Unit Guide

General Information

Unit convenor and teaching staff	Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit Convenor Stephney Whillier stephney.whillier@mq.edu.au Contact via stephney.whillier@mq.edu.au C5C West Room 360 Please email me to arrange an appointment Unit Convenor Benjamin Brown benjamin.brown@mq.edu.au Contact via benjamin.brown@mq.edu.au C5C West Room 341 Please email me to arrange an appointment
Credit points	Credit points 4
Prerequisites	Prerequisites CHIR873
Corequisites	Corequisites
Co-badged status	Co-badged status
Unit description	Unit description This unit builds on the neurology and orthopaedics taught in CHIR873. This unit is continuous with CHIR873, with the two units together covering the full spectrum of clinically relevant neurological and orthopaedic conditions for chiropractic students. Students continue to develop competency in the complete neurological and orthopaedic examination and, especially in this unit, develop their skills in tailoring the examination to the patient and developing a differential diagnosis based on the patient's signs and symptoms at clinical presentation. The knowledge and understanding constructed in this way also enables students to discuss and analyse pertinent case studies with the necessary depth required.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

Demonstrate a highly developed competency in integrating and applying neuromusculoskeletal anatomy, physiology and pathology.
Perform the clinical neuromusculoskeletal history taking and examination with highly developed competency.
Show a highly developed ability to draw on their theoretical knowledge in order to tailor the physical examination to the clinical presentation of the patient and from this develop a differential diagnosis.
Demonstrate well developed clinical reasoning skills and the ability to diagnose conditions that are suitable or contraindicated in chiropractic care, including conditions of non-musculoskeletal origin.
Show a highly developed ability to acquire knowledge to evaluate conditions, research these cases further using appropriate reference material and communicate findings
Show great competency in practical sessions in which the knowledge acquired in texts and lectures is applied to a group situation. They should be able to reason, question, and communicate their understanding of the content to their fellow students and tutors as they complete tasks set in the practicals.

General Assessment Information

PLEASE NOTE: YOU MUST PASS EACH STRAND OF THIS UNIT IN ORDER TO PASS THE COURSE

Attendance Requirements

A minimum of 80% attendance at tutorial classes is required in order to successfully complete this unit.

You must attend the class in which you enrolled. You must not exchange their class time. In special circumstances, you may apply for requests regarding changes. These requests are to be submitted to the convener.

Examinations

The University Examination period in for Semester 2 is from the 9-27 November, 2015. You are expected to present yourself for examination at the time and place designated in the University Examination timetable. The timetable will be available in ‘draft’ form approximately eight weeks before the commencement of the examinations and in ‘final’ form approximately four weeks before the commencement of the examinations.

The only exception to not sitting an examination at the designated time is because of documented illness or unavoidable disruption. In these circumstances you may wish to consider applying for ‘Special Consideration’.You must apply for a ‘Disruption of Studies” within 5 days after the scheduled exam. If you sit an exam and put in for disruption to studies you will not receive a grade for the exam that you attended. If you are granted a supplementary, the grade you received in the supplementary will be used toward your mark, irrespective of whether it is better or worse than the original grade.

If a supplementary examination is granted as a result of the ‘Special Consideration’ process the examination will be scheduled after the conclusion of the official examination period. (Individual Faculties may wish to signal when the Faculty’s Supplementary exams are normally scheduled.) The supplementary does not need to be in the format of the original exam. If you miss the supplementary examination, and are considered eligible for a substitute supplementary, it will be in the form of a VIVA.

You are advised that it is Macquarie University policy not to set early examinations for individuals or groups of students. You are expected to ensure that you are available until the end of the teaching semester that is the final day of the official examination period.

Returning Assessment Tasks

Neurology and Orthopaedics OSCE: The results of the OSCE I will be returned to students, shortly after the exam, for feedback purposes. The results of the OSCE II will NOT be released, however students may request feedback on their performance. Marks will be incorporated into the final unit grade.
Examination: Papers will not be returned. Marks will be incorporated into the final unit grade.

Extensions and Penalties

Extensions to assignments are at the discretion of the unit convenor. It is your responsibility to prove to the convenor that there has been unavoidable disruption. Marks will be deducted for late submissions in the absence of an approved extension.

Grades

Achievement of grades will be based on the following criteria:

High Distinction: provides consistent evidence of deep and critical understanding in relation to the learning outcomes. There is substantial originality and insight in identifying, generating and communicating competing arguments, perspectives or problem solving approaches; critical evaluation of problems, their solutions and their implications; creativity in application.

Distinction: provides evidence of integration and evaluation of critical ideas, principles and theories, distinctive insight and ability in applying relevant skills and concepts in relation to learning outcomes. There is demonstration of frequent originality in defining and analysing issues or problems and providing solutions; and the use of means of communication appropriate to the discipline and the audience.

Credit: provides evidence of learning that goes beyond replication of content knowledge or skills relevant to the learning outcomes. There is demonstration of substantial understanding of fundamental concepts in the field of study and the ability to apply these concepts in a variety of contexts; plus communication of ideas fluently and clearly in terms of the conventions of the discipline.

Pass: provides sufficient evidence of the achievement of learning outcomes. There is demonstration of understanding and application of fundamental concepts of the field of study; and communication of information and ideas adequately in terms of the conventions of the discipline. The learning attainment is considered satisfactory or adequate or competent or capable in relation to the specified outcomes.

Fail: does not provide evidence of attainment of all learning outcomes. There is missing or partial or superficial or faulty understanding and application of the fundamental concepts in the field of study; and incomplete, confusing or lacking communication of ideas in ways that give little attention to the conventions of the discipline. In addition, a fail grade will be awarded in the event of inadequate tutorial attendance by the candidate, reflecting failure to complete the unit satisfactorily.

Assessment Tasks

Name	Weighting	Due
Neurology Mini-quizzes	10%	6/11/14
Orthopedics Written Assignment	10%	week 8
Neurology OSCE I	10%	Week 5
Orthopaedics OSCE I	10%	Week 6
Neurology OSCE II	10%	Week 13
Orthopaedics OSCE II	10%	Week 12
Neurological Screenings	0%	Week 13
Final Examination	40%	Exam period

Neurology Mini-quizzes

Due: 6/11/14
Weighting: 10%

The 9 mini-quizzes are available online on iLearn. They are all available from the start of the semester, and students can choose when to do them, but all 9 must be completed by week 13, 6 November at 5pm. The quizzes are based on the readings and the tutorial work for each week and therefore are best done week by week at the same time as the tutorial work is done. However, the only deadline for all of them is the one given above. Quizzes can only be attempted once.