CQUniversity Unit Profile.

This practical assessment examines your readiness to become a graduate level sonographer through the observation of your performance. You will demonstrate your ability to perform an ultrasound examination with minimal intervention, guidance, or correction by the assessor. The criteria assessed are that of the core minimum requirements for an accredited entry level graduate as defined by the Professional Competency Framework for Sonographers October 2021¹. The Australian Sonographers Accreditation Register (ASAR) requires graduate competencies in six (6) domains of practice. 

There are six (6) competency domains that are assessed:

• Vascular Arterial (Carotid, Aorta including Iliac arteries, Renal Arteries or Leg Arteries)
• Superficial structures (Testes)
• Breast (Female)
• Musculoskeletal (Shoulder)
• Abdomen
• Obstetric (18-22 Week Morphology OR 3rd Trimester Growth) AND Gynaecology (Female Pelvis Transabdominal and Transvaginal)

You must attempt to achieve the required competency level as described in the assessment criteria for three (3) of the six (6) competency domains. You must challenge the remaining three (3) domains not already completed in MESD20016. You must have achieved a total of seven (7) practical assessment competencies on completion of MEDS20016 and MEDS20017, one for EACH domain of practice, with the exception of two in the obstetrics and gynecology domain (one obstetric and one pelvis), with no two assessments in the same domain of practice.

The assessment must be attempted before the end of your clinical block. You must complete and Pass all six (6) domains of practice to be eligible to sit the on campus component assessment 4 OSCEs. If you have not logged the minimum required cases in the logbook, the competency will be assessed as a fail and you will only be allowed x1 re-attempt after the minimum number of cases is acquired. This will delay your abilty to sit the OSCE.  

NOTE: Before you can attempt a competency, you must log a minimum of ten (10) cases for that specific study. For example, if you intend on attempting a 18-22 week morphology competency, you must log a minimum of ten (10) completed 18-22 week morphology studies.

Your clinical supervisor, or delegate, will assess you using the standardised forms available in the "Assessments" tile on the Moodle unit. Print these forms and read them carefully so you understand the criteria that will be used to assess your sonographic skills and relevant theoretical knowledge. You should provide printed or electronic copies to your supervisor at the commencement of your placement and discuss the best time to complete this assessment. After the assessment ask for feedback so you can focus on improving your weaker areas.

If you do not meet the required competency level on your first attempt, you must seek detailed feedback from your assessor to critically reflect on and develop a strategy to improve your performance on the re-attempt. You must share your plan for improvement with your assessor and then re-attempt the assessment before the end of the clinical placement block.

Note: This assessment must be completed by a sonographer with a minimum of 2 years post-graduate qualification.

If you received a fail on your first attempt, you are permitted one (1) re-attempt in the competency domain that was failed with no more than two (2) attempts per domain. If a re-attempt is needed, submit the assessment documents from all attempts.

Level of GenAI use allowed: 

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

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

_{1. Professional Competency Framework for Sonographers [Internet] 2021 [Updated 2021 December 9, cited 2022 February 16]. Available from https://figshare.com/articles/online_resource/Professional_Competency_Framework_for_Sonographers/17148035.}

To successfully complete the competency at a Graduate Competent Level, you must achieve Level 3 on all assessment areas.

You can choose one (1) of the six (6) competency domains to be completed at an Advanced Beginner Level, allowing for circumstances where you may not have as much clinical exposure to a specific scan. If you choose to undertake a domain at an Advanced Beginner Level, to pass this competency, you must achieve Level 3 in patient communication and Level 2 or above in all other assessment areas.

You are permitted one (1) re-attempt in any competency domain that was failed with no more than two (2) attempts per domain. If you fail two (2) attempts for a competency domain, this will result in a fail for this assessment and this unit. (A fail in any assessment in MEDS20017 will result in a fail for the unit).

To pass this assessment:

• You must achieve the required competency level in the remaining three (3) of the six (6) competency domains not already undertaken in MEDS20016
• The assessment forms need to be completed and signed by your assessor before you submit in the unit Moodle site.

