Masters Degrees (Respiratory)

MSc Cardiovascular and Respiratory Healthcare

Our degrees in Cardiovascular and Respiratory Healthcare are designed for people from a wide range of healthcare backgrounds, including: healthcare scientists, nurses, physiotherapists and advanced practitioners.

It will take you through a programme of learning to deepen your knowledge and skills in cardiovascular and respiratory healthcare, enabling you to enhance your career in your chosen field.

The multidisciplinary lecturers will draw on their clinical and research experience at national and international level to facilitate your learning.

You will have the opportunity to discuss new technologies for the prevention, diagnosis and management of ill-health and their impact on the delivery of person-centred healthcare.

The course is flexible and modular, and available as a full- or part-time MSc, delivered over one or two years respectively. It is delivered through a combination of face-to-face and distance learning.

Register your interest: Keep up to date about news, events and application information by joining our mailing list. We will let you know of upcoming deadlines and events, and send you relevant emails related to the programme - sign up here:

http://www.imperial.ac.uk/study/pg/medicine/cardiovascular-healthcare/register-your-interest/

Study programme

This course is made up of three progressional levels (PG Cert, PG Dip and MSc), and you can apply to any level in the first instance. Read more about how this works under 'Choosing your course' in the admissions section.

The Postgraduate Certificate and Diploma are made up of core and optional taught modules. The MSc is made of the certificate, diploma and an extensive research project.

Streams

There are four study streams available and MSc students will receive a different award based upon the stream chosen and modules studied.

• General stream - MSc Cardiovascular and Respiratory Healthcare
• Cardiovascular Care stream - MSc Cardiovascular and Respiratory Healthcare (Cardiovascular Care)
• Nursing stream - MSc Cardiovascular and Respiratory Healthcare (Nursing)
• Respiratory Care stream - MSc Cardiovascular and Respiratory Healthcare (Respiratory Care)

Structure - MSc

Modules shown are for the current academic year, and are subject to change depending on your year of entry.

Core modules

You take all of the core modules below.

Cardiovascular and Respiratory Healthcare: Core Science

Provides an overview of cardiovascular and respiratory wellbeing, covering cardiovascular and respiratory anatomy and physiology, the epidemiology of cardiovascular and respiratory disease, the concepts of health and well-being and physiological changes associated with haemorrhage, immobility and bed rest.

Reflections and Evaluation of Clinical Practice

Provides a broad understanding of the practice of cardiovascular and respiratory healthcare, an opportunity to observe clinical practice and reflect on the reality of health service provision.

Study Design

Covers the principles and practice of quantitative and qualitative research, and key issues in critically evaluating methodology. Provides a strong foundation for conducting your own research.

Optional modules

You choose four modules from below.

• Cardiovascular Health: Prevention and Rehabilitation
• Clinical Examination and History Taking
• Heart Failure: Prevention and Management
• Innovation In Management of Cardiovascular Disease: Acute and Community
• Managing The Care of Children And Adults With Cystic Fibrosis
• Pulmonary Rehabilitation And Community Respiratory Care
• Quality In Cardiovascular and Respiratory Healthcare With E-Health
• Respiratory Failure And Respiratory Support

Research project

You complete an extensive research project assessed by a written dissertation and oral presentation. The research project can be undertaken in a variety of settings, and will be supervised by a member of the faculty at Imperial.

Your supervisor will provide guidance and support for developing the research question, design of the project and data collection, thesis writing and oral presentation.

We offer four types of project:

• Primary research using quantitative or qualitative methods
• Systematic review or qualitative synthesis of the literature
• An analysis of data from research databases or registries
• Clinical service improvement

Structure - PG Certificate

Core modules

Cardiovascular and Respiratory Healthcare: Core Science

Provides an overview of cardiovascular and respiratory wellbeing, covering cardiovascular and respiratory anatomy and physiology, the epidemiology of cardiovascular and respiratory disease, the concepts of health and well-being and physiological changes associated with haemorrhage, immobility and bed rest.

