MEDIC ST 3503 - Research Skills Development

North Terrace Campus - Semester 2 - 2025

Through a program of tutorials, online learning and assignments, students will develop their knowledge and understanding of the principles of research, evidence-based practice and clinical reasoning that underpin the practice of medicine. Students will integrate information gained in preceding courses to assess strengths and weaknesses of a current medical issue, develop expert knowledge and write a research proposal. Assessments for this course will be a mix of written and oral assignments, as well as contributions in weekly tutorials.

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Course Details

Course Code	MEDIC ST 3503
Course	Research Skills Development
Coordinating Unit	School of Biomedicine
Term	Semester 2
Level	Undergraduate
Location/s	North Terrace Campus
Units	3
Contact	Up to 2 hours per week
Available for Study Abroad and Exchange	N
Prerequisites	MEDIC ST 1501, MEDIC ST 1502, MEDIC ST 2501, MEDIC ST 2502, MEDIC ST 3501
Corequisites	MEDIC ST 3502
Restrictions	Available only to Bachelor of Medical Studies students
Assessment	A combination of written and oral presentations and contributions in group-based tutorials

Course Staff

Course Coordinator: Professor Andrea Yool

Course Timetable

The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.

Course Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this course students will be able to:

1 Locate, review and critically appraise scientific literature.

2 Evaluate current medical issues in the public domain and use rigorous analyses to develop expert opinions.

3 Develop a hypothesis and a research strategy to resolve a specified clinical or scientific issue.

4 Prepare a research proposal with rationale, controls, appropriate design and methodology.

5 Identify ethical issues and conflict of interest issues in health research and describe approaches to address the potential concerns

6 Work effectively both individually and as a team member in tasks involving research evaluation and project design.

7 Communicate scientific knowledge professionally and accurately in written and spoken formats.

University Graduate Attributes

This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

University Graduate Attribute	Course Learning Outcome(s)
Attribute 1: Deep discipline knowledge and intellectual breadth Graduates have comprehensive knowledge and understanding of their subject area, the ability to engage with different traditions of thought, and the ability to apply their knowledge in practice including in multi-disciplinary or multi-professional contexts.	1-6
Attribute 2: Creative and critical thinking, and problem solving Graduates are effective problems-solvers, able to apply critical, creative and evidence-based thinking to conceive innovative responses to future challenges.	2, 3, 4, 7
Attribute 3: Teamwork and communication skills Graduates convey ideas and information effectively to a range of audiences for a variety of purposes and contribute in a positive and collaborative manner to achieving common goals.	2, 4, 6, 7
Attribute 4: Professionalism and leadership readiness Graduates engage in professional behaviour and have the potential to be entrepreneurial and take leadership roles in their chosen occupations or careers and communities.	2, 6, 7
Attribute 5: Intercultural and ethical competency Graduates are responsible and effective global citizens whose personal values and practices are consistent with their roles as responsible members of society.	1, 5, 6
Attribute 6: Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural competency Graduates have an understanding of, and respect for, Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander values, culture and knowledge.	5, 6
Attribute 7: Digital capabilities Graduates are well prepared for living, learning and working in a digital society.	1, 2, 7
Attribute 8: Self-awareness and emotional intelligence Graduates are self-aware and reflective; they are flexible and resilient and have the capacity to accept and give constructive feedback; they act with integrity and take responsibility for their actions.	5-7

Learning Resources

Required Resources

All students should factor in the cost of their own e-device (e.g. laptop or tablet) with wifi capability. Learning resources and readings will be provided on-line via the Learning Management System (MyUni). Students may need to access other online resources via the University library.

Recommended Resources

Materials such as online videos, presentations and documents will be provided via MyUni. Students may be required to submit written assignments via a Turnitin digital submission portal which can be accessed through MyUni. Diverse web links to resources will be listed in course materials.

Online Learning

Students will need individual laptops with wifi capability for accessing online resources, participating in tutorialsand engaging with online course material via MyUni. Guidelines, assessment materials, templates, rubrics and information will be provided on MyUni. MyUni will also be used to communicate course-related announcements, promote student discussion and communication and enable students to submit assessments. Students will also be required to access research information provided in prior Bachelor of Medical Studies courses to reinforce essential knowledge ahead of course assessment tasks.
Learning & Teaching Activities

Learning & Teaching Modes

Lectures
Lectures scheduled at the beginning and at the mid-way point in the course will provide aims and perspective, identify key research concepts from prior courses, outline current progress and goals, and provide guidance on tutorial and summative assessment tasks.

Tutorials
Weekly face-to-face tutorials will provide guidance for small groups of students on a progressive student-driven process of discovery on a current topic in medicine. The process will involve assessment of existing gaps in knowledge, the development of relevant subject expertise, the analysis of strengths and weaknesses of published work, the creation of a research proposal addressing a current unresolved issue, and the demonstration of understanding of the significance of research-based advances in medicine. Students will be guided in the use of extensive research and medical databases and resources (including PubMed, PubChem, Cochrane, NIH and others) while carrying out discovery and knowledge-building exercises. Digital logs will keep track of group progress, individual contributions, and the evolution of ideas during the discovery and creation processes.

