To complete this unit, a written assessment task is required to be submitted. The written assessment aims to assess your theoretical and technical knowledge concerning musculoskeletal sonography. Aspects related to image interpretation, communication and the clinical application of sonography in either the shoulder or elbow will be assessed.

The assessment will involve answering questions related to either shoulder or elbow sonography. This assessment task will require you to answer four questions related to the practical and theoretical application of sonography in the region you have chosen. Questions will assess your understanding of musculoskeletal sonographic image interpretation, scan protocol, spatial understanding and the clinical applications of musculoskeletal sonography.

Please note when describing images, sonographic terminology must be used, for example, terms such as 'white' or 'black' should be replaced with 'hyperechoic' and 'anechoic'. All image labelling should be done by you, it is not acceptable to include pre-labelled images as this constitutes plagiarism. Image descriptions should be clear and concise, keeping in mind that you are trying to communicate an abnormal finding succinctly to another health care professional, hence the use of terminology appropriate to a health care setting. The assignment word limit is 1500 +/- 10% with marks being allocated for remaining within the word limit, correct referencing, figure/table descriptions and section headings. Referencing, figures/table descriptions and section headings are not included in the word count. 

Further information related to this assessment can be found on the Moodle site, with an outline of the assessment being provided during the Week 1 Zoom tutorial. 

The assessment task will be comprised of four questions with marks being awarded for each question as outlined below:

a. Describe, using sonographic terminology, what abnormalities of the shoulder/elbow are being depicted and explain and justify your answer. (25 marks)

b. Indicate five sonographic views which are included as part of a routine shoulder/elbow examination. (5 marks)

c. For the above views you have specified in part b, include images depicting ultrasound probe placement on the patient and the anatomy being displayed on each image. Please note the anatomy you have mentioned must be accurately indicated on the images by yourself. (20 marks)

d. Describe 3 abnormalities which can be assessed utilizing ultrasound (based upon your assessment task region). Please note each abnormality indicated must include at least 3 peer-reviewed references supporting the assessment of the abnormality you have specified. Please note different references must be used for each of the 3 abnormalities specified. (30 marks)

Your assignment will be assessed on;

1. The accuracy of your image descriptions and the justification of normal and abnormal findings you discussed using appropriate sonographic terminology.

2. The appropriateness of the sonographic views you select.

3. Sonographic images accurately correlating with your specified sonographic views, the accuracy and clarity of anatomical structures you indicate on the sonographic images and ultrasound probe placement accuracy.

4. The appropriateness of the shoulder or elbow clinical conditions you have selected i.e. can the clinical conditions discussed relate to the body region selected and can they be appropriately detected and demonstrated effectively with sonographic imaging?

5. The quality and variety of academic references selected to support the clinical conditions you have selected.

Marks will be awarded for correct referencing (10 marks) and assignment mechanics such as cohesiveness, punctuation and academic writing (10 marks).

An assignment rubric will be made available, with further information being provided in the assessment overview recording in week 1 and during the first zoom tutorial. These can all be accessed on the Moodle site.

During the residential school conducted on Monday of week 4, students are required, under the supervision of their tutor, to locate and then image the long head of biceps brachii tendon at the intertubercular groove. They will be assessed on correctly identifying the long head of biceps brachii tendon, with associated annotations. Students will also be assessed on how they conduct the examination in regards to patient care. This will be done by conducting a series of questions that will assess their knowledge This image and the series of questions will form the basis of the practical assessment with marks allocated based upon the provision of patient care and diagnostic quality of your image, taking into consideration imaging parameters such as; image plane, image depth, image gain and focal zone position. Students will save the image to the ultrasound unit, annotating the image with their name, student number and the date of assessment. Furthermore, during the residential school, you'll be shown the subacromial/subdeltoid bursa and the supraspinatus tendon by your supervising tutor.

This is a non-graded (pass/fail) assessment task being designed to examine students ability to implement patient safety and care. Also, students are marked on correctly interpreting sonographic anatomy and critically assessing the image they have generated with respect to equipment settings and anatomy displayed. You will be assessed on your ability to perform the following:

a. True short and long-axis images of the long head biceps brachii tendon

b. Appropriately optimised images

c. Correct identification of required structures to supervising tutor

d. Adequately describe a method to assess the stability of the long head of biceps tendon with consideration of patient history and clinical tests

A detailed marking rubric is available on week one of the Moodle site with further information related to the assessment outlined in the week one Zoom tutorial.