_{1. Childs J, Thoirs K, Quinton A, Osborne B, Edwards C, Stoodley P, et al. Professional Competency Framework for Sonographers [Internet]. 2021 Oct [cited 2022 Nov 18]. Available from: https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.17148035.v2}

As a healthcare professional, your attendance is relied upon for the provision of quality patient care. Your absence impacts service delivery and safe patient care. Achieving graduate level competency as a sonographer takes time, and guidelines indicate most students will take a minimum of 2000 hours and some may take longer. This logbook serves as a record of your clinical hours and the depth and breadth of experience you gained during placement. It shows how your skills have developed across different examination types. You should regularly review this record to help set learning goals that will support your achievement of the unit outcomes.

Compulsory Zoom Tutorial
As part of this assessment you must attend the compulsory first tutorial, Monday 6th July 2026 6:30pm AEST. Failure to attend may result in a fail for this assessment. Any assessment that is failed in a pass/fail unit will result in a fail for the unit.   

PART A: Clinical Placement Checklist 
All WIL Mandatory Checks must be completed and verified on SONIA before the start of your placement to be eligible to undertake this unit. If you are not WIL compliant or become WIL non-compliant in this unit you will be removed from your clinical placement until such time that you become WIL compliant. It is your responsibility to ensure that your SONIA checks do not expire whilst undertaking this unit. Failure to do so by the due date will result in an ineligibility to sit the OSCE and a delayed graduation. Failure to submit on time may result in a FAIL for this assessment. A fail in any component of a PASS/FAIL assessment will result in a fail for the unit.

Your clinical supervisor/s will need to complete the Clinical Placement Checklist to confirm that they understand the assessment requirements for this unit. This must be completed by your clinical supervisor/s by the end of the first week of your  clinical placement block. You are required to upload the checklist via the Clinical Placement Tile - Assessment 2 Clinical Placement Checklist on the Moodle Unit site.

PART B: Clinical Placement Attendance and Case Log 
As a health care professional, your attendance is relied upon for the provision of quality patient care. Your absence impacts service delivery and safe patient care. The electronic spreadsheet will be a record of your hours and examination performed. It is expected that you attend 100% of the time during your clinical placement to achieve the minimum requirement of sixteen (16) weeks of placement with a minimum 640 clinical attendance hours for this unit. The verify hours sheet of the document must be printed, verified, and signed by your clinical site supervisor (preferred), radiologist, a sonographer delegated by the clinical supervisor on a weekly basis. You must submit this document at the end of the clinical placement. Each day you are to enter the following details into the electronic spreadsheet; the date, hours worked, clinical site, any leave taken and leave type, the initials of the supervisor who signs your weekly verification.
You are required to record all ultrasound examinations you have either completed, partially performed or observed. Students are required to maintain a weekly log of cases performed to ensure accurate record keeping of all case studies performed, observed or participated in whilst on clinical placement.
Each case is categorised into one of the following domains:

•  Abdomen
•  Superficial Structures
•  Breast
•  Obstetrics and Gynaecology
•  Vascular
•  Musculoskeletalv
•  Other

You must record the type of examination by choosing the correct examination. Please note, obstetrics and gynaecology are ONE domain of practice but are separated entities in the logbook only for clarification of your records. You must fill in the date performed, patient ID number, ultrasound examination, participation (observe, partial or complete), indication for examination, differential diagnosis (DDx), reflection/comment and the case supervisors' initials.
You must also complete the Reflection component of the document at the end of your clinical placement hours. In each reflection, address the following topics:

• What was you expectation before your placement?
• What was you experience during placement (regarding supervision, clinical work, overall workload - academic and clinical, etc)?
• Major Achievements (clinical, academic, other) during your placement.
• Goals for next clinical unit. As this is the last clinical unit for CG91 this changes to Goals for my first year as a graduate sonographer. 

