Overview
This is the first of two placement units within your course. In this unit, you will be placed within diverse healthcare settings in the regional communities of Central Queensland and the Wide Bay. The placements are observational in nature, and will provide you with experiential learning opportunities that will enable you to connect with regional communities. You will gain insight into the diversity and complexity of healthcare delivery in a regional context. You will gain an appreciation of the need to adaptively respond to uncertainty in the healthcare environment. You will learn about communication and cultural awareness in healthcare settings and further develop your personal and professional attributes. You will apply reflective practice to support your ongoing coursework studies. Mandatory on-campus learning activities at the Rockhampton and Bundaberg campuses form a key aspect of this unit.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Enrolment in the CM17 Bachelor of Medical Science (Pathway to Medicine) course
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 2 - 2026
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a pass/fail (non-graded) unit. To pass the unit, you must pass all of the individual assessment tasks shown in the table above.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback - Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from SUTE
Students reported that they enjoyed the Micro-credentials as it improved their understanding in these areas.
It is recommended that other Micro-credentials be reviewed for potential inclusion in the unit.
Feedback from Student feedback
Guest presenters made the sessions interesting and relevant to the students learning.
It is recommended that guest presenters are involved where possible to support student learning.
- Develop professional communication skills with patients and colleagues
- Reflect on your experiences of healthcare delivery in regional communities
- Reflect on your understanding of the role of healthcare professionals in community and clinical environments
- Identify professional practice factors that facilitate quality healthcare in a culturally safe environment
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Professional Practice Placement - 0% | ||||
| 2 - Reflective Practice Assignment - 0% | ||||
| 3 - Portfolio - 0% | ||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Communication | ||||
| 2 - Problem Solving | ||||
| 3 - Critical Thinking | ||||
| 4 - Information Literacy | ||||
| 5 - Team Work | ||||
| 6 - Information Technology Competence | ||||
| 7 - Cross Cultural Competence | ||||
| 8 - Ethical practice | ||||
| 9 - Social Innovation | ||||
| 10 - First Nations Knowledges | ||||
| 11 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | ||||
Textbooks
There are no required textbooks.
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
- SONIA
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing styles below:
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
r.clapperton@cqu.edu.au
Week 1
Begin Date: 13 Jul 2026Module/Topic
Two (2) pre-placement workshops.
Chapter
No textbook required for this unit.
Events and Submissions/Topic
The workshops will help prepare students for placement and will cover topics such as, but not limited to: what to expect on placement, how to make the most of time with providers, dressing and behaving professionally, etc.
Assessment 3: Reflective Writing Micro-credential. Due: Week 1 Friday (17th July 2026) 5.00 pm AEST
Week 2
Begin Date: 20 Jul 2026Module/Topic
Hospital induction - date and time to be confirmed by hospital staff.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment 1a: Pre-Placement Requirements. Due: Week 2 Friday (24th July 2026) 5.00 pm AEST
Assessment 1b: CQUniversity Student Conduct Quiz. Due: Week 2 Friday (24th July 2026) 5.00 pm AEST
Week 3
Begin Date: 27 Jul 2026Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment 3: Vital Signs Micro-credential. Due: Week 3 Friday (31st July 2026) 5.00 pm AEST
Week 4
Begin Date: 03 Aug 2026Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 5
Begin Date: 10 Aug 2026Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 6
Begin Date: 17 Aug 2026Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment 3: National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards Micro-credential. Due: Week 6 Friday (21st Aug 2026) 5.00 pm AEST
Vacation Week
Begin Date: 24 Aug 2026Module/Topic
Break week
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 7
Begin Date: 31 Aug 2026Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 8
Begin Date: 07 Sep 2026Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 9
Begin Date: 14 Sep 2026Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment 2: Reflective Practice Assignment.
