Overview
This first work integrated learning unit builds on the knowledge, skills and professional behaviour developed during the Master of Laboratory Medicine course. Theoretical and technical knowledge will be applied to a professional work environment in a specialised field of diagnostic Medical Laboratory Science. You will perform technical skills and analyse the outcomes to meet the competencies and skills required of an entry-level Medical Laboratory Scientist. You will perform, and reflect on, safe operations and quality management in the medical laboratory, with due regard for legislation, regulation and accreditation. Behavioural aspects of professional practice are emphasised and you are expected to reflect on your own communication, decision-making and team-work skills. Critical appraisal of performance will enable you to attain competency in your professional, technical and analytical skills.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Pre-Requisites: LMED28001 Chemical Pathology 1 LMED28002 Haematopathology 1 LMED28003 Immunopathology 1 LMED28004 Infectious Diseases 1 LMED29002 Anatomical Pathology 1 LMED29001 Genomic Pathology 1 LMED29003 Transfusion and Transplantation Medicine 1
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 1 - 2025
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 Postgraduate 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.
- Apply knowledge of pathology, laboratory medicine procedures and quality management to practice competently as a Medical Laboratory Scientist
- Integrate and interpret laboratory data from various sources to solve problems, inform decisions and provide advice to other health professionals
- Behave professionally, consistent with safe practice, during interactions with clients and other health professionals
- Evaluate new, or adapted, laboratory protocols and procedures to enhance efficiency and efficacy of diagnostic testing in a medical science laboratory.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Practical Assessment - 0% | ||||
| 2 - Practical Assessment - 0% | ||||
| 3 - Professional Practice Placement - 0% | ||||
| 4 - Learning logs / diaries / Journal / log books - 0% | ||||
| 5 - Portfolio - 0% | ||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Knowledge | ||||
| 2 - Communication | ||||
| 3 - Cognitive, technical and creative skills | ||||
| 4 - Research | ||||
| 5 - Self-management | ||||
| 6 - Ethical and Professional Responsibility | ||||
| 7 - Leadership | ||||
| 8 - First Nations Knowledges | ||||
| 9 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | ||||
Textbooks
There are no required textbooks.
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
- ZOOM
- Sonia Online
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: Vancouver
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
g.burchall@cqu.edu.au
Placement period (210 hours)
Begin Date: 10 Mar 2025Module/Topic
This is a Clinical Placement Unit and as such you will be required to attend and complete placement for a total of 560 hours, between this unit and Clinical Placement 2.
Chapter
There are no set texts for this unit.
Events and Submissions/Topic
The actual placement schedule will differ for each student.
Placements will be arranged for each individual student by liaison with the School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences Clinical Placement Coordinator and the WIL officer via the Sonia Placement system.
Zoom 'Drop-in/Q&A' sessions will be scheduled at regular intervals (usually monthly) throughout the placement period to allow for contact with students whilst on placement. A placement site visit or teleconference will also be arranged early in your placement period (at approx. 4-6 weeks into your placement) by the placement coordinator to discuss your placement progress with your Clinical supervisor and yourself.
Assessment items are to be submitted at the conclusion of your placement.
TERM SPECIFIC INFORMATION
Contact information:
The Unit Coordinator for this unit is Genia Burchall and she can be contacted via e-mail, g.burchall@cqu.edu.au.
Pre-placement Checks & Preparation Session/Workshop:
Please note that all pre-placement checks must be completed prior to commencing placement; please confirm with the Work Integrated Learning (WIL) Officer that all pre-placement checks have been completed and approved in Sonia.
Professional Behaviour and Uniform:
On your placement, you are representing not only yourself, but the University as well as the profession as a whole. Professional representation and behavior is expected at all times.
Before commencing placement, you will also be required to attend a compulsory pre-placement preparation workshop (online), where you will receive relevant information to best support you in preparing for placement, including key aspects of professional behaviour you are expected to show during your professional placement period.
Please purchase the appropriate student uniform from the CQUniversity Bookshop. Black or navy long pants should be worn with the 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 and illness during placement: 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 (& ensure you communicate with your Clinical supervisor in the laboratory as soon as possible via phone, preferably on the morning of the day you cannot attend, to indicate you are unwell). 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 you will need to provide acceptable medical documentation for your absence, as stated above.
