Overview
This unit is an introduction to the theory and practice of basic soft tissue ultrasound imaging and is appropriate for science graduates and allied health / medical professionals wishing to use ultrasound as a focused diagnostic tool at the point of care. The unit will interest students engaged in, or studying towards, managing soft tissue injury and pathology, and is also useful to anyone who has interest in musculoskeletal imaging. You will develop knowledge of musculoskeletal ultrasound with emphasis on interpretation of anatomical structures, biomechanics, and pathology. You will study a range of anatomical structures and pathology which can mimic musculoskeletal conditions.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Co-requisite:MEDS20009 Science and Instrumentation of Ultrasound
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 - 2020
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.
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.
Feedback from Unit coordinator reflection.
Students found the academic level of the assessment new and difficult.
Include an additional zoom tutorial in week two of the unit on the assessment requirements. Recommend to students that they submit a draft assignment for feedback before final assignment submission.
Feedback from In calss feedback.
Unit moodle site easy to navigate.
Ensure any revision of the unit moodle site does not add to the complexity of site navigation.
- Describe general anatomy, biomechanics and pathophysiology of the musculoskeletal system and related structures
- Differentiate normal and simple abnormal ultrasound appearance of the musculoskeletal system and related structures
- Differentiate ultrasound appearance of the musculoskeletal system from anatomical structures and pathology of other body systems
- Interpret static and dynamic diagnostic ultrasound images to provide a provisional differential diagnosis.
This unit will not require external accreditation but will apply to appropriate profession specific bodies for recognition for Continuing Professional Development (CPD) related to Basic Soft Tissue Ultrasound.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
1 - Online Test - 0% | ||||
2 - Written Assessment - 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 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures |
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | |
1 - Online Test - 0% | ||||||||
2 - Written Assessment - 0% |
Textbooks
Ultrasound of the Musculoskeletal System
Edition: First (2007)
Authors: Stefano Bianchi and Carlo Martinoli
Springer-Verlag
New York New York , New York , USA
ISBN: 978-3-540-28163-4
Binding: eBook
Additional Textbook Information
A digital copy of the prescribed text is available as a free download from the CQUniversity library.
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
- Camera and microphone for attending Zoom tutorials
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: American Psychological Association 6th Edition (APA 6th edition)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
m.fenech@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Zoom tutorial Tuesday 6pm AEST (Australian Eastern Standard Time).
Module/Topic
Chapter
Chapter 1 of prescribed text available from the library (digital copy) as a free download.
Prescribed Textbook
Ultrasound of the Musculoskeletal System 1 (2007)
Authors: Stefano Bianchi and Carlo Martinoli
Additional readings and lectures on course Moodle site.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Chapter 2 of prescribed text.
Additional readings and lectures on course Moodle site.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Zoom tutorial Tuesday 6pm AEST.
Module/Topic
Chapter
Chapter 3 of prescribed text.
Additional readings and lectures on course Moodle site.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Chapter 3 of prescribed text.
Additional readings and lectures on course Moodle site.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Zoom tutorial Tuesday 6pm AEST.
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Lectures and notes on Moodle site.
Additional readings and lectures on course Moodle site.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Zoom tutorial Tuesday 6pm AEST.
Module/Topic
Chapter
Chapter 4 of prescribed text.
Additional readings and lectures on course Moodle site.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Zoom tutorial Tuesday 6 pm AEST.
Module/Topic
Ligaments
Chapter
Lectures and notes on Moodle site.
Additional readings and lectures on course Moodle site.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Oral Presentations
Wednesday 1:30 pm AEST.
Written Assessment - e-poster Due: Week 8 Monday (4 May 2020) 1:30 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Chapter
Chapter 5 of prescribed text.
Additional readings and lectures on course Moodle site.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Zoom tutorial Tuesday 6 pm AEST.
Module/Topic
Chapter
Lectures and notes on Moodle site.
Additional readings and lectures on course Moodle site.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Chapter 18 of prescribed text.
Additional readings and lectures on course Moodle site.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Zoom tutorial Tuesday 6 pm AEST (last Zoom tutorial before the on-line test opens).
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Online Test Open:Tuesday 9:00 am, AEST.
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Online Test Closes: Tuesday 9:00 am, AEST.
Online Test Due: Review/Exam Week Tuesday (9 June 2020) 9:00 am AEST
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Welcome to MEDS20010- Fundamentals of musculoskeletal ultrasound, my name is Brendan Goode and I will be the unit coordinator for term 1 2020. MEDS20010 provides foundational knowledge in soft tissue sonography and will introduce you to concepts related to sonographic image production and interpretation. Regular zoom tutorials will be conducted throught term, see schedule section of unit profile for timing details. Zoom tutorial sessions will focus upon developing your understanding on the production/interpretation of sonographic images and it is strongly suggested that you make the time to attend as many tutorial sessions as possible. Zoom tutorials will be conducted in a collaborative learning environment, providing you with the opportunity to ask questions related to the unit Moodle content, assessment tasks and musculoskeletal sonography in general.
Some of you will not have undertaken higher eduction for quite some time and re-engagement with formal learning may be daunting and overwhelming so please, if you are unsure of any aspect of the unit it is best to contact me early, b.goode@cqu.edu.au or phone 03 - 96160519. Once again welcome to the unit, I hope you enjoy learning about MSK sonography and acquiring knowledge related to this exciting and immensely useful diagnostic tool.