Optional modules

You choose two modules from below.

• Cardiovascular Health: Prevention and Rehabilitation
• Clinical Examination and History Taking
• Heart Failure: Prevention and Management
• Innovation In Management of Cardiovascular Disease: Acute and Community
• Managing The Care of Children And Adults With Cystic Fibrosis
• Pulmonary Rehabilitation And Community Respiratory Care
• Quality In Cardiovascular and Respiratory Healthcare With E-Health
• Respiratory Failure And Respiratory Support

Structure - PG Diploma

Core modules

Cardiovascular and Respiratory Healthcare: Core Science

Provides an overview of cardiovascular and respiratory wellbeing, covering cardiovascular and respiratory anatomy and physiology, the epidemiology of cardiovascular and respiratory disease, the concepts of health and well-being and physiological changes associated with haemorrhage, immobility and bed rest.

Study Design

Covers the principles and practice of quantitative and qualitative research, and key issues in critically evaluating methodology. Provides a strong foundation for conducting your own research.

Optional modules

You choose four modules from below.

• Cardiovascular Health: Prevention and Rehabilitation
• Clinical Examination and History Taking
• Heart Failure: Prevention and Management
• Innovation In Management of Cardiovascular Disease: Acute and Community
• Managing The Care of Children And Adults With Cystic Fibrosis
• Pulmonary Rehabilitation And Community Respiratory Care
• Quality In Cardiovascular and Respiratory Healthcare With E-Health
• Respiratory Failure And Respiratory Support

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Respiratory Medicine Courses Online

Diploma MSc is an award-winning provider of online medical education for Postgraduate Diploma and Master’s courses. We are now pleased to add a Postgraduate Diploma and Masters course in Respiratory Medicine to our expanding range of courses. The respiratory medicine courses are offered in conjunction with our partner, the University of South Wales, who have built a strong reputation for delivering innovative learning.

Respiratory disease has a significant impact on the health of the population, and the use of health care resources both in the United Kingdom and in the world. Our respiratory medicine courses will enable more health care professionals to have the required knowledge to treat patients. It will develop problem solving and clinical skills together with preparing students to take a leadership role in Respiratory Medicine.

The course is developed by taking note of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Guidance on Respiratory Medicine, the curriculum subjects of the Specialty Certificate Exam of the Royal College of Physicians and that of the Royal College of General Practitioners (Respiratory) with an emphasis on the management of these conditions in both primary and secondary care in the UK and abroad.

The Postgraduate Diploma and MSc respiratory medicine courses will appeal to Doctors, GPs, Allied Health Professionals, Nurses and those with related undergraduate degrees (e.g. Pharmacists) or equivalent professional qualifications and background experience.

Diploma in Respiratory Medicine

Our online 1 year Postgraduate Diploma in Respiratory Medicine is designed to be practical and clinically focused. Our course will provide an integrated approach to Respiratory Medicine and focus on applying scientific principles to direct patient care. The Postgraduate Diploma in Respiratory Medicine course is worth 120 credits and comprises 6 modules of 20 credits each.

The course aims to equip graduates with critical knowledge and understanding of Respiratory Medicine. Graduates will be able to apply knowledge for direct clinical benefit and future study. Our course is the only one of its kind that is accessible online and is the fastest route to a PGDip/MSc.

Our Postgraduate Diploma in Respiratory Medicine has been designed for Doctors, GPs, Allied Health Professionals, Nurses and those with related undergraduate degrees (e.g. Pharmacists) or equivalent professional qualifications and background experience.