The Clinical Placement Attendance and Logbook form is available via the unit Moodle site. Information on how to complete this Clinical Placement Attendance and Logbook form is also available through the unit Moodle site. Please print the verify hours sheet which is to be signed and verified each week by your supervisor or person as delegated by your supervisor. Please read the form and information sheet carefully so you understand the criteria against which your logbook will be evaluated. It is the student's responsibility to ensure the Clinical Placement Attendance form is maintained and signed off weekly.

It is expected that you attend 100% of the time during your clinical placement to achieve the minimum requirement of sixteen (16) weeks of placement with a minimum 640 clinical attendance hours for this unit.

Any absences for a part or full day of placement (other than sick leave) or variance to the allocated clinical placement block dates are not permitted unless discussed prior with and approved by your unit coordinator and subsequently by your clinical supervisor. Failure to have approval for leave may result in a fail for this assessment and this unit. A fail in any assessment in MEDS20017 will result in a fail for the unit.

Public holidays can be logged as 8 hours worked and do not need to be made up.

If you are unable to attend your scheduled shift due to illness, you must inform your clinical supervisor and provide valid supporting documentation (e.g.,  Medical Certificate) explaining the reason for your absence during your clinical placement. You MUST also log the absence on SONIA.

Any absence for part or all of a working day must be made up after or during the clinical placement (e.g. Saturdays, extension of work day or week). You will need to discuss with your clinical placement site whether they can accommodate this for you. If you attend outside of your normal rostered hours you must still be under direct supervision. You must include any absences, lateness or early departures on the electronic Clinical Placement Attendance and Log Book . 

Outside Clinical Placement Hours 
You can submit 'Outside Clinical Placement' Hours on the electronic form as a record of the studies you completed and hours worked between the end of block 1, year 4 and the commencement of block 2, year 4. Further information "Clinical Placement" tile in the unit Moodle site.

Note: The 'Outside Clinical Placement' hours must be verified (signed) by an ASAR accredited sonographer, radiologist or or sonologist with the appropriate ultrasound qualification. Details of your insurance or employment, must be entered onto the 'Outside Clinical Placement' form. You must be WIL compliant for outside hours to be allowed.

As a healthcare professional, your attendance is relied upon for the provision of quality patient care.

The minimum required hours for CG91 is 2000. This is a minimum not a maximum. Some students may require longer clinical placement hours to reach graduate level competency. For this unit, you may submit outside of clinical placement hours accumulated from after your Year 2 placement block if they have not already been used for MEDS13006 or MEDS20016, or any hours accumulated between MEDS20016 and before the start of MEDS20017. However, these hours can only be used towards your clinical hours in exceptional circumstances where there is an unexpected shortfall of your clinical placement hours.
It is at the unit coordinator's discretion whether the hours can contribute towards your assessment requirement for this unit. See Moodle unit for further details and requirements
in relation to insurance and university approval.

Level of GenAI use allowed: 
Level 1: You must not use AI at any point during this assessment. You must demonstrate
your core skills and knowledge. 

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

To pass this assessment you must achieve the following minimum requirements by the end of this clinical placement:

1. Attend compulsory tutorial Monday 6th July 630 pm AEST. Attendance is compulsory for all students enrolled in MEDS20017 regardless if you are on a normal or delayed placement block. 

2. Upload the completed and signed 'Clinical Placement Checklist' form before the end of your first week of placement. Failure to submit on time may result in a fail for this assessment. A fail in any component of a PASS/FAIL assessment will result in a fail for the unit. The checklist is to be uploaded via the Clinical Placement Tile - Assessment 2 Clinical Placement Checklist on the Moodle Unit site. 

