Medicine and Health Sciences 2026

THEMES AND STRUCTURES

The course develops through theme studies in personal and professional development; population, society, health and Illness; scientific basis of clinical practice; and clinical skills, all of which come together in professional practice demonstrated in the clinical placement units.

Theme I: Personal and professional development

This theme focuses on the doctor as an individual. It covers the personal attributes and qualities you’ ll need in the medical curriculum and as a future medical practitioner, providing opportunities to gain a range of generic skills throughout the course.

YEAR 1 YEAR 2 YEAR 3 YEAR 4 YEAR 5

Professional Issues	Introduction to Ethics • Ethics and society • Relationships and ethics Introduction to Law • Basis of justice • Justice system • Human rights	Understanding the community • Society and community • Roles of doctor in community • Grassroots healthcare • Empowerment	Ethics in practice • Clinical research ethics Law in practice • Legal responsibilities • Reporting records	Professional judgement • Analysis of consequences of decisions • Dealing with uncertainty • Team participation • Teaching	Leadership • Independent learning • Leadership and supervision • Responsibility of patient management
Personal Development	Transition to university • Study skills • Time management • Stress management • Reflection • Self-care • Team building • Goal setting	Attitudes to community • Patient-centred approach • Pain and suffering • Teamwork in community groups	Responsibility • Patient advocacy • Family and society • Self-care and assertiveness • Educating others	Reflective practice • Personal roles and role conflicts • Stress management and coping styles • Career choice	Self-directed learning and practice • Patient-centred care • Personal learning contract • Electives • Remedial selectives • Self-assessment
Key Learning Experiences	Observations of interactions • Medical contact visits • Ethics debates • Family study • Group de-briefing and mentoring	Community service • Ethics debates • Group de-briefing and mentoring	Clinical rotations • Group de-briefing and mentoring • Clerking patients • Self-appraisal	Teamwork • Group de-briefing and mentoring • Simulation with feedback • Teaching Year 1 in skills lab	Leadership and independant learning • Group de-briefing and mentoring • Clerking patients • Self appraisal

Theme II: Society, population, health and illness

Moving on from the individual, this theme develops your ability to deal with broader society and population issues. The history and philosophy of the scientific approach to medicine is included, as are approaches to knowledge and information, and an understanding of evidence-based clinical practice.

YEAR 1 YEAR 2 YEAR 3 YEAR 4 YEAR 5

Health and Society	• The whole person • Gender • Consumer movement	• Inequalities in health • Aboriginal health		• Healthcare services • Health policy	• Public health • Elective
Health and Information	Epistemology • Concepts of science and knowledge • Critical thinking • Basic IT skills	• Exploring databases and information sources	• Quality and evaluation of health care information	• Health economics • Evidence-based medicine	• Medical informatics in practice
Health and Population	• Population health • Introduction to research methods	• Health promotion • Global view of health	• Preventive medicine • Occupational health		• Public health

Medicine and Health Sciences 2026 | Seite 12

THEMES AND STRUCTURES