Biomedical-Science-Handbook.pdf, Study notes of Anatomy

Download Biomedical-Science-Handbook.pdf and more Study notes Anatomy in PDF only on Docsity! 1 | P a g e PROGRAMME HANDBOOK FOR BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES BSc DEGREE PROGRAMME Academic Year 2019/20 ___________________________________________ Page 1 Welcome & overview 2 2 Key names & contacts 4 3 Programme aims 4 4 What will you be expected to achieve? 5 5 How will you learn? 6 6 What is “independent study” 6 7 How will you be assessed? 7 8 Academic integrity 9 9 How is the programme structured? 9 10 How do we listen and act on your feedback? 12 11 Academic support 12 12 Specific support for disabled students 13 13 Advice & counselling service 13 14 Change of programme 14 15 Opportunities for postgraduate study in SBCS & SMD 15 16 What happens after graduation? 15 PROGRAMME HANDBOOK – BIOMEDICAL SCIENCE – 2019/20 2 | P a g e (1) WELCOME & OVERVIEW Welcome to the School of Biological & Chemical Sciences (SBCS), to Bart’s & The London School of Medicine & Dentistry (SMD), and specifically to the Biomedical Sciences BSc degree programme. Biomedical Science is concerned with understanding the causes, diagnosis and treatment of disease. Students study human anatomy, pathology, physiology, biochemistry, molecular biology, genetics and pharmacology, with specialist courses on topics such as endocrinology, infectious diseases, haematology, immunology and cancer biology. The curriculum of our degree programme here at Queen Mary is delivered by SBCS with substantial input from colleagues from the SMD institutes. We work together to ensure you are taught by experts in biomedical sciences who want to share their passion for their subject with you. Students graduating from our Biomedical Sciences programme follow diverse career paths. Some students enter medicine, dentistry or health-related professions; others enter the scientific community by working in a research lab or continuing their studies at postgraduate level; some students pursue professional careers outside of science, such as finance or teaching; other students go into business, including biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies; and some students walk a complete different path through life! The knowledge and skills you will gain during your degree have the potential to open many doors. I hope you find this programme handbook useful and that, over the next 3 years, you find your undergraduate degree to be as enjoyable as it is educational. I hope that you will make the most of the opportunities for personal and professional development offered by the wide range of compulsory and elective modules that build on the breadth of expertise offered by academic colleagues in departments within SBCS and research institutes in Bart’s & the London School of Medicine & Dentistry. All of the staff involved in your degree wish you good luck with your studies and look forward to supporting your personal and career aspirations over the course of your degree and, beyond that, when you graduate and become an alumnus of QMUL. In closing, can I reiterate my welcome to QMUL, to SBCS, to SMD, and specifically to the Biomedical Science BSc degree programme. Dr Jayne Dennis Director of Teaching & Learning [Biomedical Sciences] PROGRAMME HANDBOOK – BIOMEDICAL SCIENCE – 2019/20 5 | P a g e • Academic and clinical research. • Employment in biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and microbiology based industries. • Progression into postgraduate study at either Masters level or a PhD. • Entry into teaching professions in primary and secondary education. • Employment in a range of professional environments, including accountancy, auditing, finance, human resources and business. (4) WHAT WILL YOU BE EXPECTED TO ACHIEVE? Ac ad em ic C on te nt On successful completion of your BSc programme, you will have studied: 1. Knowledge of a broad-range of topics in biomedical science including: cell biology, gross anatomy, pathology, human physiology, general microbiology, human molecular biology, human & medical genetics, biochemistry, human metabolism, immunology, pharmacology, and endocrinology. 2. Knowledge to an advanced level in more specialised areas of biomedical science including: histology & cell pathology, blood & transfusion science, haematology and serology. Additionally, students can elect to study some of the following at an advance level: cancer biology, molecular clinical microbiology, genetics, endocrine physiology and biochemistry. 3. Experimental techniques in the biomedical sciences. Di sc ip lin ar y Sk ill s On successful completion of your BSc programme, you will be able to: 1. Apply biomedical knowledge and principles, together with problem solving skills, in a wide range of theoretical and practical situations. 2. Understand the importance of biomedical sciences to laboratory and clinical diagnostics. 3. Conduct practical work efficiently and with due regard for safety. 4. Use a wide range of laboratory and analytical equipment. 5. Analyse and evaluate/interpret the results of controlled experiments. 6. Retrieve, filter and collate biomedical data from a variety of information sources. 7. Prepare scientific/technical reports. At tr ib ut es On successful completion of your BSc programme, you will be able to: 1. Communicate effectively by written and/or verbal means. 