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Gold Coast Session 1 Session 1

Unit Summary

Unit type

UG Coursework Unit

Credit points

12

AQF level

7

Level of learning

Advanced

Unit aim

Introduces students to lower limb medicine and the pathology behind common foot and ankle conditions.  Introduces students to disease processes and pathology.

Unit content

Topic 1:  Cutaneous foot disease

  • Normal and abnormal cutaneous structures
  • Presentation of cutaneous foot disease

Topic 2:  Abnormal foot structure and pathomechanics

  • Defining abnormal structure
  • Systemic and local influences on abnormal structure

Topic 3:  Body systems and systemic diseases affecting the lower limb

  • Epidemiology, mortality and morbidity
  • Aetiology, signs and symptoms
  • Management
  • Multidisciplinary care, communication and referral

Topic 4:  Role of the foot and ankle practitioner in evaluation and management of systemic diseases affecting the lower limb

  • Lower limb clinical signs and symptoms
  • Laboratory tests
  • Role of the foot and ankle practitioner
  • Evidence-based practice and clinical rationale for intervention
  • Communication and case management (includes documentation review)

Learning outcomes

Unit Learning Outcomes express learning achievement in terms of what a student should know, understand and be able to do on completion of a unit. These outcomes are aligned with the graduate attributes. The unit learning outcomes and graduate attributes are also the basis of evaluating prior learning.

GA1: , GA2: , GA3: , GA4: , GA5: , GA6: , GA7:
On completion of this unit, students should be able to: GA1 GA2 GA3 GA4 GA5 GA6 GA7
1 discuss common presentations of cutaneous foot disease related to the pathomechanical foot
2 summarise the pathomechanical foot and related evidence based management
3 apply the theory pertaining to systemic disease and its effects on the lower limb
4 communicate a plan for the management of systemic disease
5 outline the specific approaches to the assessment and management of foot disease
6 explain the importance of multidisciplinary care for foot disease

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:

  1. discuss common presentations of cutaneous foot disease related to the pathomechanical foot
    • GA1:
  2. summarise the pathomechanical foot and related evidence based management
    • GA1:
    • GA4:
    • GA5:
  3. apply the theory pertaining to systemic disease and its effects on the lower limb
    • GA1:
  4. communicate a plan for the management of systemic disease
    • GA1:
    • GA4:
    • GA5:
  5. outline the specific approaches to the assessment and management of foot disease
    • GA1:
    • GA4:
  6. explain the importance of multidisciplinary care for foot disease
    • GA1:
    • GA4:

Prescribed texts

  • Frowen et al., 2010, Neale's Disorders of the Foot, 8th edn, Elsevier, Churchill Livingstone, Edinburgh.
Prescribed texts may change in future teaching periods.