Poster due: Week 9 Monday (14th Sept 2026) 5:00 pm AEST
Week 10
Begin Date: 21 Sep 2026Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment 2: Reflective Practice Assignment:
Presentation due Week 10:
BDG: Tuesday (22nd Sept 2026)
2:00 pm - 4:00 pm AEST (Room: 08/G.26)
ROK: Wednesday (23rd Sept 2026)
9:00 am - 11:00 am AEST (Room: 06/2.06)
Week 11
Begin Date: 28 Sep 2026Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment 3: NDIS - An Introduction Micro-credential. Due: Week 11 Friday (2nd Oct 2026) 5.00 pm AEST
Week 12
Begin Date: 05 Oct 2026Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment 1c: Placement Activities - should have been submitted by this point of term.
Assessment 1d: Placement Hours - should have been submitted by this point of term.
Assessment 3: Portfolio Due: Week 12 Friday (9th Oct 2026) 5:00 pm AEST
Exam Week
Begin Date: 12 Oct 2026Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Vacation/Exam Week
Begin Date: 19 Oct 2026Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Contact Information:
The Unit Coordinator for BMSC11013 is Roslyn Clapperton. You can contact the unit coordinator using a number of pathways:
- The discussion forums on the Moodle site; or
- Through email: r.clapperton@cqu.edu.au
Pre-placement Checks:
Please note that all pre-placement checks must be completed prior to commencing placement. Please confirm with the Clinical Placement Officer that all pre-placement checks have been completed and approved in SONIA.
Observational Placement Information:
There are no prescribed textbooks for this unit, and any associated readings, content and/or activities will be uploaded to the unit Moodle site and students informed when this occurs. Students will be required to attend mandatory workshops prior to attending their observational placements. Students will then undertake a minimum of 30 mandatory hours for observational placement in either a hospital setting and/or a community health setting. Placements will be arranged by CQUniversity and will be ideally undertaken early in Term 2.
Professional Behaviour and Uniform:
On your placement you are representing yourself, the University and the profession, so professional behaviour is required at all times. Please purchase the appropriate student uniform from the CQUniversity Bookshop. Black or navy long dress pants are to be worn with the CQUniversity polo shirt and enclosed shoes are also required. Ensure that you have a current student ID card, and also purchase a clear badge holder from an office supply store to fit your ID card. Place your student ID card into the badge holder and wear this as your name identifier during the placement.
Absenteeism:
Work placement is an integral part of the course. If you are unable to attend your scheduled placement for any reason, please advise the Work Integrated Learning Officers of the School of Health, Medical and Applied Science as soon as possible before the start of the scheduled placement.
Medical certificates: In case you are unable to attend any part of your placement due to sickness, please submit a medical or health related certificate to the Unit Coordinator as soon as practical. Medical or health-related certificates must be in the approved formats articulated in the CQUniversity Assessment Policy and Procedure (HE Coursework).
In the event that your condition could harm or negatively impact either yourself or those around you (e.g. put you at risk of exacerbating an injury, or pass on viral or bacterial infections to other students and staff) you will be sent home and and you will need to provide acceptable medical documentation for your absence, as stated above. Students who are sick and / or injured and cannot attend more than three (3) days of work placement must notify the Unit Coordinator and their Work Placement Supervisor by e-mail or telephone. They should then submit a medical certificate to the Unit Coordinator via email. In such events, alternative arrangements to complete the remaining hours of work placement may be made after consultation with the placement provider and the Unit Coordinator.
Assessment Submission:
If an assessment task does not meet the minimum standard for a pass you will be given one opportunity to re-submit the assessment following the provision of feedback. A final fail grade for any assessment task will result in an overall fail for the unit.
1 Professional Practice Placement
Part A: Pre-Placement Requirements
Due: Friday 24th July 2026
Prior to attending observational placements, all students are required to complete all pre-placement checks and attend all mandatory face-to-face preparatory workshops in week 1 and 2, including a hospital induction. Any student who has not completed their preplacement checks and attended the preparatory placement workshops will not be eligible to attend placement. Once all pre-placement requirements have been confirmed, the Work Integrated Learning (WIL) team will send an email confirming that all documentation has been satisfied. Students are required to save this confirmation email as a PDF and upload this to the Assessment 1a link.
Level of GenAI use allowed:
Level 1: You must not use AI at any point during the assessment - the uploading of the confirmation email in PDF format into the assessment link.
The 72-hour grace period does not apply to this part of the assessment.
