91611 Clinical Practicum (Therapy and Diagnosis)
Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a particular semester, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.
UTS: Science: Medical and Molecular BiosciencesCredit points: 6 cp
Result type: Pass fail, no marks
Requisite(s): 99646c Clinic Level 5 and Acupuncture Microsystems
The lower case 'c' after the subject code indicates that the subject is a corequisite. See definitions for details.
Handbook description
This is a pre-clinical subject designed to prepare the student to undertake the responsibilities of a practitioner while under clinical supervision in the UTS TCM (traditional Chinese medicine) clinic. All previous subject material related to herbal, organ and acupuncture channel diagnostics; tongue and pulse diagnostics; establishment of treatment principles; selection of acupuncture or herbal scripts with rationale; and examination of treatment outcomes is reviewed and assessed by means of tutorials, practical workshops and exams, as well as a final pre-clinical examination.
Subject objectives/outcomes
The overall aim of this subject is to:
- review the previous years’ material and assimilate the knowledge for practical application as a student practitioner.
- assess and assure sufficient knowledge of acupuncture point location and herbal formulary to allow entry into the fourth year clinical internship.
- provide students with a basic knowledge of the range of radiographic and other diagnostic imaging procedures commonly used in clinical practice, and how they are interpreted
- introduce the common methods that used to process Chinese herbs, and why they need to get this special procedure
At the completion of this subject, each student is expected to:
- identify their own weaknesses in knowledge based on the areas reviewed in tutorials and workshops.
- conduct additional study to correct these deficiencies in preparation for their preclinical exams.
- demonstrate competency in the location and knowledge of the functions of 45 randomly selected major channel acupuncture points and a further 15 extraordinary points related to Acupuncture Microsystems
- demonstrate competency in the application of acupuncture and adjunct modalities.
- demonstrate competency in Chinese herbal formulary and it application
- demonstrate a knowledge and understanding of the principles of western and TCM pathology, aetiology and diagnosis of disease.
- apply radiographic and imaging knowledge appropriately into the clinical treatment procedure
- demonstrate the main methods by which Chinese medicinal substances are processed
Contribution to course aims and graduate attributes
Disciplinary Knowledge and its application:
A basic review of key course material/content areas from the three previous years of study will be structured into a series of tutorials. Students will expand on these areas through self study and tutorial group exercises as part of their preparations for a pre-clinical examination. New knowledge and skills will be added experientially through the clinical practice workshops.
Enquiry-orientated approach:
Students will be required to research and review content areas and demonstrate the application of this knowledge in the tutorial exercises and practice workshops. The application of the knowledge will require students to critically think about the material as they clinically reason out and apply the theories in clinical practice.
Professional Skills and its application:
Professional skills, including clinical reasoning, diagnostics, needling and dispensary skills will be evaluated in the practice workshops and in practical exams.
Communication skills:
Students will need to demonstrate high levels of communication skills in their tutorials and practical workshops as they communicate their ideas and engage with each other in their patient/practitioner role plays. A higher level of written communication will also be required to clearly articulate their critical thinking and clinical reasoning in relation to the preclinical exam and written assignment.
Teaching and learning strategies
Subject is delivered as two modules:
Herbal Medicine Module
Review tutorials 2 hpw X 13 weeks
Acupuncture Module
- Review tutorials 1 hpw X 13 weeks
- Practical workshops 2hpw X 13 weeks
- Review tutorials will outline the basic content areas that will be examined in the pre-clinical exam. Students will need to undertake further personal study and review their past course notes.
The review tutorials are not lectures on content/material (which has been delivered in previous years). Rather they will define the areas of study that have to be covered in order to effectively apply TCM in clinical practice. Through a series of questions and tutorial exercises, student will be guided on what areas of study they will need to prepare for their pre-clinical examination.
Practical workshops will involve the application of advanced acupuncture and adjunct techniques. Students will be required to show ongoing competency in preparation for their practical exam.
