Credit Points 10

Legacy Code 401114

Coordinator Kym Hennessy Opens in new window

Description This subject is the third of four clinical practice subjects. Building on previous clinical subjects and academic knowledge, the subject develops student assessment skills encouraging the student to make the appropriate selection of assessment techniques to diagnose, treat and provide short and long term health outcomes. Students will continue to participate in clinical activities under supervision to manage foot pathologies with increased scope to evaluate and manage more complex cases (i.e. surgery, paediatrics, high risk foot). Clinical activities include UniClinic sessions, Clinical Therapies, Tutorials, and Outreach Clinics.

School Health Sciences

Discipline Podiatry

Student Contribution Band HECS Band 2 10cp

Check your fees via the Fees page.

Level Undergraduate Level 4 subject

Pre-requisite(s) REHA 3029 AND
REHA 3030

Incompatible Subjects REHA 7021 - Podiatric Practice 3

Restrictions

Students mut be enrolled in 4708 Bachelor of Podiatric Medicine and 4709 Bachelor of Podiatric Medicine (Honours).

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:

1. Employ skills in safe work practices including infection control and work health and safety in a clinical setting and use of technologies in clinical care delivery.
2. Utilise effective, culturally responsive, strength-based communications skills that enable a culturally safe clinical experience.
3. Apply and critically appraise required skills in diagnosis and management necessary to provide culturally responsive treatment in the context of general foot and lower extremity pathologies and complex clinical cases. 
4. Apply strategies for redressing inequity in foot health outcomes and podiatry care access across population groups, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and Communities. 
5. Critically examine and reflect on personal professional practice and professional standards relevant to the delivery of culturally safe and effective podiatry care

Subject Content

This is the third of four clinical practice subjects. The student will participate in patient assessment, diagnosis, and management. Completing this subject, builds on students' clinical and academic skills in preparation for becoming a graduate podiatrist.
The activities will be divided into three areas:
(a) UniClinic (including surgery)
(b) Clinical therapies and clinical tutorials
(c) Outreach Clinic

(a) UniClinic (including surgery)
In these clinics, the student will consolidate and further develop patient assessment, diagnosis and management, and clinical reasoning skills. The patients who attend these clinics will be new and ongoing patients who have basic foot problems, problems associated with an existing medical condition, mechanical/functional problems or require minor surgical intervention. Appropriate assessments and management strategies will be carried out, including manufacture of orthoses, soft
tissue techniques, and minor surgical procedures. The students will be supervised by registered practitioners. Tutorials will support the management and educational needs (including case presentations) to facilitate learning during sessions.

(b) Clinical Therapies and clinical tutorials
This subject will continue to develop clinical skills and academic knowledge in a range of therapies and strategies to deliver clinical care delivery. This subject will build on previous orthoses and surgery subject content taught in the 3rd year of the program. Additional content (‘soft tissue techniques’) will also be introduced to refine student clinical application and reasoning skills to manage musculoskeletal pathologies. Content on availability and safe application of digital health technology in Podiatry practice will be covered. Clinical tutorials will support the management and educational needs (including case presentations) to facilitate learning during UniClinic sessions.
Content will include:
Manufacture of clinical devices, problem solving and ethics
Prefab and off the shelf devices
Soft tissue therapies including trigger point, dry needling and active release techniques
Revision of surgical procedures and protocols
Orthotic scripts
Translation of patient pathology and condition to orthotic script prescription
Translation of biomechanical assessment results to orthotic script prescription

(C) Outreach Clinics
Students will actively participate in the WSU Podiatric Medicine outreach clinics. The activity will be directed at consolidating clinical assessment, deductive reasoning and culturally responsive communication skills and skills in person centred culturally safe management of podiatric conditions. The aim of these activities is to increase efficiency and competency in podiatry care and allow students to demonstrate their ability to adapt to variable real-world clinical environments. Of particular
importance will be student involvement in a multi-disciplinary approach to patient care.

Special Requirements

Legislative pre-requisites