PgCert Healthcare In Austere Environments
01 Sep 2024 - 31 Aug 2029
| Course Leader | Jeff Evans |
|---|---|
| Course Team | Meirion Williams |
| Awarding Body | University of South Wales |
| Teaching Institutions | University of South Wales |
| Modes of Study | Part Time |
Document Version
| Version | 3 |
|---|---|
| Valid From | 01 Sep 2024 |
| Valid To | 31 Aug 2029 |
QAA Benchmarks
QAA Subject Benchmark Statement – Paramedics Nov 2019
Section 4 Knowledge, understanding and skills
Section 6 Benchmark standards
Educational Aim
To exercise substantial autonomy and initiative in the delivery of clinical care to the injured and the sick in resource poor and austere environments that are characterised by complexity, unpredictability and rapid change.
To take responsibility for own work and significant responsibility for the work of others in the delivery of healthcare in austere environments.
To resolve poorly formed complex problems though analysis and the application of judgement in order to suggest resolutions and improvements in care delivery in austere environments.
To access, appraise, apply and also develop knowledge that is at the forefront within the domain of healthcare delivery in austere environments.
Learning Outcomes
| A1 | To demonstrate knowledge of healthcare delivery in austere environments that is advanced, extensive, detailed and at the forefront of knowledge in the field. |
| B1 | To access and apply a range of knowledge types to analyse and resolve complex and poorly formed problems from within the domain of healthcare delivery in austere environments. |
| C1 | To be able to provide complex clinical care in resource poor and austere environments that are characterised by complexity, unpredictability and rapid change. |
| C2 | To provide effective and appropriate care within a complex of legal, ethical and operational imperatives. |
| C3 | To demonstrate the use of structured reflection to analyse and improve self-performance and healthcare delivery through transformative learning. |
Teaching and Assessment
Learning and Teaching Methods
Employer Engagement
Visiting Speakers
A range of subject specialists input into the Austere Environment Medic Course.
Means of Assessment
Literature Review
Self-reflective assessment
OSLER
Learning Support
Induction
The academic staff meet students on the Austere Environment Medic Course in the early stages of their course.n
Tutorials
Both one to one and whole-cohort tutorials are timetabled. These are delivered either face to face or via online meetings. The scheduling of these tutorials take into consideration the availability of students and frequently take place in the evening.
Student initiated tutorials also occur in response to request for support from individual students. Most often these centre around the production of written work, and take the form of academic coaching and guidance sessions.
Formative Assessment
The Austere Environment Medic course makes great use of formative assessment that generate detailed feedback to students. Areas of strength and skills-lag are clearly identified, and strategies put in place to remediate any shortfall in psychomotor or cognitive skills. Structured formative assessment enables students to rapidly develop their level of competence in both psychomotor and cognitive skills.
Academic staff also offer supervision of written work through the academic coaching and mentoring model that underpins the critical reflective elements.
Online Resources
A library of useful resources is available to students. This library contains copies of publications that cover the nature of structured reflection, leadership in extremis, and clinical management of injuries and illnesses. These resources are reviewed per course run to ensure currency. New resources are added when they become available, whilst other resources are removed once they become redundant or superseded.
Advice Zone
Students have full access to the support services offered by Advice Zone.
Disability
Due to the operational requirements placed on Austere Environment Medics it is not anticipated that students with significant motor or sensory disabilities will enrol on the PgCert Healthcare in Austere Environments.
For those with disabilities that preclude participation in the Austere Environment Medics Course, the armed forces offer a wide range of alternative career development pathways that do not carry the exacting standards of physical ability required by the Austere Environment Medics Course.
For students who have completed the Austere Environment Medics Course, but then find themselves disabled, there is no bar to enrolling on the PgCert Healthcare in Austere Environments.
IT/Library
It is also important to highlight the role of Education Support Officers that support all members of HM Armed forces undertaking study, either internally or through external bodies. Anecdotal evidence indicates that these Support Officers are the first point of contact for many students as they are geographically located within their home unit, i.e. are readily at hand. ESOs duplicate the services offered by the University’s study skills services, and provide support for research, and academic writing including referencing.
Course Exit Points
| Award | Criteria | Final |
|---|---|---|
| PgCert | 60 credits with at least 40 at Level 7 and no more than 20 at Level 6 | Final |
Progression Route
MSc Disaster Healthcare
Entry Requirements
Admission to the course is typically through the following qualifications:
Students enter the programme under advanced standing arrangement with MTC Hereford. All applicants are full-time members of HM Armed Forces.
Traditionally, students have held either a professional registration in healthcare or considerable experience as a military medic operating at paramedic level.
Occasionally, overseas military personnel attend the SF Medic course. Due to visa restrictions, these personnel are excluded from the programme.
Inclusive Curriculum Statement
The University of South Wales operates a policy of inclusive learning, teaching and assessment to ensure that all students have an equal opportunity to fulfil their educational potential. Course teams will have considered ways of designing out any potentially disadvantageous element of courses during the course design process. However some specific needs may remain, details about how to apply to have your needs assessed can be found at: http://unilife.southwales.ac.uk/pages/3040-disability-and-dyslexia-service/
Addendum for Delivery at a Partner Institution
N/A
Methods Of Quality Standards
N/A
Quality Of Standards Indicators
N/A