Page 96 - Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery

Block 2, The Foundation Block, concentrates intensively on the BCS Theme while giving you an
introduction to the other three curriculum Themes. You will be introduced to basic clinical sciences of
Anatomy, Physiology, Pathology, Molecular Medicine, Immunology, Pharmacology and Infectious
Diseases. Problem-based learning (PBL) and Clinical Days will be introduced in this block.

Each of Blocks 3-11 focuses on a specific topic or set of topics relating to aspects of health and disease
of body systems. These topics will be further consolidated by a PBL case every week as well as Clinical
Days.

At the end of Stage 1 and Stage 2, you will undertake Basic Life Support sessions - Advanced Cardiac
Life Support, ACLS in Stage 1 and Paediatric Advanced Life Support, PALS in Stage 2.

You will encounter four main modes of learning and teaching:

• Lectures: These are delivered to large groups, and generally last for slightly under one
hour.
• Theme Sessions: These may be practical sessions in BCS-oriented subjects or seminar
style sessions in which a number of speakers will provide different perspectives on a
topic. Theme sessions are longer than lectures (1.5 to 3 hr).
• Problem-based Learning (PBL) sessions: A group of 8 students solve a realistic clinical
problem and work towards explaining the clinical manifestations with reference to
basic-science mechanisms.
• Clinical Days: These include small-group tutorials on communication, clinical
examination and basic procedural skills, and provide an opportunity for you to practise
clinical history-taking and physical examination techniques. Many of the tutorials are
conducted ‘at the bedside’ and Clinical Skills Unit.

Courses MIA 3001: Practice of Clinical Medicine (Stage 3.1), MIA 4001: Practice of Clinical Medicine 2
(Stage 3.2) and MIA 5001: Practice of Clinical Medicine 3 (Stage 3.3) comprises of one week of intensive
diagnostic bio-medical imaging module followed by twelve Clinical Postings and one Public Health
Posting; all are of eight weeks’ duration as follows:

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