Clinical medicine, often regarded as the backbone of the healthcare industry, plays a vital role in diagnosing, treating, and caring for patients. It’s a field that requires not only knowledge but also compassion, critical thinking, and continuous learning. Aspiring medical professionals and students seeking a career in clinical medicine must navigate a complex journey to reach their goals. A key aspect of this journey is understanding the various clinical medicine course outlines available to them. In this blog, we will explore different course outlines and programs that cater to individuals with diverse educational backgrounds and career aspirations.
Clinical Medicine Course Outline
Let’s start by examining a general clinical medicine course outline. This course typically provides students with a broad understanding of medical sciences, clinical skills, and patient care. The curriculum may include:
- Introduction to Clinical Medicine
- Medical Ethics and Professionalism
- Anatomy and Physiology
- Pathophysiology
- Pharmacology
- Clinical Diagnosis
- Internal Medicine
- Surgical Skills
- Pediatrics
- Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Psychiatry
- Elective Clinical Rotations
- Clinical Research
This foundational course equips students with the fundamental knowledge and skills necessary for further specialization in the medical field.
Course Outline for Clinical Medicine Diploma
A Clinical Medicine Diploma program is designed for students who seek a shorter, more focused path to becoming a healthcare professional. This program generally includes core subjects such as:
- Introduction to Clinical Medicine
- Medical Terminology
- Anatomy and Physiology
- Medical Ethics
- Basic Pharmacology
- Clinical Procedures
- Medical Records Management
- Healthcare Communication
- Clinical Practicum
A diploma in clinical medicine is an excellent choice for those who wish to enter the healthcare workforce more quickly or seek to explore entry-level healthcare positions.
- BSc Clinical Medicine Course Outline
A Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Clinical Medicine is a more comprehensive and academically rigorous program. This course typically includes a wide range of science-based subjects, and students often have the option to specialize in a particular area of clinical medicine. The course outline may consist of:
- General Biology
- Chemistry
- Organic Chemistry
- Biochemistry
- Anatomy and Physiology
- Pharmacology
- Clinical Diagnosis
- Medical Research Methodology
- Medical Ethics
- Clinical Specializations (e.g., Cardiology, Dermatology, Neurology)
- Internship or Clinical Rotations
A BSc in Clinical Medicine is an excellent choice for those who aspire to become physicians, physician assistants, or engage in clinical research.
- Medical School Course Outline
The pinnacle of medical education is undoubtedly medical school, where students undertake an extensive and demanding curriculum. A medical school course outline is designed to prepare students for licensure and a career as a practicing physician. The curriculum usually spans four years and is broken down into two stages:
- Preclinical Curriculum:
- Anatomy
- Physiology
- Biochemistry
- Pharmacology
- Pathology
- Medical Ethics
- Behavioral Sciences
- Clinical Curriculum:
- Internal Medicine
- Surgery
- Pediatrics
- Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Psychiatry
- Emergency Medicine
- Clinical Rotations
- Electives
In addition to rigorous coursework, medical students participate in clinical rotations, gaining practical experience under the guidance of experienced physicians. Upon completing their studies and passing board exams, they earn a Doctor of Medicine (MD) or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) degree.
Specific entry requirements
Objectives
The course aims to provide knowledge of common clinical conditions within ethics, surgery, internal medicine, orthopaedics, neurology and rheumatology, and relates to the general learning outcomes of the whole Study Programme in Physiotherapy. After the course, the students should have acquired a good basis in medical subjects.
Learning outcomes
On completion of the course, the student should be able to
Identify, name and describe common clinical conditions
Account for the treatment of common clinical conditions
Account for the arguments for and against different treatment options for clinical complaints
Identify, describe and apply common ethical theories
Content
The course is given in collaboration with the following specialities: Ethics 0.5 week, surgery 0.5 week, medicine 0.5 week, neurology 1.5 week, orthopaedics 1.5 week, rheumatology 0.5 week.
Orthopaedics
The main contents consist of fractures, diagnostics and treatment of arthrosis, hip, diseases and injuries of the knee joint, the foot, shoulder and elbow, child orthopaedic diseases and injuries, diseases and injuries of the hand, amputation and prosthesis supply, cord diseases, ligament injuries and other traumatic soft tissue injuries.
Neurology
The neurology module of the course recapitulates parts of neuro-anatomy and comprises basic disease theory, neurological status and localisation. It deals with medical history, status findings and treatment of neurological conditions such as cerebrovascular diseases, neuro inflammatory diseases, epilepsy and motion disorders. Strong emphasis is placed common conditions such as head-ache, dizziness and central and peripheral paresis. The teaching is mainly given via lectures.
Rheumatology
The main contents consist of subdivision, occurrence and definition of rheumatoid arthritis, the spondylarthritis diseases, ankylosing spondylitis, reactive arthritis and psoriatic arthritis, articulate and extra-articulate findings and symptoms, diagnostics, laboratory examinations, function analysis and treatment.
The most important manifestations, and something about the treatment of SLE, Systemic sclerosis, Polymyosit and Dermatomyositis, Sjögren’s syndrome and polymyalgia rheumatica, are presented.
Medicine
The main contents consist of clinic, diagnostics and treatment of bronchial asthma and chronic obstructive lung diseases, respiratory insufficiency, pneumonia, pleurisy, tuberculosis, lung cancer and tools, angina pectoris, acute heart attack, pulmonary edemas, arrythmias, heart failure, diabetes mellitus and the metabolic syndrome, deep venous thrombosis, pulmonary embolisms, arterial emboluses
Surgery
The main contents consist of common surgical diseases, examination methods, treatment and surgeries and their complications with an emphasis on post-operative mobilisation and respiration. Comprises (general) surgery, traumatology, urology, vessel and plastic surgery, anaesthesia, post-operative pain alleviation and pain alleviation in chronical conditions.
Ethics
The main contents consist of key ethical theories, analysis and argument around ethical issues and ethical problems in healthcare.
Teaching methods
The teaching mainly consists of whole-class lectures mixed with patient demonstrations. In the course, whole-group lectures are mixed with group discussions and common discussions of example cases. The cases will highlight both general ethical problem in healthcare, and situations of special relevance for physiotherapists. Attendance and active participation is taken for granted.
Examination
The course is examined according to the following:
- Written examination with questions based on patient cases. The questions relate to the respective subject area.
- The ability to identify and describe clinical conditions based on knowledge that is acquired during the course is tested.
- Active participation in oral presentation of an ethical problematic case.
For a Pass grade course, it is required that the pass level has been achieved in all subjects.
In case of failure in the regular examination, the student is given the opportunity to return to a make-up examination during the same semester. Thereafter, the student is given the possibility to be taken an examination at two occasions each semester in connection with regular and retake opportunity, the future semesters. If the student has carried out six failed examinations/test be given no additional examination. At missed oral presentation of ethical problematic case, written supplementary assignment is given.
Transitional provisions
An examination will be made available for a period of one year in the event of the course being discontinued or a new course syllabus being devised.
Other directives
Course evaluation
Course evaluation is conducted according to the guidelines established by the Board of Education and based on established evaluation routines within the programme.
The course will not be credited in a degree together with another course the student has completed and passed which completely or partly corresponds to the contents of this course.
