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Part Time: 3 months | Start dates: April and September

This module is aimed at practising healthcare professionals who are in roles requiring, or that will require, advanced skills in history taking and physical assessment of patients. The module can be studied stand-alone or as part of the MSc in Advancing Healthcare Practice.

Through academic study days and workplace-based learning, students will be supported to develop skills in analysing, evaluating, and recording information in relation to enhanced patient care roles. This module is particularly suited for students who are working or planning a role as an independent prescriber  and/or advanced clinical practitioner.

This 20-credit module will focus on supporting practitioners to apply clinical and scientific knowledge to assess and diagnose common disease states of the major body systems using physical assessment skills. The workshops will focus on history taking, consultation skills, therapeutics, and physical examination for ENT, respiratory, cardiovascular, neurological, abdominal, and musculoskeletal conditions. There will be the opportunity for optional venepuncture training. The module is assessed through an OSCE and a mini portfolio of workplace-based learning.

Students who are uncomfortable with physical contact should contact the admissions tutor to discuss the module requirements prior to enrolling.

This module is run as a series of weekly half-day study days; the weeks when you are not attending campus are timetabled for directed study. Between each workshop, there are online activities of 30-45 minutes to complete. It is up to students when they complete these online activities, and whether they aim to achieve them between each workshop or complete them together on the directed study days. Students with limited exposure to clinical skills as part of their current role are encouraged to plan in directed study time to practise the clinical skills, ideally with the support of a workplace-based supervisor or mentor.

Other self-directed study time may be required, depending on individual learning plans, to complete the mini-portfolio. Although directed study time is included on the timetable as a guide, CIPPET encourages students and employers to discuss when and how protected study time is allocated so that it promotes positive work-study-life balances for individual students, whilst recognising the need to maintain a service provision.


Upcoming cohort enrolment options

Dates from September 2024

  • Deadline for applications: 09:00, 30 August 2024.
  • Deadline for enrolment: 17:00, 11 September 2024 (only complete applications will be accepted and allowed to enrol so we recommend you apply in plenty of time).
  • Study days: Wednesdays 13:00 to 17:00 on Whiteknights campus: 18 September, 2 October, 9 October, 16 October, 23 October, 6 November, 13 November
  • Self-directed study days: 25 September, 30 October and 27 November.
  • Assessment days on Whiteknights campus: 20 November and 4 December.
  • Coursework submission: 18 December
  • Module cost: £1,200

Dates from April 2024

  • Deadline for applications: 09:00, 11 April 2025.
  • Deadline for enrolment: 17:00, 16 April 2025 (only complete applications will be accepted and allowed to enrol so we recommend you apply in plenty of time).
  • Study days: Wednesdays 13:00 to 17:00 on Whiteknights campus: 23 April, 30 April, 7 May, 14 May, 21 May, 4 June and 11 June
  • Self-directed study days: 28 May, 25 June and 2 July.
  • Assessment days on Whiteknights campus:18 June and 9 July.
  • Coursework submission: 23 July
  • Module cost: £1,200.

Careers

Our programmes are based on developing your professional competence and confidence. Network with other healthcare professionals from a range of employers and sectors to identify future career options. The Level 7 academic credits from these modules can also be used towards our MSc in Advancing Healthcare Practice programme.

We can offer advice to help you meet your professional regulator revalidation requirements and/or leadership body credentialing processes and support you in building a personal learning plan to enhance your career prospects.

How to apply

This module is run as part of the overarching CPD programme in Advancing Healthcare Practice programme; this does not mean you need the study the full MSc as all modules can be studied as standalone academic credits. For information on the entry requirements and instructions on how to apply, see the Entry Requirements section of our course catalogue.

Unless advised otherwise by the admission tutor you will need to prepare the following documents available from the Entry Requirements section of our course catalogue.

1. A statement of purpose (guidance is provided on the website at the above link)

2. The CPD checklist using the template from the above link

3. The workplace-based learning declaration (template available at the above link) or equivalent document from your workplace (e.g. study leave approval document/letter or email statement of support/inclusion of approval in a reference)

4. Information on how you will fund your studies (guidance is provided at the above link)

5. Any University certificates and transcripts

6. Two references (optional template available at the above link)

If you want to discuss the module before applying, please contact the admissions tutor via cippet@reading.ac.uk . If you want to apply for an award (PGCert, PGDip or MSc), or you want to be exempted from academic credits via RPL or RPEL, you will need to contact the admissions tutor via cippet@reading.ac.uk to discuss your application in advance.

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