Students who are sick and / or injured and cannot attend work placement, in addition to notifying the Unit Coordinator (via email) and their Work Placement Supervisor (by telephone), and submitting a medical certificate (to the Unit Coordinator via email), will also need to make alternative arrangements to complete the remaining hours of work placement that are missed, after consultation with the placement provider and the Unit Coordinator.
Assessment Submission:
As each student has a different commencement date for placement, and as there are differences in terms of how students complete placement (ie full time vs part time), there are no set/specific due dates for assessments for placement, however deadlines based on the amount of time students have been on placement. Failure to submit by the due date (based on the relevant time completion for placement) will incur a late submission penalty.
If the following assessment tasks: COMPETENCY BASED STANDARDS FOR MEDICAL SCIENTISTS - PORTFOLIO PART 1, STUDENT SELF-EVALUATION OF PERFORMANCE & LEARNING LOGS / DIARIES / JOURNAL / LOG BOOKS, do not meet the minimum standard for a pass you will be given one opportunity to re-submit the assessment in question following the provision of feedback.
A final fail grade for any assessment task (with a minimum pass mark requirement) will result in an overall fail for the unit.
Student Performance and Evaluation during Placement & Learning (Probationary) Contract:
Performance evaluations of each student's performance will be carried out by the laboratory supervisor initially approximately halfway through the placement period (i.e. ~at/before the student has completed 280 hours of placement) and then again that the end of the placement period (i.e. following 560 hours of placement). The initial evaluation is a formal way to receive an assessment of the student’s progress approx. halfway through their placement, allowing the student to know their strengths and enabling improvement in areas of weakness before the final evaluation at the end of the full placement period. If a weakness is evident in the initial evaluation or the student demonstrates difficulty in progressing to competence at the level expected at a particular stage in a student’s training, the Clinical Supervisor along with the student and Unit Coordinator, will develop a Learning (Probationary) Contract which identifies specific areas of development, recommends remedial strategies and includes a time frame for completion. Competence is the ability to consistently perform professional procedures well. In order to accurately reflect competence, the evaluation will be judged at professional entry level but reflect the relative time period the student has been on placement. The student should take every opportunity during their placement to enhance their skill and knowledge but also let the Clinical Supervisor know if they do not feel they are ready for competency assessment or require further support during any period of their placement. The student can request one postponement of the evaluation and undertake preparation of a learning contract to remedy the situation. The placement coordinator may also initiate draw-up of a learning (probationary) contract should they feel that the student is not adequately taking every opportunity during their placement to enhance their skill and knowledge and/or seeking additional support in this regard. Students are also encouraged to familiarise themselves with the WIL polices surrounding circumstances that may warrant removal of students from placement (see 4.75-4.77 https://delivery-cqucontenthub.stylelabs.cloud/api/public/content/work-integrated-learning-policy-and-procedure.pdf).
1 Practical Assessment
Performance Evaluation/Appraisal while out on Practical Placement:
The Clinical Placement Supervisor is required to complete two (2) 'Evaluation of Student Performance' forms, one at the mid-point (midpoint evaluation) and the other at the completion of your placement (final endpoint evaluation, that will be assessed during Clinical Placement 2).
The evaluation forms are available online with the link provided by the Clinical Placements Officer at CQUniversity.
Your Supervisor should discuss your evaluation with you prior to submission; if your supervisor does not discuss your evaluation with you prior to submission then you are encouraged to contact the placement coordinator as soon as possible to discuss this evaluation, and ensure you are clear on the outcome of this evaluation and any improvements needed going forward in your placement.
Mid-point Performance Evaluation/Appraisal while out on Practical Placement; As each student has a different commencement date for placement, as there are differences in terms of how students complete placement (ie full time vs part time), we have not set specific due dates for this assessment, however deadlines based on time completion of placement. This assessment is due at/before you have completed 280h of placement
Feedback will generally be provided within two (2) weeks of submission.
Supervisor Evaluations
The Supervisor Evaluations are based on your professional behaviour whilst on practical placement and are a 6-point Likert Scale.
Any 'Disagree' or 'Strongly Disagree' evaluations on the first evaluation are to be addressed and improved upon before/by the final evaluation.
