Unit rationale, description and aim
Having acquired sound understanding of the structure and function of the healthy human body, students are now ready to critically analyse changes that underlie, accompany, and result from various disease processes. This unit begins by introducing the molecular, cellular, and histological changes underlying the human body’s responses to pathologic stimuli, including inflammation, healing, haemodynamic and immunological derangements, and neoplasia. Students will then focus on understanding how specific organ systems respond to disease processes, with emphasis on National Health Priority areas such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, cancers, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, osteoporosis, and dementia. Relevant screening techniques and diagnostic protocols important for the prevention and diagnosis of these conditions will also be discussed. Successful completion of this unit permits students to progress to the later units that address pharmacological management of disease and equips them with the ability to find, critically analyse, and appraise current research aimed at finding novel ways to prevent, treat, or manage the discussed pathologies. The aim of this unit is to introduce biomedical scientists, nutrition scientists, and health care professionals to the most prevalent diseases affecting Australians.
Learning outcomes
To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.
Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.
Explore the graduate capabilities.
Explain how cells and tissues respond to pathologi...
Learning Outcome 01
Discuss the aetiology, pathogenesis, pathology, an...
Learning Outcome 02
Analyse and interpret diagnostic data of selected ...
Learning Outcome 03
Apply fundamental pathophysiological concepts to d...
Learning Outcome 04
Content
Topics will include:
Principles of pathology and pathophysiology
- Cell adaptation, injury, and death
- Inflammation and healing
- Haemodynamic derangements
- Immunological derangements
Musculoskeletal conditions
- Osteoporosis, rheumatoid- and osteoarthritis
Respiratory conditions
- Asthma, COPD
Cardiovascular conditions
- Atherosclerosis, hypertension, coronary artery disease, and stroke and their consequences
- Cardiac failure
Endocrine disorders
- Diabetes mellitus and metabolic syndrome
Renal disorders
- Glomerulonephritis
Principles of carcinogenesis; selected benign, pseudomalignant, and malignant tumours
Nervous system conditions
- Dementia and spinal injury
GI tract disorders
- Gastric and duodenal ulcers and cirrhosis of the liver
Reproductive conditions
- Polycystic ovarian syndrome and endometriosis
Immune and haemopoietic disorders
Selected autoimmune diseases and anaemias
Assessment strategy and rationale
The assessment tasks for this unit are designed to encourage students to demonstrate achievement of each learning outcome. There are ongoing formative assessments to provide feedback about students’ progress and learning, and three summative assessments described below. To pass the unit, students must demonstrate that they have achieved each learning outcome and obtained a total mark of 50% in the unit as the minimum standard.
Assignment 1 are tests (part A and part B). Part A is an online quiz and Part B will be an in-class test. These tests assess students’ understanding of the learning material.
Assignment 2 is an oral presentation. This assessment task requires students to reflect on the learning material, utilize their critical thinking skills, and showcase their presentation skills as well as their ability to search, access, and critically evaluate scientific information.
Assignment 3 is an interactive oral assessment based on a series of case studies. This assessment is designed to promote deeper learning by requiring students to articulate and apply pathophysiological concepts in real time. This format encourages critical thinking, reasoning, professional awareness, and scientific communication.
Overview of assessments
Assessment Task 1: Tests (Parts A and B) These a...
Assessment Task 1:
Tests (Parts A and B)
These assessments test students’ understanding of the learning material.
40%
Assessment Task 2: Oral Presentation The oral pr...
Assessment Task 2:
Oral Presentation
The oral presentation requires students to reflect on the learning material, utilize their advanced critical thinking skills, and showcase their oral communication skills as well as their ability to search, access, and critically evaluate scientific information.
20%
Assessment Task 3: Interactive oral assessment ...
Assessment Task 3:
Interactive oral assessment
This task is a real time oral assessment using case studies to deepen understanding of pathophysiology through critical thinking and scientific communication.
40%
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
This unit uses active learning to encourage students to understand the cause, progress, and consequences of the most important pathologies.
In weekly lectures, students’ questions, active participation, and feedback are encouraged. Lectures aim at helping students acquire the fundamentals of the pathology and pathophysiology and enable them to understand specific disease conditions that affect the human body.
In weekly workshops, students work collaboratively by engaging in activities such as problem-solving, discussion, and reading to promote analysis, synthesis, and critical evaluation of the learning material. Case studies will be used to provide an authentic approach so learners can read medical histories, propose diagnoses, analyse data, form an opinion, and draw conclusions regarding a person’s condition. These workshops serve to both assimilate and apply the knowledge relevant to the given week’s topic learning objectives.