Unit Synopsis
On completion of this unit, you will be able to evaluate the evidence base for biochemical tests used in the diagnosis and management of diseases in the major organ systems of the body. Problem solving and decision making skills will be developed through use of authentic case studies. Skill development in instrument calibration, best practice measurement, interpretation of test results and test quality control monitoring will occur through practical exercises. You will be required to attend a residential school at the biochemistry laboratory on the Rockhampton campus.
Details
| Level | Undergraduate |
|---|---|
| Unit Level | 3 |
| Credit Points | 6 |
| Student Contribution Band | SCA Band 2 |
| Fraction of Full-Time Student Load | 0.125 |
| Pre-requisites or Co-requisites |
Pre-requisites: BMSC12010 Clinical Biochemistry and (BUSN11016 Introduction to Study and Professional Practice or BMSC11003 Introduction to Medical Sciences). 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). |
| Class Timetable | View Unit Timetable |
| Residential School |
Compulsory Residential School View Unit Residential School |
Unit Availabilities from Term 2 - 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 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.
Assessment Tasks
| Assessment Task | Weighting |
|---|---|
| 1. Case Study | 20% |
| 2. Laboratory/Practical | 0% |
| 3. Practical Assessment | 30% |
| 4. Examination | 50% |
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of ‘pass’ in order to pass the unit. If any ‘pass/fail’ tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully (‘pass’ grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the ‘assessment task’ section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%).
Past Exams
All University policies are available on the Policy web site, however you may wish to directly view the following policies below.
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of policies are available on the Policy web site .
Term 2 - 2024 : The overall satisfaction for students in the last offering of this course was 31.25% (`Agree` and `Strongly Agree` responses), based on a 58.62% response rate.
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.
Source: Student Feedback
Heavy Content
It's essential to note that the standardized content has remained consistent with previous years and adheres to established guidelines, ensuring alignment with accreditation standards, therefore, it can only be changed if required necessary. While I acknowledge the need for simplicity and increased clarity, there are limitations in significantly reducing the actual content due to accreditation requirements. Nevertheless, our teaching team is committed to making the content more plausible and approachable without compromising the necessary depth and standards. We will explore ways to enhance the clarity and presentation of the material to facilitate better understanding.
The unit content has been reviewed and refined while ensuring compliance with accreditation requirements. The unit coordinator has focused on improving clarity and accessibility without compromising the necessary depth and standards.
Source: Student Feedback
Use of guest lecturers
There were concerns about the use of guest lecturers in the context of this being an unactioned item from students`previous feedback. Upon my recent arrival at the university, joining mid-year (when the term had already been started), due to staff movements and the departure of the previous lecturer, the college decided to utilize previously recorded guest lectures from the previous term set by my predecessor for continuity. In recognition of the workload associated with this transition, a new lecturer was specifically tasked to focus on delivering pre-designed tutorials in accordance with the study questions. It is understandable that this arrangement may not have been clearly communicated to all students, leading to concerns about the use of guest lecturers. This feedback highlights the importance of communication, and I am committed to improve transparency in conveying such arrangements in the future. I believe that open and regular communication is vital, especially during periods of staff movements or transitions.
The unit coordinator has incorporated new lectures and updated materials, with a focus on improving engagement and enhancing the overall learning experience for future iterations. Guest lectures have been kept to a minimum and are included only when necessary.
Source: Student Feedback and self reflection
Anxiety over invigilated exam
It's important to note that the university has historically employed invigilated exams as an exam format in line with accreditation standards. The online exams were implemented temporarily during the COVID situation. This year, the decision was made to return to invigilated exams as the primary assessment method. I understand that this change may induce anxiety, as students are transitioning back to this format. To address these concerns, I am committed to providing support by orientating students to the invigilated exam process. This will include detailed guidance, and information sessions to help them feel comfortable and prepared for the upcoming exams
Recognizing the potential anxiety over invigilated exams the unit coordinator has started providing support through briefing sessions that will explain the exam format in detail, offering guidance on what to expect and helping students feel prepared for the upcoming exams.
Source: SUTE
Some students indicated that practical in-class assessment needed more time for completion.
Assess the suitability of the current time allocation for practical assessment and modify it if required.
In Progress
Source: SUTE
The automated instrument had a technical issue during the residential school so students were unable to use it for their practical tasks.
Assess ways to improve the reliability of the technical instrument for residential school delivery, through upgraded servicing or replacement with new equipment.
In Progress
Source: SUTE & self reflection
Adding more case studies to the residential school would improve students' learning and better prepare them for the practical class test.
Consider including more case studies in residential school
In Progress
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
- Explain the various processes involved in biochemical method evaluation, interpretation and development
- Explore the limitations of laboratory procedures, regulatory aspects including external quality assurance and accreditation bodies
- Describe the rationale and clinical correlation of specialised biochemical tests used in the detection and monitoring of processes affecting the major organ systems
- Demonstrate skills in the use of biochemical instrumentation, including specimen handling and test processing in automated systems and institution of appropriate corrective action as required in response to errors in automated instrumentation function
- Evaluate biochemical clinical cases to derive a provisional diagnosis.
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 1 - Case Study | • | • | |||
| 2 - Laboratory/Practical | • | ||||
| 3 - Practical Assessment | • | • | |||
| 4 - Examination | • | • | • | • | |
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 1 - Communication | • | • | • | • | |
| 2 - Problem Solving | • | • | • | • | |
| 3 - Critical Thinking | • | • | • | • | |
| 4 - Information Literacy | • | • | • | • | • |
| 6 - Information Technology Competence | • | • | |||
| 8 - Ethical practice | • | • | • | ||
| Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 10 | |