91832 Professional Experience in Medical Science 2
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particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source
of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.
Subject handbook information prior to 2025 is available in the Archives.
Credit points: 6 cp
Result type: Grade and marks
There are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.
Anti-requisite(s): 91553 Professional Experience in Medical Science 2 AND 94680 Entering Professional Life (6cp) AND 94681 Entering Professional Life (8cp)
Description
This subject is the second in a series that provides students with the opportunity to gain 'real-world' work experience in order to prepare them as employment-ready graduates. This subject provides approved professional experience within a (bio)medical science service provider, in the private or public sector. It is designed to provide students with appreciation of the technical, organisational, social, cultural, ethical and legislative dimensions of workplace practice in science. It focuses on the skills and attributes required in a successful application for a job, workplace practices, self-analysis of current skills, attributes and learning needs, effective written and oral communication skills, application and extension of knowledge, and technology proficiency.
This subject aims to provide students with an opportunity to extend their knowledge and experience gained through their previous placement and their university studies, in order to further develop as professional scientists. Students experience the entire business process, including work, health and safety, quality assurance and quality control, sample handling, processing and storage, data reporting, stake holder interaction, as well as technical and experimental procedures.
This subject may provide a competitive advantage for future employment.
Subject learning objectives (SLOs)
Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)
This subject also contributes specifically to the development of following course intended learning outcomes:
- Explain how diseases arise and disrupt normal physiological function and appraise the technologies used to diagnose, treat, and cure diseases. (1.1)
- Collect, accurately record, interpret, and draw conclusions from data to solve real-world medical problems, and infer how the results of medical research can be translated to improve patient outcomes. (2.1)
- Evaluate ethical, social, and cultural issues in medical science in local and global contexts and work responsibly, safely and with respect to diversity and regulatory frameworks. (3.1)
- Reflect upon, independently evaluate, and critically appraise current evidence-based literature to identify medical problems or unmet medical needs and creatively translate medical research results to improve the clinical care of patients. (4.1)
- Effectively communicate medical science knowledge and research information, and the importance thereof, to a range of audiences using a variety of modes, independently and collaboratively. (5.1)
Contribution to the development of graduate attributes
Professional Experience in Biomedical Science 2 is designed to be taken after Stage 3 in Medical Science, Biomedical Science, or Biotechnology, but can be taken at a later time. This subject builds on Professional Experience in Biomedical Science 1 (91552), as well as complementing stage 5 and 6 subjects, including Haematology 2, Clinical Bacteriology, Medical and Diagnostic Biochemistry, and Biochemistry, Genes and Disease. You will be able to use your theoretical knowledge and advanced laboratory skills learned in previous subjects in a professional setting.
This subject is designed to be taken after successful completion of Professional Experience in Biomedical Science 1 (91552), and provides you with the opportunity to extend your practical and theoretical knowledge gained though University studies and to expand on your previous professional placement (91552). While each placement will be different, you may have the opportunity to select one laboratory specialty and increase your knowledge focusing on your scientific interest of choice.
You will develop:
- Disciplinary knowledge. Through real-world industry experience you will have the opportunity to develop an understanding of the modern diagnostic laboratory, and prepare yourself as an employment-ready graduate.
- Research, inquiry and critical thinking. As you carry out tests and experiments during your day-to-day work experience, you will have the opportunity to develop critical and independent thinking in the analysis of results. You will draw on your in-class knowledge to understand the basis for diagnostic assays, and use an inquiry-based approach for trouble-shooting.
- Professional, ethical and social responsibility. Through working in a pathology laboratory, you will have the opportunity to appreciate and develop the professional, ethical and social responsibilities inherent in the healthcare system.
- Reflection, Innovation, Creativity. You will be encouraged to reflect on your current skills, your learning experiences and the skills developed during your placement.
- Communication. Throughout the subject, you will have the opportunity to develop your communication skills as you interact with co-workers within a professional setting, and prepare assessment tasks for this subject.
Teaching and learning strategies
This Professional Experience subject provides you with the best of an off-campus learning environment with continued access to all the on-campus support structures. You will have the opportunity to learn in a real-world work place. You will work off-campus within a public or privately run (bio)medical laboratory, completing 140 hours of work, which is nominally 20 days of 7 hours work per day. You will have the opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills you have learnt in your University study to a real-world environment, and at the same time adapt and develop these existing skills and learn new ones. You are encouraged to reflect on your experience, self-assess your current skills and knowledge, and learn from your workplace experiences so as to facilitate development of your self-directed learning skills.
