Study-Unit Description

Study-Unit Description


CODE MDS3020

 
TITLE Urology and Nephrology

 
UM LEVEL 03 - Years 2, 3, 4 in Modular Undergraduate Course

 
MQF LEVEL 6

 
ECTS CREDITS 4

 
DEPARTMENT Faculty of Medicine and Surgery

 
DESCRIPTION The study-unit covers the surgical aspects of urological problems including urinary tract infection, kidney, ureter, bladder, and prostate disease. The study-unit further addresses nephrology, integrated with pathological and therapeutic correlates, and is aimed at medical students in their early phase of clinical training.

Study-unit Aims:

• To provide the basic knowledge and skills required in the diagnosis and management of urological surgical and nephrological conditions;
• To expose students to the importance of multiprofessional teams, effective team working and communication in clinical management;
• To help students to continue to develop their patient communication skills and patient relationship;
• To help students recognise and develop the right attitudes and behaviour necessary for effective and safe management of surgical and medical conditions;
• To introduce nephrology to students who would have already acquired proficiency in clinical anatomy, clinical physiology, biochemistry, and general pathology/immunology;
• To present an integrated approach involving the practice of clinical nephrology with pathology, surgery, and clinical pharmacology as a mirror of actual day-to-day clinical practice;
• To provide guidance for the acquisition of knowledge and its application;
• To provide an order of priority and a theoretical complement to the acquisition of clinical skills;
• To introduce clinical pharmacology and therapeutics;
• To use formal lectures and tutorials to enhance case-based learning and to provide an understanding of drug safety in relation to nephrology;
• To provide details on the mode of action and clinical use of various classes of drugs specifically antimicrobial drugs in relation to nephrology.
• To explain the clinical use of drugs used in nephrology.

Learning Outcomes:

1. Knowledge & Understanding
By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:

• Describe the main symptoms and signs of common urological surgical conditions;
• Describe their common underlying causes and explain the underlying pathophysiological process;
• Relate the visible pathology and the clinical scenarios to the basic principles of anatomy and physiology;
• List the investigative procedures used in the diagnosis of these common surgical and medical conditions;
• Identify pathological prognostic features in malignancy;
• Briefly explain the different treatment modalities available for the management of these common surgical and medical conditions;
• Briefly explain the common and serious complications of different treatments used in the management of these surgical and medical conditions;
• Describe the types of laboratory tests available for clinical diagnosis of renal diseases and for acute and chronic renal failure;
• Recognise the importance of understanding the mode of action and clinical use of these classes of drugs in relation to nephrology;
• List the clinical principles involved in the selection of these classes of drugs to the individual patient in relation to nephrology and urology;
• Predict the effects of these classes of drugs in specific patients in relation to nephrology;
• Outline the concept of individualised drug therapy in use of these classes of drugs in relation to nephrology and urology;
• Describe the aetiology, risk factors, pathogenesis, and morphology of renal diseases;
• Outline the clinical consequences and complications of renal diseases;
• Describe the types of laboratory tests available for clinical diagnosis of acute and chronic renal failure.

2. Skills
By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:

• Elicit a clear and systematic history from patients with these surgical and medical problems;
• Perform a systematic examination of patients with these surgical and medical problems;
• Clearly present the history and clinical findings elicited from the history and clinical examination;
• Interpret basic biochemical and other laboratory based and medical imaging studies used in the diagnosis of these common surgical and medical conditions;
• Develop a logical plan for further investigations, recognising the importance of using less invasive and less costly investigative modalities where possible;
• Demonstrate respect for the dignity of patients and empathy towards patients;
• Present a post-mortem case with appropriate clinico-pathological correlation;
• Correlate the use of simple diagnostic laboratory tests with clinical and morphological features;
• Choose the appropriate laboratory tests to confirm diagnosis and interpret the result;
• Carry out a basic consultation with a patient;
• Seek appropriate additional information and advice, to arrive at a working diagnosis;
• Devise and discuss the rationale and practicalities of a basic management plan;
• Discuss the theoretical aspects of diagnosis, possible complications, and management options;
• Show an understanding of the knowledge of the mode of action of drugs to specific clinical scenarios in the use of specific classes of drugs specifically antimicrobial drugs and drugs used in nephrology and urology;
• Explain the selection of differing drug therapies in these drug classes for the individual patient in relation to nephrology and urology;
• Interpret common symptoms and signs in terms of possible underlying pathology in renal diseases and to outline a differential diagnosis;
• Correlate the use of simple diagnostic laboratory tests with clinical and morphological features of disease;
• Choose the appropriate laboratory tests to confirm diagnosis and interpret the result;
• Choose the best antibiotic therapy for microbiological infections.

Main Text/s and any supplementary readings:

Main Texts
- Douglas G., Nicol E.F. & Robertson, C. (2023) ‘Macleod’s Clinical Examination’
- Kumar P., Clark M., (2020) ‘Clinical Medicine’
- Longmore J.M., et al., (2022) ‘Oxford Handbook of Clinical Medicine’
- Williams, N.S., et al., (2023) ‘Bailey & Love’s Short Practice of Surgery’.

Supplementary Readings
- Lumley J., et al., (2016) ‘Hamilton Bailey’s Physical Signs: Demonstrations of Physical Signs in Clinical Surgery’.

 
STUDY-UNIT TYPE Lecture, Independent Study, Placement & Tutorial

 
METHOD OF ASSESSMENT
Assessment Component/s Sept. Asst Session Weighting
Examination (1 Hour and 30 Minutes) 100%

 
LECTURER/S

 

 
The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints.
Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice.
It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2024/5. It may be subject to change in subsequent years.

https://www.um.edu.mt/course/studyunit