1 Written Assessment
In your role as a health professional you may be asked to complete a presentation, for example, at a conference where e-posters are common. In this assessment task you will develop skills associated with producing an e-poster which will enable you to undertake this task for any topic. In addition you will be orally presenting your e-poster at a Zoom session attended by students enrolled in the unit and your unit coordinator. During the oral presentation of your e-poster, you will be asked to share your understanding of your topic with your peers. Your peers will then provide feedback related to your presentation to the unit coordinator and this feedback will contribute to your overall assessment grade. Please note the e-poster is due Monday of week 8 with the Zoom presentations of your e-poster scheduled for Wednesday of week 8 at 1:30 pm.
You are required to develop an educational e-poster that clearly presents the use of ultrasound to examine a specific musculoskeletal (MSK) structure or pathology.
- The presentation must be limited to eight (8) slides excluding the title and reference slides
- An abstract is required to accompany the e-poster, but not included within the poster
- The e-poster should be written at a level suitable for presentation at a conference
- You must state which conference you would intend it to be presented to (nominate your intended audience)
- The first slide should be the title slide which should contain the title of the presentation, your name and qualifications
- Each content slide should have clear headings and be presented in a logical, clear and visually appealing fashion
- The area outlined in the poster should be clinically relevant to the practice of musculoskeletal sonography
- The anatomy, sonographic appearance of normal and abnormal structures, and a discussion of why the examination may be undertaken along with the pathology that may be encountered in the region should be discussed.
You are required to have researched, analysed, critically reflected on and synthesized current (less than 10 yrs post publication) medical literature from peer reviewed sources. A high level of communication needs to be utilized to convey a clear message with all anatomical images being of high quality, well labelled and correctly referenced. Please note all slides are required to be in 'landscape' format.
Week 8 Monday (4 May 2020) 1:30 pm AEST
On-line via Moodle
Week 10 Monday (18 May 2020)
Results will be available in the Moodle site with feedback.
The written component of your e-poster will be assessed on academic writing quality and should address the following points;
- The e-poster should contain organized, logical and coherent content with a clear and concise message
- Please use numbers and bullets to highlight points. Your poster will be assessed on the accurate use of spelling, grammar and terminology suitable for the target audience
- Content of e-poster - the purpose of the poster should be clear and relevant to the field of musculoskeletal sonography
- The anatomy, sonographic appearance and pathophysiology of a particular structure or tissue should be presented with diagrams and images used to support the discussion
- Evidence based content must be used.
Suitability for presentation - The e-poster should be suitable for presentation at the chosen conference and the subject matter relevant to the selected audience. Referencing - In-text references and the reference list must be all accurate, complete and in the correct Vancouver style with high quality and appropriate sources utilized.
The oral component of your e-poster will be assessed on the following points;
-
Presentation content
- Presentation delivery
- Use of audio-visual aids
The marking rubric to be used for this assessment is available on the unit Moodle site in week one along with the oral presentation feedback form which provides more detail related to the oral presentation.
- Differentiate ultrasound appearance of the musculoskeletal system from anatomical structures and pathology of other body systems
- Interpret static and dynamic diagnostic ultrasound images to provide a provisional differential diagnosis.
- Knowledge
- Communication
- Cognitive, technical and creative skills
- Self-management
2 Online Test
Health professionals are required to possess a body of knowledge that is relevant to their scope of practice whereby fundamental knowledge is required to be understood and then be built upon clinically. To demonstrate your understanding and knowledge of this unit you are required to complete an online test.
- This test must be accessed through the assessment tab on Moodle and will comprise 10 questions addressing multiple weeks of content requiring written responses to be completed in a 90 minute time frame.
- The test will be open from Tuesday the 2nd of June at 9 am (AEST) and will close on Tuesday the 9th of June, Review/Exam week, at 9 am (AEST).
- You will need to allocate a 90 minute period throughout the time the test is open in order to complete the test. Please note: You MUST start the test before 7:30 am (AEST) on Tuesday the 9th of June as the test will automatically close at 9 am (AEST) Tuesday the 9th of June .
- The test will be open for 90 minutes (allowing 9 minutes per question) with only ONE attempt being allowed
- Once started the test cannot be paused, stopped, re-started or re-taken
- Questions will be drawn from a pool of questions to allow each student test to be unique whilst addressing the same learning outcomes for each student. Image viewing questions may be included and you are required to be familiar with normal and pathological sonographic imaging of the areas discussed in this unit
- As this test is online and open book, you will find it useful if you have produced your own notes from the lectures and tutorials and that you are familiar with the unit information
- You may benefit from having a calculator available when sitting the test
This assessment is to be undertaken as an individual. As with all other university examinations, colluding with other students on non-group work tasks is considered academic misconduct and may lead to action being taken by the University.
Review/Exam Week Tuesday (9 June 2020) 9:00 am AEST
The online test will be automatically submitted at the completion of the test or once the time limit is reached, whichever occurs first.
Exam Week Friday (19 June 2020)
Results will be available in the unit Moodle site.
You must provide short to medium length typed responses to a series of online questions.
Image viewing questions may be included and you are required to be familiar with both normal and pathological sonographic appearances.
The test will comprise of 10 questions with each question worth 10 marks (giving a maximum of 100 marks available)
Responses will be assessed according to:
- use of appropriate terminology and descriptors as well as grammar, spelling, relevance of response and competence in addressing all elements of the question
- the ability to appropriately interpret sonographic images and then to succinctly compose an appropriate response based on their learning from the unit.
No referencing style is required in the online test.
- Describe general anatomy, biomechanics and pathophysiology of the musculoskeletal system and related structures
- Differentiate normal and simple abnormal ultrasound appearance of the musculoskeletal system and related structures
- Differentiate ultrasound appearance of the musculoskeletal system from anatomical structures and pathology of other body systems
- Interpret static and dynamic diagnostic ultrasound images to provide a provisional differential diagnosis.
- Knowledge
- Communication
- Cognitive, technical and creative skills
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.