While in the work place you are invited to make contact with other students in the subject, either at the same host organisation or others, and develop a network for collaboration and support.
You are encouraged to use the UTS language support service, HELPS, as well as the UTS Careers Service, during preparation of your assessment tasks. Also, the UTS Library website has information that may be of use to you during your placement. Your subject coordinator can help you with resources on working in teams, preparing oral presentations, and time management, and resources can be found on UTSOnline. Assessment tasks have preparation guidelines, marking criteria and rubrics available on UTSOnline in order to help you maximise the quality of your work.
A brief report on your perceived progress, achievements, strengths and weaknesses will be requested from your workplace supervisor upon completion of your professional experience placement. This report may be provided to you as a developmental guide, in agreement with the workplace supervisor.
Assessment
Assessment task 1: Initial Check-in
| Intent: | This assessment task contributes to the development of the following graduate attributes:
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|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This assessment task contributes to the development of course intended learning outcome(s): 1.1, 2.1, 3.1 and 4.1 |
| Type: | Reflection |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 10% |
| Length: | 350 words. |
| Criteria: | The assignment will be assessed for your ability to:
A marking rubric for this assessment task will be available on UTSOnline. |
Assessment task 2: Revised Job Application
| Intent: | This assessment task contributes to the development of the following graduate attributes:
|
|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This assessment task contributes to the development of course intended learning outcome(s): 1.1, 2.1, 3.1, 4.1 and 5.1 |
| Type: | Reflection |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 35% |
| Length: | CV not to exceed three (3) A4 pages. Cover letter not to exceed one (1) A4 page. Statement of claims maximum 3 pages. Self reflection 300 words. Recommendation 150 words. |
| Criteria: | The assignment will be assessed for your ability to critically analyse, reflect and effectively communicate the key learning experiences and skills you developed during your placement. Your revised job application will be marked according to the following criteria:
A marking rubric for this assessment task will be available on UTSOnline. |
Assessment task 3: Video Log and Self-reflection
| Intent: | This assessment task contributes to the development of the following graduate attributes:
|
|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This assessment task contributes to the development of course intended learning outcome(s): 1.1, 3.1, 4.1 and 5.1 |
| Type: | Presentation |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 30% |
| Length: | The vlog is a maximum of 5 minutes. Your self-reflection is 350 words. |
| Criteria: | The assignment will be assessed for your ability to communicate effectively and present your professional experience learning opportunity to a varied audience, including a prospective employer. Your video log will be marked according to the following criteria:
|
Assessment task 4: Supervisor's report
| Intent: | This assessment task contributes to the development of the following graduate attributes:
|
|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This assessment task contributes to the development of course intended learning outcome(s): 1.1, 2.1, 3.1 and 5.1 |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 25% |
| Length: | A pro forma is used, and will be sent to your host organisation supervisor(s) by your subject coordinator. |
| Criteria: | You will be assessed by your supervisor on:
|
Minimum requirements
You are expected to attend all 140 hours (20 days) of professional experience. If you are absent from an agreed (timetabled) professional experience day, you must advise your workplace supervisor at the earliest practicable time. A medical certificate must be produced to explain the absence, and given to the subject coordinator. Other reasons will be assessed on merit at the time. Another suitable time must be organised with the host organisation to make up time missed because of illness or misadventure.
Any assessment task worth 40% or more of the final, total assessment mark for the subject, requires you to gain at least 40% of the mark for that task. If 40% is not reached, a fail grade (X) may be awarded for the subject, irrespective of an aggregate mark of greater than 50% for the subject.
In order to pass the subject, you must attain at least 50% of the collective total marks.
Recommended texts
As this is a professional experience subject there is no essential text. However, you are encouraged to keep up-to-date with relevant published material, including journal articles, and method reports by suppliers of consumables and reagents.
Recent textbooks relevant to the area of professional experience, for example microbiology or biochemistry, may also be of assistance in this subject. Many relevant textbooks are available in the UTS Library.