MEDS20009 - Science and Instrumentation of Ultrasound

General Information

Unit Synopsis

This unit aims to develop knowledge and understanding of the science and instrumentation of clinical ultrasound to enable you to practically produce and optimise sonographic images to support clinical decision making. The unit emphasis will be on image optimisation, safety and quality assurance. This unit will form the foundation from which you will build image acquisition, recognition and assessment skills as part of the Graduate Certificate in Clinical Ultrasound.

Details

Level Postgraduate
Unit Level 8
Credit Points 6
Student Contribution Band SCA Band 2
Fraction of Full-Time Student Load 0.125
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites There are no pre-requisites for the unit.

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 No Residential School

Unit Availabilities from Term 1 - 2024

Term 3 - 2024 Profile
Online
Sydney

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).

Assessment Overview

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.

Assessment Tasks

Assessment Task Weighting
1. Online Quiz(zes) 40%
2. Online Test 60%

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%).

Consult the University’s Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades

Past Exams

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Previous Feedback

No previous feedback available

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: Moodle unit site 'Have your say' student feedback.
Feedback
Students suggested that a practical component would enhance their understanding, particularly for students that have not used an ultrasound unit before.
Recommendation
Consider developing and adding videos or delivering tutorials with a tutor in front of an ultrasound unit demonstrating the use of the ultrasound unit in real time, and how alteration of controls of the ultrasound unit (such as gain, depth, focus, colour Doppler, pulsed wave Doppler etc) can affect the subsequent real time ultrasound imaging.
Action Taken
The unit was not delivered in term 1, 2022.
Source: Moodle unit site 'Have your say' student feedeback.
Feedback
Students comment that unit is content heavy, but felt they were well guided towards assessments.
Recommendation
Continue to use and further develop authentic test questions which relate to the practical use of ultrasound for clinical scenarios. Continue to guide and support students in regular tutorials, providing questions and model answers, to ensure they develop a conceptual understanding of the physics related to clinical sonographic imaging.
Action Taken
The unit was not delivered in term 1, 2022.
Unit learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  1. Apply the knowledge of physical principles of diagnostic ultrasound to the acquisition and optimisation of sonographic imaging
  2. Interpret the cause of imaging artifacts and use problem solving skills to reduce and overcome these artifacts on real time sonographic imaging using all modes of ultrasound
  3. Discuss the bioeffects and safety issues associated with diagnostic medical sonography and how these can be managed.




Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
Assessment Tasks Learning Outcomes
1 2 3
1 - Online Quiz(zes)
2 - Online Test
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
Advanced Level
Professional Level
Graduate Attributes Learning Outcomes
1 2 3
1 - Knowledge
2 - Communication
3 - Cognitive, technical and creative skills
6 - Ethical and Professional Responsibility
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
Advanced Level
Professional Level
Assessment Tasks Graduate Attributes
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
1 - Online Quiz(zes)
2 - Online Test