2. Capacity for independent learning, and to work independently. 3. Participate constructively as a member of a group/team, with skills to influence, negotiate and lead. 4. Evaluate the relevance, importance and reliability of the ideas of others and of different sources of information. 5. Competence in the use of computer-based technology, and in the manipulation and analysis of quantitative data. 6. Awareness of the role and impact of science in society, including the global perspective. 7. Use information for evidence-based decision-making and creative thinking. PROGRAMME HANDBOOK – BIOMEDICAL SCIENCE – 2019/20 6 | P a g e (5) HOW WILL YOU LEARN? (See also Section 6 “What is independent Study” and Section 8, “How is the programme structured?”) You will acquire knowledge and develop your understanding mainly through lectures and directed independent study. Workshops will reinforce knowledge acquired in lectures and provide opportunities for application of your knowledge to solving problems. Your understanding will be reinforced through a combination of tutorial workshops, problem classes, laboratory classes and e-learning (depending upon the modules you study), including regular feedback on submitted work. Additional learning support is provided through Queen Mary's online learning environment (called QMplus) and our IT facilities. Practical skills will be taught as part of organised practical classes during the early stages of the programme. Advanced practical skills and specialised analytical skills are then developed during the project component of the third year. The third year also includes critical analysis through project development and tutorial led journal clubs and discussion forums. Each practical class is likely to be repeated two or more times in the same week. You will be allocated (randomly) to a specific practical group to attend the practical class on a given date/time. If you are unable to attend on the assigned date/time (e.g. if you are allocated to a Wednesday afternoon, but have sports commitments, or if you are allocated to a Friday afternoon but need to attend jumah or to get home before shabbat), you are required to (a) negotiate a swap with a fellow student from a different group and then (b) email the Module Organiser with details of that swap (confirming who you will be swapping with). If you are unable to negotiate a swap for an assessed practical class, you may be able to submit a claim for extenuating circumstances provided the reason for non-attendance is (i) unforeseeable and (ii) beyond your control, and you can provide documentary evidence to support your application. Queen Mary's graduate attributes are developed in a progressive fashion, but most notably in tutorial-based components of modules such as BMD100 (Essential Skills for Biomedical Scientists). The project module provides further opportunities for the development of transferable skills and consolidation of knowledge, understanding and skills acquired during your degree. (6) WHAT IS “INDEPENDENT STUDY”? For every hour of contact with academic staff, you will be expected to devote between 3 and 5 hours to independent study. Independent study is not the same as the homework you would have completed during Secondary/Further Education, where staff gave specific exercises which were often marked between classes. While studying for a degree, independent study will include staff-directed PROGRAMME HANDBOOK – BIOMEDICAL SCIENCE – 2019/20 7 | P a g e exercises or self-directed independent study. There are various forms of independent study, such as: • preparation in advance of a lecture/tutorial/practical class, for example by spending 10 minutes looking over lecture slides or the relevant chapter of the textbook, • consolidation of material introduced by the lecturer/tutor, for example by writing up the notes you made during lectures, • elaboration and extension, for example reading around the topic after the lecture using textbooks and/or scientific papers suggested by staff or based on your own curiosity, and • application, i.e. reinforcing your understanding of a topic by utilising principles introduced in a lecture/tutorial/practical class to a new scenario. To succeed in your undergraduate degree at university, you need to choose to commit to your degree. This commitment includes attending all timetabled sessions and making time to complete the independent study. Together, your taught programme and independent study will enable you to develop the knowledge and depth of understanding required to graduate with first or upper second class honours. (7) HOW WILL YOU BE ASSESSED? For each module that comprises your degree, your knowledge and understanding will generally be tested through a combination of assessed coursework and unseen written examinations. For the majority of you modules, the coursework:exam weighting will be as follows: Coursework Exam Year 1 25% 75% Year 2 25% 75% Year 3 20% 80% For some modules, a higher proportion of marks will be derived from coursework and a few modules are entirely assessed by coursework with no written exam (e.g. the “Essential Skills” module in first year and final year research projects). Please check the module details on QMPlus to confirm the exact coursework:exam weighting for each module. The exact nature of the coursework varies from module