Skip to main content

Study information

Advanced Clinical Reasoning in Primary Care

Module titleAdvanced Clinical Reasoning in Primary Care
Module codeHPDM163
Academic year2023/4
Credits30
Module staff

Dr Rob Daniels (Lecturer)

Duration: Term123
Duration: Weeks

0

8

0

Number students taking module (anticipated)

30

Module description

This module will help you as an experienced clinician working in primary care to develop your consultation and clinical reasoning skills to manage complex patients in a primary care setting. You will cover theory of advanced clinical assessment, combined with practical and workplace learning around advanced consultation skills, motivational interviewing, and managing challenging patients. This course is most suitable for clinicians who have several years experience post- qualification working in a first contact role, such as GP’s or experienced Advanced Clinical Practitioners who wish to develop their skills to manage complex patients. This module involves you learning in a clinical workplace , so is not appropriate if you do not work in these roles.

Module aims - intentions of the module

This module will cover the theoretical basis of clinical reasoning, living with uncertainty and human and system factors that affect clinical reasoning. You will work in  small group sessions to develop practical skills, followed by workplace learning and application of these skills to build expertise in managing the most complex patients and support development of advanced roles in primary care, such as managing complex frailty and multimorbidity.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

  • 1. Demonstrate critical understanding of the theory underpinning clinical reasoning, diagnostic error and living with uncertainty
  • 2. Demonstrate expertise in the theory of advanced consultation skills to manage complex presentations and behaviour
  • 3. Critically appraise and apply the principles of rational use of investigations to support the diagnostic process

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

  • 4. Apply critical thinking skills to analyse and reflect on diagnostic processes
  • 5. Demonstrate advanced consultation, motivational interviewing and coaching skills for patient care
  • 6. Demonstrate advanced skills in the use of technology (including investigations) to support clinical reasoning

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

  • 7. Demonstrate advanced skills in clinical assessment to facilitate management of complex patients
  • 8. Understand and deploy critical thinking skills to improve reliability of patient assessment within health systems

Syllabus plan

Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, an example of an overall structure is as follows:

1. Self-directed learning around theory of dual process cognition as applied to healthcare
2. Self-directed learning around uncertainty tolerance as applied to healthcare
3. Self-directed learning around advanced consultation and coaching skills
4. Contact days providing small group learning on practical application of theory, in multidisciplinary groups
5. Small group and workplace learning

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Scheduled Learning and Teaching ActivitiesGuided independent studyPlacement / study abroad
442560

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

CategoryHours of study timeDescription
Guided independent study 76Seminar preparation for course using ELE: Interactive, pre-course reading of online material
Guided independent study 180Workplace learning, small group preparation, preparing portfolio for submission
Scheduled learning and teaching activities24Mixture of mini-lectures, small group work and interactive arena sessions
Scheduled learning and teaching activities20Small group, case based discussion

Formative assessment

Form of assessmentSize of the assessment (eg length / duration)ILOs assessedFeedback method
Completion of online interactive pre-course material via ELE6 hours1-6Online feedback
Case presentations in small groupsOngoing through CBD groups1-8Peer and faculty feedback

Summative assessment (% of credit)

CourseworkWritten examsPractical exams
10000

Details of summative assessment

Form of assessment% of creditSize of the assessment (eg length / duration)ILOs assessedFeedback method
Reflective account of a case study involving complex presentation502000 words1-8Written feedback
Portfolio 505000 words1-8Written feedback

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Original form of assessmentForm of re-assessmentILOs re-assessedTimescale for re-assessment
Reflective account of a case study involving complex presentation (50%) 2000 wordsReflective account of a case study1-86 weeks after initial assessment
Portfolio (50%) 5000 wordsPortfolio1-86 weeks after initial assessment

Re-assessment notes

Please refer to the TQA section on Referral/Deferral: https://as.exeter.ac.uk/academic-policy-standards/tqa-manual/aph/consequenceoffailure/

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

  • Macleod's clinical examination by Robert Britton; Ethan Danielson 2018
  • Symptom sorter by Keith Hopcroft; Vincent Forte 2020
  • Psychosocial Assessment in Mental Health by Steve Trenoweth; Nicola Moone 2017
  • Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman, 1st edition, Penguin 2012
  • Risk and Reasoning in Clinical Diagnosis by Cym Ryle, 1st edition, OUP 2019
  • The Cognitive Autopsy: A Root Cause Analysis of Medical Decision Making by Pat Croskerry, 1st edition, OUP 2020

Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources

 

Indicative learning resources - Other resources

Key words search

Primary Care, Family Practice, General Practice, Clinical Reasoning 

Credit value30
Module ECTS

15

Module pre-requisites

None

Module co-requisites

None

NQF level (module)

7

Available as distance learning?

No

Origin date

05/01/2023

Last revision date

03/02/2023