This unit includes a combination of performance-based and applied assessment tasks designed to evaluate clinical competency, decision-making, and professional practice readiness. Assessments are aligned with the unit learning outcomes and professional accreditation standards.

Assessment Overview:

Standardised Clinical Case Exam (45%) Conducted during the formal exam period, this assessment evaluates clinical reasoning and competency using a standardised case-study format. Students will be required to demonstrate diagnostic and application of clinical management skills within a set timeframe.

Objective Structured Clinical Exam (OSCE) (20%) The OSCE, scheduled for Week 13, evaluates students’ practical clinical assessment and decision-making skills across a series of structured stations. It also includes assessment of students’ understanding and interpretation of outcome measures and their relevance in clinical practice.

Pre-Clinical Management Junior Internship (35%) (Hurdle requirement) This work-integrated task requires students to complete a comprehensive patient assessment, establish a working diagnosis, and formulate an appropriate care plan. It is a hurdle requirement and must be passed to successfully complete the unit. Students will participate in a junior internship period—potentially extending across the mid-semester break, during which they must demonstrate competency in clinical activities, patient interaction, and assessment. This assessment must be completed by Week 12.

Mastery Register (0%) (Hurdle requirement) The Mastery Register comprises essential clinical skills deemed critical for safe chiropractic practice. Competence must be demonstrated in all listed skills. Although this task does not carry a numerical weighting, it is a hurdle requirement and must be passed to successfully complete the unit. This assessment must be completed by Week 12.

Additional Information:

• Hurdle Requirements: Students must meet the minimum required standard in all hurdle tasks (Pre-Clinical Management Junior Internship and Mastery Register) to pass the unit.
• Feedback: Timely feedback will be provided for all assessable tasks.
• Special Consideration: Students unable to complete assessment tasks due to serious and unavoidable circumstances must apply for special consideration via the official university process.

To pass this unit, you must demonstrate sufficient evidence of achievement of the learning outcomes, meet any ungraded requirements, and achieve a final mark of 50 or better.

All final grades are determined by a grading committee, in accordance with the Macquarie University Assessment Policy, and are not the sole responsibility of the Unit Convenor.

Students will be awarded a final grade and a mark which must correspond to the grade descriptors specified in the Assessment Procedure (clause 127-8).

Further details for each assessment task will be available on iLearn.

Students enrolled in this unit,  are required to participate in a range of face-to-face learning activities, including lectures, tutorials, and clinical attendance. These activities are designed to support development of clinical reasoning, practical skills, and professional competence.

Detailed schedules, learning resources, and updates are available on the iLearn site for this unit.

Recommended Text: Bickley, L.S. (2003). Bates' Guide to Physical Examination and History Taking. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

To actively engage in learning activities, students are expected to have access to a tablet, laptop, or similar device for in-class and independent study tasks. If students do not own a suitable device, laptops are available for loan from the University Library.

Social inclusion at Macquarie University is about giving everyone who has the potential to benefit from higher education the opportunity to study at university, participate in campus life and flourish in their chosen field. The University has made significant moves to promote an equitable, diverse and exciting campus community for the benefit of staff and students. It is your responsibility to contribute towards the development of an inclusive culture and practice in the areas of learning and teaching, research, and service orientation and delivery. As a member of the Macquarie University community, you must not discriminate against or harass others based on their sex, gender, race, marital status, carers' responsibilities, disability, sexual orientation, age, political conviction or religious belief. All staff and students are expected to display appropriate behaviour that is conducive to a healthy learning environment for everyone.

In the Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, professionalism is a key capability embedded in all our courses.

As part of developing professionalism, students are expected to attend all small group interactive sessions including clinical, practical, laboratory, work-integrated learning (e.g., PACE placements), and team-based learning activities. Some learning activities are recorded (e.g., face-to-face lectures), however you are encouraged to avoid relying upon such material as they do not recreate the whole learning experience and technical issues can and do occur. As an adult learner, we respect your decision to choose how you engage with your learning, but we would remind you that the learning opportunities we create for you have been done so to enable your success, and that by not engaging you may impact your ability to successfully complete this unit. We equally expect that you show respect for the academic staff who have worked hard to develop meaningful activities and prioritise your learning by communicating with them in advance if you are unable to attend a small group interactive session.

Another dimension of professionalism is having respect for your peers. It is the right of every student to learn in an environment that is free of disruption and distraction. Please arrive to all learning activities on time, and if you are unavoidably detained, please join activity as quietly as possible to minimise disruption. Phones and other electronic devices that produce noise and other distractions must be turned off prior to entering class. Where your own device (e.g., laptop) is being used for class-related activities, you are asked to close down all other applications to avoid distraction to you and others. Please treat your fellow students with the utmost respect. If you are uncomfortable participating in any specific activity, please let the relevant academic know.