to module and may include work in the form of laboratory experiment write-ups, essays and/or problem sheets. The coursework mark may also include a contribution from computer-based assessments and in- course tests. Some modules in our programme include oral examinations, oral presentations and extended reports/dissertations. Transferable skills are developed in a contextual manner throughout the teaching and learning programme, and are indirectly assessed as part of the normal assessment processes for the programme. For example, the assessment of the projects includes consideration of data-retrieval skills, report-writing skills and presentational skills. PROGRAMME HANDBOOK – BIOMEDICAL SCIENCE – 2019/20 10 | P a g e (a) the numbers of students eligible to select a particular module (either too many or too few) would provide you with a compromised student experience; (b) academic staff with the requisite experience are unavailable to teach a module (e.g. through ill health, injury or retirement) Likewise, dependent on staff availability and appropriate quality assurance, we may be able to add new modules to subsequent years of your degree programme and improve even further your choice of elective modules. In the following programme outline, compulsory modules are denoted in standard text whereas elective modules are denoted in italicised text. SEMESTER A SEMESTER B Ye ar 1 BMD100 Essential Skills for Biomedical Scientists BMD111 Chromosomes & Gene Functions BMD113 Human Anatomy BMD115 The Human Cell BMD117 The Microbial World & Humans BMD121 Biomedical Physiology I BMD123 Biomolecules of Life BMD181 Tissue Biology Ye ar 2 (o ne e le ct iv e m od ul e) BMD201 Biomedical Science Case Approach to Problem Solving * SBC5211 Grand Challenges in the Natural Sciences BMD211 Human Molecular Biology BMD219 Techniques in Biomedical Science BMD221 Biomedical Physiology II BIO213 Cell Biology & Developmental Genetics BIO215 Comparative & Integrative Physiology BIO227 Human Genetic Disorders BMD223 Essential Biochemistry for Human Life BMD225 Biomedical Pharmacology BMD231 Clinical Microbiology BMD251 Basic Immunology Ye ar 3 (fo ur el ec tiv e m od ul es ) BMD301 Biomedical Science Case Approach to Problem Solving BIO603 Project Skills in the Life Sciences OR BMD600 Biomedical Science Research Project PROGRAMME HANDBOOK – BIOMEDICAL SCIENCE – 2019/20 11 | P a g e BIO324 Advanced Human Genetics Disorders BMD311 Endocrine Physiology & Biochemistry BMD323 Infectious Diseases BMD351 Advanced Immunology BMD357 Oral Biology for Biomedical Sciences BMD372 Clinical Pharmacology BMD373 Receptors & Mechanisms of Cell Signalling BMD321 Cellular Pathology & Blood Science BMD371 Drug Discovery and Design BMD378 Clinical Trials & Regulatory Affairs BMD381 Cancer Biology BMD383 Molecular Basis of Personalised Medicine *All marks awarded for BMD201 assignments contribute to the marks for BMD301 in Year 3. Year 1: All Year 1 modules are compulsory to ensure that all students on the degree programme have the requisite understanding to prepare them for Years 2 and 3. Year 2: Seven of the Year 2 modules (a total of 105 credits) are compulsory: • BMD211 Human Molecular Biology, • BMD219 Techniques in Biomedical Sciences, • BMD221 Biomedical Physiology II, • BMD223 Essential Biochemistry for Human Life, • BMD225 Biomedical Pharmacology, • BMD231 Clinical Microbiology, and • BMD251 Basic Immunology. Furthermore, in Year 2 you are required to study BMD201 (Biomedical Science Case Approach to Problem Solving), but all credit for this module is awarded in Year 3 under the module code BMD301). In Year 2 you have a choice of one elective module from four potential electives. Note that one elective, SBC5211, runs across both semesters while the remaining three electives are studied in Semester A only. Year 3: There are two compulsory, 15-credit modules: • BMD301 (Biomedical Science Case Approach to Problem Solving), and • BMD321 (Cellular Pathology & Blood Science). In addition, you must select one of the two 30-credit modules: either BMD600 (Biomedical Science Research Project) or BIO603 (Project Skills in the Life Sciences). In order to study BMD600 you will need to perform well in Year 1 of your degree, typically scoring in excess of 65% (if not 70%) in each of your Year 1 modules. If you do not pass this threshold then you will have to study BIO603; if you do pass this threshold then you may choose between the two project modules. PROGRAMME HANDBOOK – BIOMEDICAL SCIENCE – 2019/20 12 | P a g e In Year 3 you have a choice of four elective modules (a total of 60 credits) from the 11 offered. (10) HOW DO WE LISTEN AND ACT ON YOUR FEEDBACK? You are strongly encouraged to provide informal feedback to Module Organisers and/or to the Programme Director where you can see a way that your teaching could be significantly improved or you have cause for complaint. If you feel uncomfortable approaching a Module Organiser and/or Programme Director, you can also make any suggestions/raise any concerns by email to: sbcs-studentvoice@qmul.ac.uk. This email address is monitored daily by several colleagues so you can reasonably expect a response within 3 working days. The Student-Staff Liaison Committee (SSLC), Chaired by the Director for Student Experience, Dr Caroline Brennan, provides a formal means of communication and discussion between the School and