¾«¶«´«Ã½app

Staffing

Examiner:

Requisites

Pre-requisite: BIO2108 and (BIO2104 or BIO2107)

Other requisites

Students should be enrolled in the Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Science, Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences, Bachelor of Biology (Human Physiology), Associate Degree of Medical Laboratory Science.

Rationale

Molecular diagnostic testing has evolved over the last 20 years and is now considered one the most progressive and rapidly growing areas in medical laboratory science and biomedical research. Traditional methods employed in medical diagnostics have been complemented and/or replaced by molecular assays. This course is designed for students who have completed introductory courses in Haematology, Medical Microbiology and Immunology and Molecular Diagnostics and will explore the theory and application of molecular techniques across various disciplines of clinical pathology, including immunology and infectious diseases, genetic diseases, oncology and haematology. This course will not only provide the student with enhanced understanding of molecular diagnostics, but also with practical skills that may be utilised as they transition into the medical laboratory environment.

Synopsis

This course will explore the following four major themes: the status of molecular diagnostic testing and its future, molecular testing in immunology and infectious disease, molecular testing in genetic disease, and molecular testing in cancer and haematology. This course contains a mandatory two-day residential school for both external and on-campus students. The practical component of the residential school will focus on utilising molecular diagnostic techniques in immunology and infectious disease testing and in diagnosis of specific human genetic diseases. Tutorials will extend the student's knowledge by providing problem-solving tasks, case studies and/or journal article discussions.

Objectives

Topics

Text and materials required to be purchased or accessed

Reference materials

Student workload expectations

Assessment details

Important assessment information

1. Attendance requirements:
   
   Both external and on-campus students must attend the mandatory residential school. It is the students' responsibility to attend and participate appropriately in all activities (such as lectures and tutorials) scheduled for them, and to study all material provided to them or required to be accessed by them to maximise their chance of meeting the objectives of the course and to be informed of course-related activities and administration. Student (external and on-campus) attendance at the residential school is mandatory (non-attendance will mean the student cannot pass the course). The residential school delivers the practical component for the semester, students must attend and actively participate in the residential school and maintain a satisfactory record of practical activities and results.
   
   Students must attend and complete the requirements of the Workplace Health and Safety training program for this course where required.
   
   
2. Requirements for students to complete each assessment item satisfactorily:
   
   Due to COVID-19 the requirements for S2 2020 are:
   To satisfactorily complete an individual assessment item a student must achieve at least 50% of the marks for that item.
   
   Requirements after S2 2020:
   To satisfactorily complete the laboratory report and case studies assignments, a student must achieve at least 50% of the weighted mark. To satisfactorily complete the exam a student must achieve at least 40% of the weighted mark.
   
   
3. Penalties for late submission of required work:
   
   Students should refer to the Assessment Procedure (point 4.2.4)
   
   
4. Requirements for student to be awarded a passing grade in the course:
   
   Due to COVID-19 the requirements for S2 2020 are:
   To be assured of receiving a passing grade a student must achieve at least 50% of the total weighted marks available for the course.
   
   Requirements after S2 2020:
   To be assured of receiving a passing grade a student must obtain at least 50% of the total weighted marks available for the course (i.e. the Primary Hurdle), and have satisfied the Secondary Hurdle (Supervised), (i.e. the end of semester examination by achieving at least 40% of the total marks (Part A + Part B) available for that assessment item) and must have satisfied the Secondary Hurdle (Proficiency), (i.e. the laboratory report by achieving at least 50% of the marks available for that assessment item).
   
   Supplementary assessment may be offered where a student has undertaken all of the required summative assessment items and has passed the Primary Hurdle but failed to satisfy the Secondary Hurdle (Supervised), or has satisfied the Secondary Hurdle (Supervised) but failed to achieve a passing Final Grade by 5% or less of the total weighted Marks.
   
   To be awarded a passing grade for a supplementary assessment item (if applicable), a student must achieve at least 50% of the available marks for the supplementary assessment item as per the Assessment Procedure (point 4.4.2).
   
   
5. Method used to combine assessment results to attain final grade:
   
   The final grades for students will be assigned on the basis of the weighted aggregate of the marks obtained for each of the summative assessment items in the course.
   
   
6. Examination information:
   
   Due to COVID-19 the requirements for S2 2020 are: There is no examination in this course.
   
   Requirements after S2 2020:
   CLOSED: Candidates are allowed to bring only writing and drawing instruments into a closed examination.
   
   
7. Examination period when Deferred/Supplementary examinations will be held:
   
   Due to COVID-19 the requirements for S2 2020 are:
   There is no examination in this course, there will be no deferred or supplementary examinations.
   
   Requirements after S2 2020:
   Any Deferred or Supplementary examinations for this course will be held during the next examination period.
   
   
8. ¾«¶«´«Ã½app Student Policies:
   
   Students should read the USQ policies: Definitions, Assessment and Student Academic Misconduct to avoid actions which might contravene ¾«¶«´«Ã½app policies and practices. These policies can be found at .
   
   

Assessment notes

1. Students must familiarise themselves with the USQ Assessment Procedures (.
   
   
2. Referencing in assignments must comply with the Harvard (AGPS) referencing system. This system should be used by students to format details of the information sources they have cited in their work. The Harvard (APGS) style to be used is defined by the USQ library’s referencing guide. This guide can be found at .
   
   
3. As part of the mandatory residential school, students may be expected to complete a combination of laboratories, practical classes and assessment as advised by the course examiner.
   
   

Evaluation and benchmarking

In meeting the ¾«¶«´«Ã½app’s aims to establish quality learning and teaching for all programs, this course monitors and ensures quality assurance and improvements in at least two ways. This course:
• conforms to the USQ Policy on Evaluation of Teaching, Courses and Programs to ensure ongoing monitoring and systematic improvement.
• forms part of the Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Science and is benchmarked against the [choose one or all of the following]
• internal USQ accreditation/reaccreditation processes which include (i) stringent standards in the independent accreditation of its academic programs, (ii) close integration between business and academic planning, and (iii) regular and rigorous review.
• professional accreditation standards of the Australian Institute of Medical Scientists (AIMS).
• comparative activities and performance of the Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Science at the Queensland ¾«¶«´«Ã½app of Technology.

Other requirements

1. Computer, e-mail and Internet access:
   Students are required to have access to a personal computer, e-mail capabilities and Internet access to UConnect. Current details of computer requirements can be found at .
   
   
2. Students must be willing to undertake and submit the requirements of the ¾«¶«´«Ã½app of Southern Queensland and Queensland Health for clinical placement. These include: evidence of Hepatitis B immunity’.
   
   
3. The residential school delivers the practical component for the semester and students must attend and actively participate in all laboratory sessions and maintain a satisfactory record of practical activities and results.