Embryological and Developmental Basis of Disease (EDBD)- 20 credits
Research and technology has substantially improved our knowledge of development, this in turn has improved the outcome of infants born prematurely and/or born with congenital anomalies, with many such patients now surviving to adulthood. This module has been developed to improve students’ knowledge and understanding of embryology and development, in order to better understand the aetiology of developmental diseases.
Clinical diagnostic algorithms and evaluation of the anatomical impact on management, treatment options and outcomes, are the core of this module. The module will especially examine the impact of maldevelopment upon function and disease, with both common and rare scenarios investigated. This module will improve the students understanding and awareness of difficult clinical presentations and thus provide significant transferrable skills for students returning to hospital-based teaching.
Form Function and Dysfunction (FFD)- 30 credits
The module offers the opportunity for you to expand upon your knowledge and understanding of anatomy at a contextually relevant time following exposure to patients during your hospital-based teaching. Clinical lectures and their accompanying journal clubs, along with the unique opportunity for whole body dissection, will enhance your understanding of the aetiology, symptomology and treatment of disease, and in the future, this experience will inform diagnosis and decision-making. This module provides the opportunity for advanced learning of three-dimensional anatomy and the investigation of consequences of a variety of pathologies in anatomically and clinically relevant areas.
During dissection, each student will work as a team of four on a designated cadaver, but students are expected to investigate anatomical variation by interrogating the cadavers dissected by other groups. Each cadaver on the programme will have a diagnosed pathology (as informed by the cause of death certificate). Through dissection and self-directed study, students will attempt to build a picture of the cause of death, while identifying anatomical variations, anomalies and pathologies, and discussing the reasons for their development. Clinical lectures and complimentary Journal club type reading of peer-reviewed research papers in a variety of clinical fields, will reinforce and deepen their knowledge of form function and dysfunction.
Anatomy in the Clinical Environment (ACE)- 20 credits
This module will specifically examine the way anatomical knowledge is informing contemporary clinical practice. In particular students will examine how both morphological and functional anatomy is utilised in the clinical environment for diagnosis, staging and planning treatment of different disease states.
Students will work alongside and under the supervision of clinicians, exploring novel modalities for macro- and micro-anatomical assessments in clinical decision making. Through this process students will attend multidisciplinary team meetings, participate in clinical rounds, and shadow surgeries. Part of the students work will involve examining how anatomical information is used to effectively inform diagnoses and treatment, and used in communications with patients and relatives during consultations. In groups of three or four, students will spend 3-4 days a week in each of the following specialist areas over a 5-week period:
Plastic/ Maxillofacial Surgery (QEH)
Hand Surgery (QEH)
Paediatric medicine and surgery (BCH)
Imaging (QEH)
Ear, Nose and Throat (QEH)
Research Project- 50 credits
The module provides you with the opportunity to use the scientific, clinical and professional understanding you have developed through the taught components of the Clinical Anatomy MSci programme as a foundation for planning and undertaking a major piece of clinically relevant research. You will work with an experienced research team of academics and clinicians, but impetus for the work, critical thinking, and presentation will come from you as the student.