3. Complete three (3) of the remaining six (6) requirements below not already achieved in MEDS20016 Clinical Unit 3.

• Abdomen - 10 complete studies
• Superficial Structures ( testes) - 10 complete studies
• Breast (female ) - 10 complete studies
• Obstetrics (2nd trimester 18-22 week morphology or 3rd trimester growth scan) - 10 complete studies in the trimester you are attempting the competency in AND 10 complete studies Gynecology (female pelvis transabdominal and transvaginal ) 
• Vascular (carotid, aorta including iliac, renal arteries, or leg arteries) - 10 complete studies in the artery you are attempting the competency in 
• Musculoskeletal (shoulder) - 10 complete studies

4. Complete a minimum of sixteen (16) weeks with a minimum of 640 hours of clinical attendance. With a total minimum of 2000 hours for the CG91 course by the due date listed.

5. Document your clinical placement attendance and case logs accurately in your electronic 'Clinical Placement Attendance and Log Book'. Ensure your hours have been verified and signed every week and the  the entirety of the form has been completed, including the reflection,  otherwise it will not be marked. Any days away from your clinical site must also be documented.

As a medical sonography student, you are provided access to a professional workplace to gain clinical hands-on experience. It is expected that you conduct yourself in a manner that reflects the behaviours and attributes of a healthcare professional and presents a positive image to the staff and patients at the clinical facility. As a medical sonography student in Australia you are required to abide by the Code of Conduct for Medical Sonographers. Professional behaviour, particularly in terms of team work and empathy, which are key factors considered by clinical sites when employing sonographers.

This assessment is based on the 'Holistic Matrix' component of the Professional Competency Framework for Sonographers that is fundamental for sonographic practice.¹ You will be assessed on your ability to communicate professionally with patients and staff of diverse cultural backgrounds, demonstrate respect to all, and function as a reliable, well organised member of the healthcare team.

Your clinical supervisor, or delegate, will be observing your daily performance, and/or gathering feedback from supervising sonographers. These observations and feedback are based on your demonstrated knowledge, skills and behaviours over a period of time and are not limited to a specific scan or patient case. These observations and feedback are then used to complete the Global Assessment of Professional Attributes (GAPA) form provided.

There are four (4) main sections of the GAPA form:

• Section 1: Applied Knowledge
• Section 2: Psychomotor Skills (Scanning Skills) and Standard of Work
• Section 3: Professionalism
• Section 4: Privacy and Confidentiality 

In each section there are multiple observed behaviours that you are required to demonstrate throughout your placement. Your assessor will score your performance based on the frequency and extent you demonstrate each of these behaviours. Your assessor is encouraged to provide comments to expand on this scoring feedback.

The assessment occurs twice during the placement.

1. The first occurs at the mid-placement point, the end of week 8. The mid-placement GAPA is formative, which provides you and your unit coordinator with formal documented feedback on your performance without affecting your final grade. 

A formative GAPA may be completed by your clinical supervisor at any time, before or after the mid-placement GAPA if there are concerns with your performance. This formative GAPA will be emailed directly to the unit coordinator. If the mid-placement GAPA or any other formative GAPA is assessed as unsatisfactory, feedback will be provided to you, and you are expected to use that feedback to improve your performance.

2. The second or end-of-placement GAPA occurs towards the end of Week 16, the final week of the placement. The end-of-placement GAPA is summative and your final grade depends on how well you meet the performance targets listed in the assessment criteria.

The Mid and End GAPA form is available in the 'Assessment' tile on the unit Moodle site. Print these forms and read them carefully so you understand the criteria that will be used to assess your performance. You should provide printed copies to your clinical supervisor at the commencement of your placement. The form can also be electronically emailed to your clinical supervisor if preferred.

After each GAPA, find an appropriate time to discuss the score and comments with your clinical supervisor. Your clinical supervisor will both need to sign and date the assessment. Your clinical supervisor will provide you a copy of the completed assessment form. You will need to submit this through the unit Moodle site.

It is your responsibility to remind your clinical supervisor, at least a week in advance, to complete the assessment and schedule a meeting with him/her afterwards to discuss it before the assessment due date. This allows your supervisor to collect feedback and arrange for an alternate assessor if necessary.

If there are extenuating circumstances that prevent you from being assessed in time before the assessment due date, you must inform the unit coordinator in a timely manner and request an extension through the Moodle site.

