CQUniversity Unit Profile.

Rationale

In the clinical context, health professionals are expected to have in-depth knowledge and understanding of pathophysiological processes and their interrelationships. Demographic trends indicate a rise in aging populations alongside increasingly complex morbidities, necessitating a thorough grasp of healthcare dynamics.  This assessment requires you to construct links between pathophysiology, etiology, risk factors, clinical presentations, and diagnosis; reflecting the level of comprehension essential for effective clinical communication. You must be able to give evidence-based advice within your scope of practice to educate patients and address healthcare disparities.

Task

You will be provided with an authentic clinical case study on the Moodle site. You are required to identify information within the case study which is relevant to the aspects of the disease process. You are then required to complete a written response to questions related to your case study to demonstrate your understanding of the links between pathophysiology, etiology, risk factors, clinical manifestations, and diagnosis. 

Guidelines to complete the written response and the marking rubric will be available on the Moodle site.

Level of GenAI use allowed:

Level 3: You may use AI to assist with specific tasks such as drafting text, refining and evaluating your work. You must critically evaluate and modify any AI-generated content you use. 

In developing your assignment, you should consult peer-reviewed journal articles and referenced textbooks. Extensive use of non-peer-reviewed sources of information is strongly discouraged.

If Generative AI is used in any way, it must be cited as per the CQU Guidelines (Academic Learning Centre). The following statement must be completed and included on the front page of the uploaded assessment:

"I have used (insert technology) to (insert how you used this) in accordance with the requirements of this unit. The reason I used this was to (explain why you used it). The details of how I used it as (insert how). I hereby declare that the submission is an appropriate representation of my individual skills and abilities to meet the requirements of the task/s."

As per academic writing requirements and assessment criteria, citations of information should be of the primary source (i.e. statistics returned by AI must be fact-checked and referenced from their original source as well as the AI source). Failure to cite primary sources as well as AI sources could be considered a breach of academic integrity. 

Your use of Generative AI must be clearly outlined in an appendix including the prompt used and Generative AI response. Failure to include an appendix may result in academic integrity investigation. 

Your submission will be assessed according to a detailed marking rubric which is available on the Moodle site.

Assessments submitted after the 72-hour grace period with no approved extension will incur a penalty of 5% per calendar day, from the end of the grace period.

Rationale

The group case discussions aim to bridge theoretical knowledge with practical application, fostering a comprehensive understanding of healthcare challenges. Through diverse case scenarios, students will enhance their collaborative skills which are essential in healthcare practice. Engaging in active discussions and subsequent presentations promotes critical thinking and effective communication; preparing students to navigate complex clinical scenarios with confidence and competence.

Task

This assessment consists of 10 weekly interactive clinical case study sessions held on-campus from Week 2 through Week 11. The purpose of these sessions is to bridge theoretical knowledge with practical application, allowing you to develop essential collaborative, critical thinking, and clinical reasoning skills in a low-stakes environment.

Each weekly session is worth 10 marks and is split into two distinct, policy-compliant components to measure both your teamwork and your individual comprehension:

1. Group Case Analysis & Submission (6 Marks — Group Grade): You will be randomly allocated to a collaborative team each week and assigned a clinical case scenario. Within your team, you will analyse the case, apply pathophysiological concepts, and answer targeted clinical questions. Your team must submit your completed responses online via Moodle within the first hour of the session, including appropriate citations of your source information (5 marks). All active members of the group receive the same mark for this component. Following submission, students will participate in a presentation of their findings to practice professional oral communication skills (1 mark).
2. Individual Comprehension Checkpoint (4 Marks — Individual Grade): At the conclusion of the peer presentations and group discussions, every student will independently complete a brief, automated quiz on Moodle via their own device. This checkpoint features standard, pre-determined questions based on the core clinical themes of that week's case studies. This ensures complete equity across the cohort and verifies your individual grasp of the material without relying on ad-hoc tutor questioning.
Attendance is mandatory. Students who do not attend a session will receive 0 marks for both components of that week's activity unless a formal application for a make-up session is approved with valid documentation.

Level of GenAI use allowed:

Level 1: You must not use Al at any point during the assessment. You must demonstrate your core skills and knowledge.

The 72-hour grace period does not apply to this assessment. 

Written Group Response (5 marks)
The written group response will be assessed using a marking key. Marks will be awarded for the accuracy and completeness of responses to the case study questions, including the appropriate application of pathophysiological concepts, clinical reasoning, and use of supporting evidence where required.

Group Presentation (1 mark)
Students will receive 1 mark for presenting their group's findings and contributing to the class discussion.

Individual Comprehension Checkpoint (4 marks)
The individual Moodle quiz will assess each student's understanding of the key concepts and clinical reasoning addressed during the session. Marks will be awarded based on the number of correct responses.

You will be required to complete an end-of-term online test in class. This online test will assess all content covered throughout the term from weeks 1 to 12. The test will be composed of different question types that will assess your understanding and application of key concepts discussed in the unit. More information regarding this assessment will be made available to students on Moodle. 

Level of GenAI use allowed:

Level 1: You must not use Al at any point during the assessment. You must demonstrate your core skills and knowledge.

The 72-hour grace period does not apply to this assessment. 

Each question will be allocated a specific number of marks. Questions will be marked as per marking scheme.