Part B: CQUniversity Student Conduct Quiz
Due: Friday 24th July 2026
Prior to attending observational placements, all students are required to read the CQUniversity Student Conduct Policy and Procedure and complete the associated quiz. Any student who has not completed this quiz and achieved the 100% pass rate will not be eligible to attend placement.
Level of GenAI use allowed:
Level 2: You may use AI for planning, idea development, and research. Your final submission should show how you have developed and refined these ideas.
The 72-hour grace period does not apply to this part of the assessment.
Part C: Placement Activities
Due: Within one (1) week of completing placement hours.
Whilst on placement students are to complete five (5) activities from the list provided on the Moodle site. There are two (2) compulsory activities that all students need to complete, and then the remaining three (3) can be selected based on the types of observational placements that you attend. Please ensure that you thoroughly read the task summary provided on the Moodle site. All five (5) activities need to be submitted within one (1) week of completing the required observational placement hours, and failure to do so will incur a late submission penalty.
Level of GenAI use allowed:
Level 2: You may use AI for planning, idea development, and research. Your final submission should show how you have developed and refined these ideas.
Part D: Placement Hours
Due: Within one (1) week of receiving confirmation of placement hours email.
Each student must demonstrate a minimum of 30 hours of observational placement. Your attendance and time spent with each placement provider will be confirmed by the Work Integrated Learning (WIL) team involved in organising the placements. Once the minimum 30 hours of placement have been confirmed, the WIL team will send an email confirming that the required hours for placement have been satisfied. Students are required to save the confirmation email as a PDF and uploaded this to the Assessment 1d link.
Due to the flexible nature of how clinical placements are scheduled, the due dates for submission of the PDF document confirming completion of hours will be individual. It must be submitted within one (1) week of receiving the confirmation of placement hours email, and failure to do so will incur a late submission penalty.
Level of GenAI use allowed:
Level 1: You must not use AI at any point during the assessment - the uploading of the confirmation email in PDF format into the assessment link.
Assessment Submission:
If any assessment task does not meet the minimum standard for a pass you will be given one opportunity to re-submit the assessment following the provision of feedback. A final fail grade for any assessment task will result in an overall fail for the unit.
Please review the due dates outlined with each part of Assessment 1 above.
Feedback will generally be provided within two (2) weeks of submission.
You are required to:
- Submit PDF of email confirming all pre-placement checks were completed on time;
- Achieve 100% on the CQUniversity Student Conduct quiz;
- Select five (5) workplace activities from the list provided and submit completed activities;
- Attend placement for a minimum of 30 hours and submit the confirmation email as PDF documentation.
- Develop professional communication skills with patients and colleagues
- Reflect on your experiences of healthcare delivery in regional communities
- Reflect on your understanding of the role of healthcare professionals in community and clinical environments
- Identify professional practice factors that facilitate quality healthcare in a culturally safe environment
2 Reflective Practice Assignment
The Reflective Practice Assignment is an opportunity for you to demonstrate how observational placement has enhanced your understanding of the role that healthcare professionals have in both the community and/or clinical environments. This assignment also provides you with an opportunity to reflect on your observations as to how healthcare is delivered in regional communities. Please review the Task Summary document and associated marking guide/rubric for specific details about the assessment task on the Moodle site.
For this assessment task you are required to create an informative and visually engaging poster, that outlines, but is not limited to:
- Introduction:
- State the observational placement setting - where, duration, purpose
- Identify one (1) personal goal or learning objective that you had prior to attending the placement
- Key Experience:
- Describe one (1) specific observation or interaction (maintaining confidentiality)
- Identify:
- Types of healthcare professional(s) involved
- Setting (e.g., community or clinical)
- Focus on what you observed about practice and interactions rather than stating what was done
- Reflection and Insight (core component):
- What did you learn from this experience?
- How did it shape your understanding of:
- Healthcare delivery in regional communities (e.g., access, teamwork, resourcefulness)
- The role of healthcare professionals (e.g., communication, collaboration, patient-centred care)
- Briefly note your initial reaction to the situation (e.g., surprised, challenged, inspired) and why
- Personal and professional growth (core component):
- One (1) or two (2) key skills or insights gained and how it linked to what you knew already, or not
- One (1) area for your future improvement and development
- How this experience will influence your future practice or learning
- Conclusion (a key takeaway):
- What this experience taught you about regional healthcare
- Why it was valuable to your development
The poster needs to be submitted by 5pm on Monday of Week 9 (14th September 2026) in preparation for the poster presentation early in week 10. Please check your CQU schedule for where and when the presentations will be held.