On completion of the course you will demonstrate:

A critical awareness of current issues affecting the care of patients undertaking Respiratory treatments.
An advanced knowledge of Respiratory Medicine and other associated conditions that will facilitate decision-making in unpredictable and/or complex situations.
An ability to use knowledge to adapt professional practice to meet the changing demands of health care systems.
An in-depth understanding of the scope and delivery of Respiratory treatments including horizon scanning of potential new treatments for the wider population.
Course Structure

The online course lasts one calendar year and is a part-time distance learning course. It consists of 6 modules per year, each of 6 weeks duration.

Module 1 - Respiratory Medicine – Symptoms, Signs and Investigations
Module 2 - Asthma and Allergy
Module 3 - Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Module 4 - Thoracic oncology and pleural disease
Module 5 - Respiratory infections; diagnoses and management
Module 6 - Other important respiratory conditions and diseases
Assessment

The course puts assessment at the heart of learning by using clinical scenarios to facilitate problem-solving, critical analysis and evidence-based care. The scenarios act as both the focus for learning and assessment thus embedding assessment within the learning process.

Each of the 6 modules has the same assessment format. Due to the online nature of the course, students are expected to login and participate in the course regularly throughout the module (ideally on a daily basis).

Students are split into groups of 10-15 students and are assigned a dedicated expert tutor who:

Facilitates clinical case discussions with the group.
Monitors, assesses and marks each student throughout the module.
Students use the skills gained during the lectures to engage with the different activities (see below).
Clinical case scenarios with case based discussion - 40%
Individual learning portfolio - 10%
Group/individual activity - 20%
Case based examination - 30%

MSc in Respiratory Medicine

Entry to the 1 year Msc in Respiratory Medicine will require the successful completion of the Postgraduate Diploma in Respiratory Medicine (120 credits) either from the University of South Wales or from another UK University.

Our Respiratory Medicine Masters of Science course has been developed for health professionals who are interested in a leadership role within Respiratory Medicine including GP’s, doctors, nurses, allied health professionals, pharmacists, and other suitably qualified and interested individuals.

The MSc Respiratory Medicine course is the only one of its title that is accessible online, and is not offered by any other institution. On completion of the course, you will be able to demonstrate:

An applied understanding of how established techniques of research and enquiry are used to create and interpret knowledge in an appropriate clinical setting.
An in-depth knowledge and understanding of the discipline informed by current scholarship and research.
Advanced level critical skills designed to deal with complex problems.
Advanced knowledge and competence in Respiratory Medicine.

Course Structure

Module 1 - Research Methodologies and Critical Appraisal in Respiratory Medicine (compulsory module)
Module 2 - Professional Project: Respiratory Medicine or Independent Prescribing Module
Teaching Methods

Module 1 - Research Methodologies and Critical Appraisal

MSc teaching methods for this module are similar to the PG Diploma course modules, however, it is run over 12 weeks.

Module 2 - Professional Project

To produce the professional project, students continue to use the online course however much of the work is self-directed.

Students are expected in the first 8 weeks to interact with their tutor on a weekly basis. Students select a specific project and submit a project summary/proposal (approximately 1500 words).

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Overview

Respiratory illnesses affect all children. Almost every child in the UK attends their GP in the first 5 years of life with a respiratory infection. 1 in 10 children have some chronic respiratory condition of which asthma is the most common. Despite the commonness of respiratory disorders, the presence of good evidenced-based guidelines care and outcomes vary widely. Provision of care is even more varied for rarer conditions and where there have been recent important advances in technology. There is a pressing need to facilitate training in primary, secondary and tertiary care to ensure that children achieve the best possible health outcomes.

This course allows students to learn how to provide optimum care for children with acute and chronic respiratory diseases. Each of the four modules has been designed to complement clinical experience and accelerate learning and professional development. The modules tackle asthma and allergy, cystic fibrosis, infection and immunity and non-invasive ventilation and sleep. Taken in combination they cover the breadth of knowledge required to deliver secondary care services for children and they complement the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health Special Interest module in Paediatric Respiratory Medicine. Delivered by an experienced local faculty with an enthusiasm for teaching and national and international reputation for paediatric respiratory medicine this course offers a combination of self-directed, interactive and practical learning. 