its students. The committee consists of elected student representatives from each year of our degree programmes, together with staff representation from SBCS and SMD. SSLC is designed to respond to the needs of students, as well as act as a forum for discussing programme and module developments. The SSLC meets regularly throughout the year. The SBCS Teaching & Learning Committee (TLC) advises the Director of Taught Programmes (DTP), Dr Bray, on all matters relating to the delivery of taught programmes at school level. This includes monitoring the application of relevant QM policies and reviewing proposals for module and programme amendment before submission to Taught Programmes Board (TPB). The SMD Science & Undergraduate Teaching & Learning (SUTL) Committee performs an equivalent role to TLC, advising the Head of Undergraduate Science Education for SMD, Professor Hall, who works very closely with Dr Bray and with the Programme Director, Dr Dennis, to ensure that all student concerns are identified, shared, and acted upon, as appropriate. Student views are incorporated into the work of both TLC and SUTL in a number of ways, such as through consideration of student surveys and input from the SSLC. All schools/institutes operate an Annual Programme Review (APR) of their taught undergraduate and postgraduate provision. APR is a continuous process of reflection and action planning which is owned by those responsible for programme delivery; the main document of reference for this process is the Taught Programmes Action Plan (TPAP) which is the summary of the school/institute's work throughout the year to monitor academic standards and to improve the student experience. Students’ views are considered in this process through analysis of the National Student Survey (NSS), Queen Mary Student Survey (QMSS) and module evaluations. (11) ACADEMIC SUPPORT You will be provided with a personal tutor, referred to as an Academic Advisor, who will be your main point of contact throughout your whole programme for advice on general PROGRAMME HANDBOOK – BIOMEDICAL SCIENCE – 2019/20 15 | P a g e (15) OPPORTUNITIES FOR POSTGRADUATE STUDY IN SBCS AND SMD On completion of your BSc degree, you might wish to embark on a postgraduate research degree to become a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). Increasingly, competitive applicants for PhD opportunities have not only a high-class honours degree (first or upper second class honours), but they will also have completed a postgraduate taught Master of Science (MSc) or Masters by Research (MRes) degree, commonly with a Merit or Distinction. At the time of writing, SBCS does not offer an MSc degree in Biomedical Science, but does offer a range of biological MSc degrees which exploit the research expertise of staff in SBCS, including an MSc in Bioinformatics. If you wish to know more about any of these MSc programmes, information can be found on the SBCS website and/or you can contact the Director for Teaching & Learning [Postgraduate], Dr Christoph Eizaguirre (c.eizaguirre@qmul.ac.uk). Additionally, SMD offers a wide range of postgraduate courses, including Cancer & Therapeutics, Genomic Medicine, Global Health, Neuroscience & Translational Medicine, Oral Biology, and Regenerative medicine. Further information about all postgraduate programmes can be found on the QMUL website. (16) WHAT HAPPENS AFTER GRADUATION? This Biomedical Sciences degree will allow graduates to go on to further study (for example, medicine, dentistry, a Masters degree or a PhD) or work in diverse professions using the skills and attributes outlined in Section 4. Previous students have gone into healthcare- related roles (e.g. nursing assistants), science-related careers (e.g. working in a laboratory), working in pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, accountancy, auditing (for example with one of the “Big Four” PriceWaterhouseCoopers, KPMG, EY or Deloitte), finance, human resources and business. All students are encouraged to visit the QMUL Careers & Enterprise Service in the Queens’ Building and use the resources available on their website (www.careers.qmul.ac.uk). The Careers Service run employer and alumni events on campus, offer one-to-one careers advice, practice interviews, CV and application advice and resources to help you with job hunting. Graduates can access the service for up to two years after graduation. The top 19 ranked candidates from this programme, Neuroscience and Pharmacology and Innovative Therapeutics (based on their cumulative academic performance after the first 2 years of the BSc programme and UCAT score) will automatically be offered an interview to study medicine at Bart’s and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry. Further details will be sent to you in the summer after you have completed your second year. QMUL’s MSc in Physician Associate Studies may be of interest to students wishing to pursue a career in healthcare. Physician Associates have direct contact with patients and they work PROGRAMME HANDBOOK – BIOMEDICAL SCIENCE – 2019/20 16 | P a g e within medical teams to support doctors in the diagnosis and management of patients. Physician Associates work in General Practice or a hospital department using generalist clinical skills but also with opportunities to specialise. Further information is available on the QMUL website.