It is your responsibility to ensure regular access to technology needed to submit the assessment by the due date. Failure to meet the requirements listed in the assessment criteria by the due dates, without an approved extension, will result in failing the assessment and the unit. (A fail in any assessment in MEDS20017 will result in a fail for this unit).

Any incidences of breaches in Privacy and Confidentiality are considered serious misconduct in accordance with the CQUniversity Student Misconduct Policy and as such will result in an immediate fail for this unit. Any breaches will also be reported to the university in accordance with the CQUniversity Misconduct Procedures and may result in expulsion from the course. 

Students are not permitted to use any AI tools on company or clinical computer systems. While AI tools may be used on personal devices, students must not enter any identifying information, including details relating to patients, staff, or the organisation, under any circumstances. If the use of AI tools is required or considered during a clinical placement, this may only occur through approved, company-authorised AI systems and only after obtaining prior permission from the clinical supervisor. Any breach of these requirements will be considered a violation of confidentiality and professional conduct.

PLEASE NOTE:

Occasionally, clinical sites may inform us of student behaviour that compromise the reputation of the clinical site and/or the university, and/or compromise patient/staff safety and wellbeing. In such cases, the student will be notified that he/she must stop attending the clinical site and discuss his/her position with the unit coordinator and the Head of Course. This may result in student behavioural misconduct procedures in accordance with the university's policies.

Level of GenAI use allowed: 

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

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

_{1. Childs J, Thoirs K, Quinton A, Osborne B, Edwards C, Stoodley P, et al. Professional Competency Framework for Sonographers [Internet]. 2021 Oct [cited 2022 Nov 18]. Available from: https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.17148035.v2}

You are very close to becoming a graduate sonographer and at this point it is now that the University observes its duty of care to moderate students performance in each domain of practice. This is to ensure safe practice and patient care in each graduate. 

For this assessment you will complete a professional, scanning clinical scenario and image interpretation component. This assessment task measures your ability to complete ultrasound examinations AND interpret images/patient data to formulate differential diagnoses in the following areas:

• Abdomen
• Superficial Parts
• Vascular (general)
• Obstetric & Gynaecology
• Breast
• Musculoskeletal
• Paediatrics
• Ultrasound physics

The professional and scanning clinical scenario component for abdomen, vascular and MSK will be conducted on your campus of enrolment during the OSCE week.  The obstetric VIVA component will be conducted online via zoom between the end of the official clinical placement block and OSCE week, from Monday 26th October to Friday 6th November 2026. The online image interpretation component will be broken down into three (3) online quizzes. They will be held one in each of the following weeks; week none (9), week fourteen (14) and the week beginning 9th November, OSCE week. Please refer to the unit Moodle site for detailed assessment dates, eligibility, and schedule information.

Level of GenAI use allowed: 

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

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

In order to undertake the final OSCE assessment clinical scenario components (professional, technical, and VIVA), you will have had to completed and passed all other assessment items (assessments 1,2,and 3). This assessment task will be carried out at your campus of enrolment - clinical scenario component (professional, technical and VIVA) for Abdomen, Vascular and MSK, the obstetric VIVA component will be conducted online via zoom, and the Breast VIVA carried out online on campus. 

Three (3) online image interpretation quizzes will be carried out in week 9: 31st August, week 14: 5th October, and the third online image interpretation quiz during OSCE week, 9th November on campus for eligible students and online for delayed students. The Breast VIVA component for those eligible to sit (see unit Moodle site for details) will be carried out online on campus during OSCE week, 9th November 2026. If required an extension can be applied for through the unit Moodle site. See Moodle site for details. The online breast VIVA for delayed students will be carried out when they undertake their delayed OSCE.