Level of GenAI use allowed:
Level 2: You may use AI for planning, idea development, and research of your presentation. Your final presentation submission should show how you have developed and refined these ideas. This is a personal reflection on your experiences, therefore GenAI use is not allowed for the personal reflection aspects of the poster.
The 72-hour grace period does not apply to this assessment.
Assessment Submission: If the assessment task does not meet the minimum standard for a pass you will be given one opportunity to re-submit the assessment following the provision of feedback. A final fail grade for any assessment task will result in an overall fail for the unit.
The Reflective Practice Assignment is to be submitted 9am on Monday of Week 9 (14th September) in preparation for a poster presentation early in week 10.
Feedback will generally be provided within two (2) weeks of the presentation.
Marks for this assignment will be awarded as per the rubric/marking guide provided on the Moodle site, which will include criteria such as the following, but not limited to this:
- Ability to reflect on your experiences of healthcare delivery in regional communities
- Ability to reflect on your understanding of the role of healthcare professionals in the community and clinical environments
- Application of appropriate terminology
- Clear, articulate and logical communication of content
- Poster graphics, visuals, layout, use of headings, readability, etc.
- Grammar, spelling, punctuation and language
- Reflect on your experiences of healthcare delivery in regional communities
- Reflect on your understanding of the role of healthcare professionals in community and clinical environments
3 Portfolio
An electronic portfolio can be used to keep track of your proficiencies and skills. This portfolio can be used to showcase your experience, skills, achievements and knowledge that you gain during your studies in BMSC11013. You are required to include all study certificates, "artifacts" of reflective writing, and any other documents completed during the term within this portfolio. The portfolio link is provided in the Assessment tile for all students to post documents as each one is completed during the term.
Four (4) healthcare and/or professional related Micro-credentials will be released progressively throughout the term on the BMSC11013 Moodle site. You will be required to complete each Micro-credential within two weeks of release and submit the completion certificate as evidence that you have successfully passed the assessment requirements of the Micro-credential. With each completion certificate you will also provide a short reflection relating to the Micro-credential using the "What? So what? Now what?" framework of reflection. Please review the Task Summary document and associated marking guide/rubric for specific details about the assessment task on the Moodle site. The Micro-credentials will cover topics such as:
- Reflective writing - Due: Week 1 Friday (17th July 2026) 5:00 pm AEST
- Vital signs - Due: Week 3 Friday (31st July 2026) 5:00 pm AEST
- National safety and quality health service standards - Due: Week 6 Friday (21st Aug 2026) 5:00 pm AEST
- National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) - An introduction - Due: Week 11 Friday (2nd Oct 2026) 5:00 pm AEST
Assessment Submission: At the end of term you will need to ensure that all documents submitted during the term for BMSC11013 can be found within the Portfolio link provided in the Assessment tile. Any missing documents will mean that the assessment task does not meet the minimum standard for a pass and you will be given one (1) opportunity to re-submit the assessment following the provision of feedback. A final fail grade for any assessment task will result in an overall fail for the unit.
Level of GenAI use allowed:
Level 2: You may use AI for planning, idea development, and research. Your final submission should show how you have developed and refined these ideas.
Completion certificate evidencing a pass grade and relevant reflections are to be uploaded within two (2) weeks of each Micro-credential release. By end of term - all of these certificates and reflections, plus all other documents submitted during the term for BMSC11013 are to be included in the portfolio for submission.
Feedback will generally be provided within two (2) weeks.
Ensure that all documentation completed for BMSC11013 is included. This includes, but is not limited to:
- All Micro-credential certificates and related reflections;
- All other reflection activities;
- All other PDF documentation of completed activities
- Develop professional communication skills with patients and colleagues
- Identify professional practice factors that facilitate quality healthcare in a culturally safe environment
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
