MDCS42100 Primary Care (Orthopaedics) I

Academic Year 2021/2022

Co-delivered by the UCD School of Medicine and the UCD Beacon Hospital Academy, this module aims to provide a practical, clinically oriented, learning experience for GP's / doctors in other disciplines and other health professionals who wish to develop a special interest in the management of patients with musculoskeletal problems.
This module aims to enhance a student’s capacity to assess and manage musculoskeletal conditions that commonly present to GP's and in primary care, to conduct a clinical assessment and to perform therapeutic procedures (e.g. joint injections) with use of diagnostic imaging where appropriate and available.

Show/hide contentOpenClose All

Curricular information is subject to change

Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of the module, a student should be able to:

• Outline the incidence/prevalence of common musculoskeletal injuries / conditions;
• Appreciate the anatomical and functional basis of common musculoskeletal injuries / conditions;
• Competently assess patients with musculoskeletal complaints;
• Appropriately manage patients with musculoskeletal complaints;
• Recognise symptoms and signs of life threatening or impacting disease and appreciate how to respond in practice;
• For any given musculoskeletal presentation / complaint know when / how to investigate / refer / admit;
• Appreciate the role of diagnostic imaging in the management of musculoskeletal complaints ;
• Competently assess and treat patients with musculoskeletal complaints in special circumstances, e.g. playing sports, children, the elderly, for the purposes of personal injuries assessment
• Critically reflect on his / her practice.

1. Knowledge / understanding, students will acquire:
• A thorough knowledge and understanding of best practice in the assessment and treatment of common musculoskeletal complaints in a primary care setting;
• An understanding of the limits of their professional roles, responsibilities, competence, and the need to seek advice/refer when appropriate when treating patients with musculoskeletal problems.
2. Applying knowledge and understanding
• Students will learn to apply this knowledge and understanding to improve their competence and competence in clinical practice.
3. Making judgements
• Demonstrate a critical engagement with decision-making frameworks and processes in primary care. Students will improve their clinical assessment capabilities, clinical problem-solving capabilities and clinical decision making.
4. Communications and team-working skills
• Students will engage in effective intra and inter professional working with healthcare colleagues.
• Emphasis will also be placed on communication skills reinforcing the primary goal of the School to produce competent, caring practitioners with an ability to convey complex messages to specialist and non-specialist audiences.
5. Learning skills
• Throughout the course, students will engage in group and autonomous learning exercises, designed to reinforce an evidence-based approach to the management of musculoskeletal problems in a primary care setting.

Graduate attributes and outcomes
• Epidemiology of musculoskeletal problems in practice
• Biomedical sciences (e.g. Anatomy) and their application to the management of patients with musculoskeletal problems
• Diagnosis and assessment of musculoskeletal problems
• Treatment/ongoing management of musculoskeletal problems
• Enhanced critical thinking, analysis and problem solving
• Ability to review his / her own practice and improve patient care through clinical audit and quality improvement initiatives

Indicative Module Content:

Exemplar schedule of Topics:
• Revision of Bone and Joint Anatomy / Physiology
• Pathophysiology of Fractures and Principles of Fracture Management
• Osteoarthritis & Cartilage Repair
• Soft Tissue Injury: Ligament, Tendon, Muscle Strain
• Introduction to Sports medicine
• Anatomy, clinical examination and pathophysiology of the spine/ knee/ shoulder/ elbow
• Introduction to Ultrasound
• Pathophysiology, diagnosis and management of tendinopathies
• Joint Injection and Ultrasound Workshops
• Pathophysiology of Osteoarthritis /Rheumatoid Arthritis / Inflammatory Arthritis
• Pathophysiology, diagnosis and management principles of MSK infections
• Benign and Malignant musculoskeletal tumours (Sarcoma, Myeloma)
• Special circumstances in MSK for primary care (elderly/travel/professional sports)
• Self-management for MSK patients - lifestyle modifications


Student Effort Hours: 
Student Effort Type Hours
Seminar (or Webinar)

14

Practical

16

Specified Learning Activities

5

Autonomous Student Learning

25

Online Learning

70

Cont Professional Development

70

Total

200

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
Module delivery will involve:
• Webinars delivered at 20h00 alternate Wednesday’s in Semester One (14 weeks) and Semester Two (14 weeks) respectively.
• Seminars / practical, delivered Fridays 10h00 to 16h00, at UCD on 2-3 occasions per semester
• In the case of the elective modules, module delivery will be as per existing delivery arrangements

The series of seminars / webinars on core topics will guide students in core knowledge acquisition. Where possible, students will be encouraged to use their previous experience (practical, clinical) in learning to acquire knowledge through self-direction. Seminars will use enquiry-based methods to encourage critical thinking, analysis and problem solving. Regular case-based scenarios will encourage the integration of knowledge across modules that consider structure, function, disease and patient care.


 
Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations
Learning Requirements:

Applicants should:
• Hold an undergraduate degree (or equivalent) in a relevant subject (e.g. Medicine, Nursing & Midwifery, Physiotherapy, etc)
• Possess an equivalent professional qualification, or
• Have relevant clinical experience in orthopaedics, primary care, or physiotherapy.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 
Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Open Book Exam Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade
Portfolio: Clinical Cases Throughout the Trimester n/a Graded No

25

Practical Examination: Continuous assessment of clinical skills
Formative peer assessment/ Summative tutor assessment
Throughout the Trimester n/a Graded No

40

Multiple Choice Questionnaire: MCQ/SAQ 1 hour End of Trimester Exam n/a Graded No

35


Carry forward of passed components
Yes
 
Resit In Terminal Exam
Spring No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 
Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, on an activity or draft prior to summative assessment
• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment
• Online automated feedback
• Peer review activities
• Self-assessment activities

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Grades from online assessments will be available online. Peer feedback relating to Group projects will be given on the same day. Portfolios will be given regular feedback in person/audio/video or written formats at regular intervals.

Name Role
Assoc Professor Shane Foley Lecturer / Co-Lecturer