Five (5) or more 'Disagree' or 'Strongly Disagree' evaluations on the final evaluation will result in a FAIL.
To pass there must be at least 50% of the final supervisor evaluation as 'Agree' or 'Strongly Agree'.
- Apply knowledge of pathology, laboratory medicine procedures and quality management to practice competently as a Medical Laboratory Scientist
2 Practical Assessment
All students will be required to use the same Placement Evaluation form that the Clinical Placement supervisor uses (to assess your performance), and to complete a self-evaluation of your performance during the first part of your practical placement (at approx. 7-10 weeks into your placement). This is a great exercise for you as a student on clinical placement, to reflect on your knowledge, skills and professional behavior during placement, and to compare your self-evaluation with the supervisors’ evaluation of your performance. If there is a significant difference between the two evaluations, you are required to reflect on this difference and the potential causes associated with this and to apply any insights gained into future performance practices.
Student Self-Evaluation of Performance & Reflection on Supervisor Evaluation; As each student has a different commencement date for placement, as there are differences in terms of how students complete placement (ie full time vs part time), we have not set specific due dates for this assessment, however deadlines based on time completion of placement. This assessment is due at/before you have completed 280h of placement.
Feedback will generally be provided within two (2) weeks of submission.
Assess your professional behaviour whilst on placement using are a 6-point Likert Scale (From "Strongly Disagree" to "Strongly Agee"). Compare each of the Criterion of assessment to those indicated by your Clinical placement supervisor. Are there any significant differences noted? Why do you think this is the case if this/these are noted?
Please ensure that for this assessment you describe any differences (& you may also wish to discuss the similarities) noted between your evaluation and your Supervisor evaluation &/or feedback of your performance and reflect on potential causes of these, as well as future changes to practice for you going forward in your placement.
- Apply knowledge of pathology, laboratory medicine procedures and quality management to practice competently as a Medical Laboratory Scientist
3 Professional Practice Placement
The Attendance Record is maintained in Sonia Online and you are required to submit a 'time-sheet' for each attendance. You are required to indicate the start time and finish time and any meal break taken. You must demonstrate attendance for a minimum of 560 hours during the total duration of placement between Clinical Placement 1 and 2; 210h to be completed during Clinical Placement 1 (and a further 350h during Clinical Placement 2).
Note: The Attendance Record is to be competed regularly (ie weekly) via Sonia. It is a student's responsibility to submit their time-sheets regularly and to ensure they are aware of the time (number of weeks and/or hours) completed on placement to ensure they submit all assessments on time, and by the due date for them.
Attendance Record while out on placement
You are required to attend placement for a minimum of 560 hours across both Clinical Placement units; 210h to be completed during Clinical Placement 1 and a further 350h during Clinical Placement 2.
- Behave professionally, consistent with safe practice, during interactions with clients and other health professionals
4 Learning logs / diaries / Journal / log books
Throughout the clinical placement period you are required to keep a Learning Log and/or Journal and/or Log Book to note daily/weekly/regular tests, methods, meetings and other activities you participate in. Most tests/methods you are trained in are noted in a Laboratory Manual (and/or SOPs), however in your Learning Log/Diary/Journal/Log book you can make note of any key points in regard to the methods/tests or anything that has not been noted in the Lab Manuals/SOPs that will assist in your training and development of competency. Keep a record of meetings held and any notes from these. Reflect at least weekly on your time in placement and how you have developed your professional behaviour. What have you learnt new that week? Where have you made an(y) error/s and what can you do to improve going forward? What are you most proud of in terms of your professional development that week? As part of this assessment you can also submit draft/s of your Portfolio Competencies.
Use of Generative AI
The submitted assessment item must be your own work, and not written, prepared, or composed using Generative AI tools (GenAI/LLM). This includes the manipulation or analysis of images and data.
Note: Cutting and pasting of GenAI/LLM material into assessments may be considered contract cheating and/or plagiarism. If you have questions about the appropriate use of GenAI/LLM material, please speak with your unit coordinator and/or contact an ALC advisor.
Student are permitted to use Generative AI for this assessment in the following ways:
- Developing assessment response structure.
- Brainstorming assessment response ideas.
If Generative AI is used in any way, it must be cited as per the CQU Guidelines (Academic Learning Centre).
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 breach of academic integrity.