It is a requirement that all three (3) quizzes are attempted. Quiz 1 is worth 20% of the quiz assessment task grade. Quiz 2 is worth 40% of the assessment task grade. Quiz 3 is worth 40% of the assessment task grade. You must achieve a cumulative score of 70% across all three (3) quizzes to pass this component of the assessment. If you fail this assessment task and are not eligible for a re-sit quiz, this will result in a fail for this assessment task and because this is a pass/fail unit, a fail for the unit. If required an extension can be applied for through the unit Moodle site.

This is an individual task. Time limits for each quiz apply (see Moodle unit site for details). You are allowed ONE attempt at each quiz. The online quizzes must be completed by you, without assistance or collusion with others. Any evidence of collusion will be dealt with in adherence with the CQU student academic integrity policy and procedure.

You must make yourself available at your campus of enrolment for the duration of OSCE week for those that are eligible to undertake the OSCE. You must make yourself available for your scheduled online Obstetric VIVA as per the schedule on the Moodle unit site. Delayed students are not required on campus during this week.

You will demonstrate your ability to carry out each task in the examination to a level of graduate competency. The criteria for competent level, level 3, is that of the core minimum requirements for an accredited entry level graduate sonographer as defined by the Professional Competency Framework for Sonographers October 2021.¹ You will demonstrate knowledge of the sonographic appearance of pathology and pathognomonic signs and symptoms. You will be able to formulate differential diagnoses from a range of clinical information provided.

It is recommended that you engage in active revision of knowledge taking place within your year 4 clinical unit such as completing practice image interpretation questions, case study questions, presentation of case studies and attendance at zoom tutorials. You will also undertake your own revision of your sonographic specific units as required. You will demonstrate your critical thinking and clinical reasoning skills to a competent level, level 3.

Level 3:

• Has a good background knowledge and integrates knowledge into clinical practice
• Performance is natural and efficient and much of the scanning is intuitive and can be completed with other tasks
• Meets scanning protocol and only needs assistance in complex cases
• Consciously competent in skills - Skill mastery - the ability to routinely perform a sequence of skills without error, with complex or more uncommon findings still requiring assistance
• Able to utilise own judgement and seek assistance when required
• Emotional buy-in allows the learner to feel an appropriate level of responsibility to the patient
• Can adapt examinations/procedures, or act within situations by breaking concepts into parts, determining how the parts relate to an overall structure or purpose
• Can use clinical reasoning to readily identify pattern recognition of sonographic presentations and technical difficulties
• Sees the big picture
• Complex or uncommon findings still require reliance on analytic reasoning
• Demonstrates reflective practice
• Demonstrates clinical reasoning skills and knowledge of how sonographic examinations fits within best practices for the patient outcomes
• Has basic self-reflective skills and actively applies self-development

Please refer to the unit Moodle site for specific details regarding the assessment.

Any student who does not meet Level 3 - Competent Level, for each domain of the clinical skills component (professional and technical and 70% for VIVA) on the first attempt will be given the opportunity for one (1) reattempt of this domain and all components during the OSCE week. All three (3) components (professional, technical and VIVA) will need to be undertaken and passed.  Should a student not meet the Level 3 - Competent Level, on the second attempt, or 70% Pass for the VIVA the student will fail the assessment task OSCE and therefore fail this assessment and will receive an overall fail grade for the unit.

Any student who does not receive a pass in the online image interpretation component, however passes all of the scanning skills scenario components, will be provided an opportunity to undertake a re-sit  online image interpretation component within four (4) weeks of completing the OSCE. Any student that fails the subsequent online image interpretation re-sit component will receive a fail grade for the unit.

Any student that receives a fail in the scanning skills component will not be eligible for a re-sit of the online image interpretation component if required and will receive a fail grade for the unit.

PLEASE NOTE:

Due to some students having delayed placement/s starts, they will not be eligible to sit the OSCE during the OSCE week, these students will be offered a delayed OSCE at a later date, after the completion of all assessments. 

_{1. Professional Competency Framework for Sonographers [Internet] 2021 [Updated 2021 December 9, cited 2022 February 16]. Available from https://figshare.com/articles/online_resource/Professional_Competency_Framework_for_Sonographers/17148035.}