Final assessment tasks will confirm capabilities in oral and written communication, promote self-confidence in information discovery and analysis methods, and integrate research concepts from across the first three years of the Bachelor of Medical Studies.

Workload

The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

Students will work individually and collaboratively in small groups, supported by a tutor.

Students are reminded that the overall workload for a full time student as stated in the University of Adelaide Calendar is an average of 48 hours per week per teaching period (i.e. semester). This includes contact and non-contact hours and includes general study and research time for assignments. The Research Skills Development course is a 3 unit course which represents a work load averaging 12 hours per week . You should therefore be putting in an average of 12 hours of study each week (including contact hours) for this course.

Each week you are expected to:

o Attend learning & teaching activities

o Engage with relevant lecture material, ensuring that you understand the information, and taking additional notes as necessary

o Revise other relevant content to aid your understanding

o Prepare for assessments

o Utilise the resources provided to you through the RSD and BMS Program MyUni Courses

Learning Activities Summary

Lectures (both online and face-to-face) and tutorials (face-to-face).

Specific Course Requirements

Attendance and participation in weekly face-to-face tutorials.

The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
Assessment must maintain academic standards.

Assessment Summary

Assessment Task	Assessment Task (Formative or Summative)	Assessment Weighting % (Summative tasks must add up to 100%)	Hurdle Requirement (Yes or No)	Course Learning Outcomes being assessed
Group Research Proposal	Summative	30	No	1,2,3,4,5,6,7
Individual Oral Presentation	Summative	40	No	1,2,5,6,7
Professional Behaviour	Summative	20	Yes	1,2,3,6,7
Group Digital Log	Summative	10	No	1,2,3,6,7

Assessment Related Requirements

It is a hurdle requirement for students to attain an overall combined passing score ≥ 50 marks out of 100 possible, and to achieve the minimum level of 80% attendance at the mandatory tutorial sessions during the semester (excluding absences that fall under the Modified Assessment for Coursework Assessment (MACA) policy). There are also to be no substantiated record of unprofessional behaviour.

Students who do not meet the requirements for passing may be offered an additional assessment, in keeping with the MACA Policy.

Assessment Detail

The final course mark will be a Non-Graded Pass (NGP) or Fail. An NGP requires achieving a final summative mark of 50% or more, and meeting the hurdle requirement for professional behaviour.

Group Research Proposal (30%): a written presentation of proposal for a novel research project that extends current knowledge in a relevant area of current medical interest, with background, hypothesis, aims, research design, significance and cited references using a reference manager (Endnote).

Individual Oral presentation (40%): a recorded 5 min individual oral presentation of a primary published research article relevant to the topic of medical interest selected by the small group as their area of focus. Each member of the small group will pick a different paper delving into a relevant aspect of the shared theme topic.

Professional Behaviour (20%): assessed by the tutor for individual in-class and online contributions in terms of communication,
teamwork, attendance, leadership, consistency, effort and involvement. As part of professional behaviour, students must attend at least 80% of the tutorials to pass the course.

Group digital log evaluation (10%): assessed by the coordinator based on an independent review of work logs (created with MyUni tools for digital activity tracking) for evidence of logical progression, depth of investigation, creative process, utilisation of diverse resources, teamwork and collaboration.

All work will be marked against a rubric. Guidelines and rubrics will be provided to students at the start of the semester. Work submitted after a specified deadline will accrue a late penalty (10% of total possible marks per day or part of a day late). Failed summative tasks that are approved on a special case basis for remedial work will be capped at 50% of total marks for the replacement score. Plagiarism is not acceptable in any formative or summative work.

Submission

Tutorials will utilise a digital logging system to capture the creation and maturation of ideas and the development of collaborative summative assessment products throughout the semester. Research Proposals and recorded oral presentations will be uploaded to MyUni for marking. Written assignments will be submitted via digital submission portals within the MyUni Learning Management Software platform. Embedded applications will be utilised to promote academic integrity, streamline grading and feedback, deter plagiarism, and improve student outcomes.

Course Grading

Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

GS8 (Coursework Grade Scheme)
Grade	Description
CN	Continuing
FNS	Fail No Submission
NFE	No Formal Examination
F	Fail
NGP	Non Graded Pass
P	Pass
C	Credit
D	Distinction
HD	High Distinction
RP	Result Pending

Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.

Student Feedback

The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.
Student Support
Policies & Guidelines
This section contains links to relevant assessment-related policies and guidelines - all university policies.
Fraud Awareness

Students are reminded that in order to maintain the academic integrity of all programs and courses, the university has a zero-tolerance approach to students offering money or significant value goods or services to any staff member who is involved in their teaching or assessment. Students offering lecturers or tutors or professional staff anything more than a small token of appreciation is totally unacceptable, in any circumstances. Staff members are obliged to report all such incidents to their supervisor/manager, who will refer them for action under the university's student’s disciplinary procedures.

The University of Adelaide is committed to regular reviews of the courses and programs it offers to students. The University of Adelaide therefore reserves the right to discontinue or vary programs and courses without notice. Please read the important information contained in the disclaimer.

Authorised by:	Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Academic)
Maintained by:	Course Outlines Administrator