Your use of Generative AI must be clearly outlined in an appendix as a separate file which includes the prompt used and Generative AI response (in line with marking rubric). Failure to include an appendix may result in academic integrity investigation.
LEARNING LOGS / DIARIES / JOURNAL / LOG BOOKS; As each student has a different commencement date for placement, as there are differences in terms of how students complete placement (ie full time vs part time), we have not set specific due dates for this assessment, however deadlines based on time completion of placement. This assessment is due at/before you have completed 280h of placement.
Feedback will generally be provided within two (2) weeks of submission.
Submit your LEARNING LOGS / DIARIES / JOURNAL / LOG BOOKS noting regular reflections (as described in the Task Description above) (+/-drafts of competencies). You are required to complete at least one LEARNING LOG, OR JOURNAL ENTRY AND/OR COMP DRAFT on the final day of each week. The quantity of each submission will likely vary from one student to another, but it is expected that at least one (1) full page worth of content will be produced each week, to demonstrate sufficient progress in your placement learning and towards fulfillment of your Assessment 5 - Competencies Portfolio. Note that the focus will be more so on quality of submissions rather than quantity.
- Apply knowledge of pathology, laboratory medicine procedures and quality management to practice competently as a Medical Laboratory Scientist
- Integrate and interpret laboratory data from various sources to solve problems, inform decisions and provide advice to other health professionals
5 Portfolio
Based on the documents ‘Competency Based Standards for Medical Scientists, 2009’ and the ‘Scope of Practice of the Scientific Workforce of the Pathology Laboratory’ we have mapped the scope of practice and the competency-based standards to the two Work Integrated Learning/Clinical Placement units in the Master of Laboratory Medicine course.
During your Master of Laboratory Medicine you will need to complete two Clinical Placement units: Clinical Placement 1 and Clinical Placement 2, with a combined total of five hundred and sixty (560) hours duration. Each placement has been constructed to be aligned with the Competency Based Standards for Medical Scientists (2009) and tasks and activities are designed to assess you against these standards; Units 1-3 (Elements 1.1-1.6, 2.1-2.3, 3.1-3.4) will be assessed in the Clinical Placement 1 unit (while Units 4-10 - Elements 4.1-4.4, 5.1-5.4, 6.1-6.5, 7.1-7.4, 8.1-8.4, 9.1-9.4, 10.1-10.4, will be assessed in the Clinical Placement 2 unit).
Use of Generative AI
The submitted assessment item must be your own work, and not written, prepared, or composed using Generative AI tools (GenAI/LLM). This includes the manipulation or analysis of images and data.
Note: Cutting and pasting of GenAI/LLM material into assessments may be considered contract cheating and/or plagiarism. If you have questions about the appropriate use of GenAI/LLM material, please speak with your unit coordinator and/or contact an ALC advisor.
Student are permitted to use Generative AI for this assessment in the following ways:
- Developing assessment response structure.
- Brainstorming assessment response ideas.
If Generative AI is used in any way, it must be cited as per the CQU Guidelines (Academic Learning Centre).
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 breach of academic integrity.
Your use of Generative AI must be clearly outlined in an appendix as a separate file which includes the prompt used and Generative AI response (in line with marking rubric). Failure to include an appendix may result in academic integrity investigation.
Competency Based Standards for Medical Scientists (Portfolio Part 1); As each student has a different commencement date for placement, as there are differences in terms of how students complete placement (ie full time vs part time), we have not set specific due dates for this assessment, however deadlines based on time completion of placement. This assessment is due at/before you have completed 280h of placement.
Feedback will generally be provided within two (2) weeks of submission.
For this assessment you are required to review each of the Competencies based standards, including each of the elements associated with each unit, and reflect on how the tasks performed during your placement relate to each of these units/elements. Provide details for each element and describe what was done in the workplace that related to that element. Describe the circumstances and context around each element and provide practical examples (ie case studies, instrument printouts, etc) to demonstrate achievement of competency for each element.
Complete the Competency Based Standards to a minimum grade of 50%.
- Integrate and interpret laboratory data from various sources to solve problems, inform decisions and provide advice to other health professionals
- Evaluate new, or adapted, laboratory protocols and procedures to enhance efficiency and efficacy of diagnostic testing in a medical science laboratory.
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?