Content
This subject is split into two modules that will review the three previous years of knowledge and skill development in the areas of herbal medicine, acupuncture and adjunct modalities.
The basic content areas will cover:
- Individual herbs and their general functions
- Herbal formulae and their clinical application
- Acupuncture points, their functions (including extra points and Microsystems) and clinical application
- TCM/acupuncture diagnostics and its application
- Western biomedical and TCM disease pathology and aetiology
In addition students will need to integrate their knowledge into a clinical practice setting and demonstrate their application skills in the practice workshops.
Assessment
Assessment Item 1: Point location examination
| Intent: | The graduate attributes covered by this task include: * Disciplinary Knowledge and its application * Practical skills and their application. |
| Objective(s): | To demonstrate confidence and competency in locating the major points of acupuncture that will most likely be used in clinical settings. To show an understanding of the basic point functions. |
| Weighting: | Mandatory threshold/competency task. A score in this final point location examination of 90% is considered satisfactory. |
| Length: | 45 minutes |
| Criteria: | Accurate location and description of point functions |
Assessment Item 2: Disease Analysis
| Intent: | This task addresses the following graduate attributes:
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| Objective(s): | This assignment requires students to apply all of their acquired knowledge to a specified disease process. They will need to research and reference appropriate material on pathology and aetiology, signs and symptoms. They will need to investigate the treatment options and develop and communicate appropriate TCM treatment protocols. The material will be published in UTS Online and will act as a resource for other students. No topics can be duplicated. |
| Weighting: | 40% |
| Length: | Stage 1 Western medicine analysis should be no more than 1000 words maximum. The total assignment should be between 2000 and 5000 words (including stage 1). |
| Criteria: | Specific marking criteria can be found online. In general terms, students will be marked on
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Assessment Item 3: End of semester/pre-clinical exam
| Intent: | This task address the following graduate attributes: * Disciplinary knowledge and its application, * An enquiry oriented approach, * Communication skills |
| Objective(s): | To test for sufficient acquisition of knowledge and understanding in TCM theory, diagnostics, western and TCM disease pathology and aetiology, acupuncture theory and herbal formulary. |
| Weighting: | 60% |
| Length: | 2 x 3 hours + 10 minutes reading time |
| Criteria: | Correctness and appropriateness of answers |
Minimum requirements
To successfully complete this subject you must:
• Obtain a minimum of 60% (36/60) for the pre-clinical examination
• Obtain a minimum of 40% (16/40) for the assignment
• Obtain a minimum of 90% in the point location exam (competency)
• 80% attendance at tutorials and workshops, verified by attendance record.
• Demonstrate competency in the application of treatment techniques to the satisfaction of tutors and the subject coordinator.
A X grade (fail), regardless of the final mark, will be awarded where the minimum criteria are not met.
“Special Consideration” in relation to attendance cannot be considered as the clinical workshops are practical in focus and involve both teaching and assessment of practical treatment skills. Though it is understood that you may not be able to attend class due to illness or extraordinary circumstances, the lack of attendance means that your clinical competencies cannot be adequately assessed nor the situation remediated should competencies prove unsatisfactory overall. Consequently minimum attendance is mandatory.
References
- Bensky D and Barolet R, Chinese Herbal Medicine: Formulas and Strategies, 1990 rev. ed., Eastland Press, Seattle, WA.
- Ou Ming, Chinese-English Manual of Common-Used Prescriptions in Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1989 Joint Publishing Co., Hong Kong.
- Ellis A, Wiseman N, and Boss K, Fundamentals of Chinese Acupuncture, 1988 Paradigm Publications, Brookline, MA.
- Qiu Maoliang (Man. ed.), Chinese Acupuncture and Moxibustion, 1993 Churchill Livingstone, London.
- Keji Chen, Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinical Case Studies, 1994 Foreign languages press, New world press
- Concise Traditional Chinese Gynecology (1988) Jiangsu Science and Technology Publishing House China
