be relevant and valuable both as a student and in your future medical careers. Topics include: 

• Evidence and literature searching
• Cohort Studies
• Diagnostic tests and screening
• Randomised Controlled Trials
• Systematic reviews
• Case control studies
• Appraising qualitative research and Clinical guidelines.

Module assessment

Production of a clinical guideline (100%) 

Optional modules

IEHC0033//PHAY0013 (Strand A: Pharmacy students) Multi-morbidity (15 credits)

Term 2

Module Leads: Dr Sarah Armstrong & Prof Cate Whittlesea/Prof Kirsten Harvey

The management of two or more chronic conditions is an increasing challenge and dilemma facing many clinicians. Multi-morbidity has been associated with reduced quality of life functional decline, and increased use of health and social care services. This module will explore core debates and challenges, introducing and critically evaluating how health and social care systems support patients with multiple chronic conditions. This module will be led by the Centre for Ageing Population Studies. Students will hear from leading researchers about: ageing and illness, social isolation and loneliness, polypharmacy, social prescribing, drugs and alcohol, and finally complimentary medicine.

Module assessment

Students are expected to contribute to a group (5-6) presentation on topics assigned to the various groups. Each member of the group leads on a subtopic/subsection, which will form the basis of their main written assignment. Each student will have 3 mins each to present their section. Individual students then submit an essay aligned to their presentation (2500 words).  These two components make up 30% and 70% respectively.

IEHC0015 Digital Health (15 credits)

Term 2

Module Leads: Dr Shoba Poduval 

In the next twenty years, technology will bring about revolutionary change in the NHS. This module will provide an overview of the opportunities and challenges of digital health (health services provided through the internet and related technologies) and will be led by researchers from the UCL eHealth Unit.  Students will learn about interventions which address healthcare challenges at population, organisational and individual levels. Students will hear from leading researchers on topics including electronic health records research, patient self-management support, telemedicine, artificial intelligence, and the effects of technology on the patient-clinician relationship. Students will develop ideas for digital health interventions, as part of their assessment.

Module assessment

10-minute Power Point presentation and 10 minutes for Q&A of an idea for a new or adapted digital health intervention of the students’ choosing.

IEHC0037 Sexual Health (15 credits)

Term 2

Module Leads: Dr Julia Bailey & Dr Patricia Schartau

This module will cover sexual wellbeing, gender, sex and sex variation, sexuality, sexual practice, sexual difficulty, contraception and informed choice, abortion, doctors and patients in dialogue, and the influence of power and oppression on sexuality, gender and sexual health.

The module addresses patient needs throughout, helping students to develop knowledge and attitudes that will contribute to trust and partnership with patients who wish to discuss sexual health concerns in primary care settings (i.e. first contact with healthcare professionals rather than in specialist services).

Module assessment

Students design a health education poster on a chosen sexual health topic for patients, clinical colleagues and/or the public. The poster is a piece of science communication to convey a sexual health message in words and images, and students can choose any topic which relates to sexual health.

IECH0090 Leadership and Management for Healthcare

Term 2
 
Module leads: Sarah Armstrong and Devina Maru
 
By cultivating effective leadership skills, students can positively impact healthcare delivery and outcomes for patients. It will be imperative that frontline clinicians and the wider workforce have the leadership knowledge, skills, and behaviours to drive radical service redesign and improvement. 
This primary care leadership module enhances leadership skills, management abilities, promotes collaboration and patient-centered care, supports quality improvement efforts, facilitates advocacy and change management, and opens up career advancement opportunities. 
Future clinicians and healthcare leaders should be sufficiently educated about the systems in which they operate, to lead most effectively within a system-based healthcare leadership. Excellent leadership across the healthcare landscape is a key feature of the organisation of healthcare. This module cultivates effective leadership skills to impact positively upon healthcare delivery and outcomes for patients.
 
Module assessments: 
For the assignment, students complete a 15-minute oral presentation discussing a leadership project they have observed or undertaken and a written 500 words reflection on the leadership skills required to help achieve their goals. These two components make up 75% and 25% respectively.