Course Aims

The aim of the course is to help clinicians in primary and secondary care settings to develop their knowledge base, enhance their skills and motivate and empower them to act as effective leaders in the delivery of respiratory healthcare for children. 

Career Development

This course recognises that clinicians require a combination of knowledge, skills and experience to support the delivery of optimal healthcare for children. Whilst completion of all four modules will be particularly helpful to secondary care paediatricians with a stated special interest in paediatric respiratory medicine individual modules are likely to be of particular interest to those working in specific environments. For instance, doctors and nurses working in primary care are likely to find the module on asthma and allergy particularly helpful. Similarly, the module on non-invasive ventilation and sleep may be particularly valuable to clinicians working on high dependency units or those who support community teams who look after technology-dependent children.

Course Content

Each module is given a credit rating within the national Masters framework. These may be transferable from or to other institutions where the learning outcomes are comparable. Undertaking all four currently available modules will lead to the award of a postgraduate certificate in Medical Science. Individuals who wish to proceed to higher degrees may choose to undertake further credits as part of other Masters programmes.

• Postgraduate Certificate in Medical Science: 60 credits 
• Postgraduate Diploma in Medical Science: 120 credits
• Masters in Medical Science: total 180 credits

(The Masters Degree must be completed within five years of registration, the Diploma within four years and the Certificate within three years. It will be possible to complete a Masters Degree in Medical Science in two years.)

It is not necessary to carry out a piece of original research to complete the award. The final 60 credits can be for a practice-based project, a teaching project such as robust evaluation of a programme you might be running, or it may be possible to accumulate credits from independent studies or a reflective portfolio. Individual programmes will be constructed for you at this stage through negotiation with the award leader.

Course Modules

• Paediatric Respiratory Medicine: Infection and Immunity (15 credits)
• Paediatric Respiratory Medicine: Cystic Fibrosis and Bronchiectasis (15 credits)
• Paediatric Respiratory Medicine: Asthma and Allergy (15 credits)
• Paediatric Respiratory Medicine: Non-Invasive and Long-Term Ventilation (15 credits)

Teaching & Assessment

This is a modular part-time programme, designed to meet the needs of full-time health professionals, able to take study leave in short blocks (2-days face-to-face teaching for each module) and augmented by background reading and independent study. The modules are offered on a regular basis throughout the year, usually repeated annually, and students can join the programme at any stage. It is possible to complete the PG Certificate within one year, though up to three years are allowed.

Most teaching is based on interactive small group methods, interspersed with practical tasks and supplemented with background reading and materials developed by the course faculty. A variety of assessment methods are used, including essays skills and completion of a portfolio.

Additional Costs

Apart from additional costs for text books, inter-library loans and potential overdue library fines we do not anticipate any additional costs for this postgraduate programme.

Find information on Scholarships here - http://www.keele.ac.uk/studentfunding/bursariesscholarships/

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The Global Burden of Disease Study predicts that by 2020 the top ten leading causes of disability-adjusted life years has ischaemic heart disease at number 1, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) at number 5, and lower respiratory tract infections at number 6. COPD is predicted to quickly rise ‘up the charts’ after 2020 because it is unique in being currently untreatable, with four people a minute worldwide dying of this condition.

Consequently, study of respiratory and cardiovascular science is essential to improving our future health prospects. To that end, the Respiratory and Cardiovascular Science (RCVS) stream combines lectures and journal clubs covering the physiology and pathophysiology of the heart and lungs to provide a solid grounding on how dysfunction in physiology can lead to pathophysiology and clinical manifestations of severe heart or lung disease. The RCVS stream covers the main areas of respiratory physiology and cellular and molecular biology, and introduces the major disease-causing conditions, giving you a broad base of understanding of the heart and lungs.

Laboratory-based research projects will be directly related to advancing our understanding of heart and lung function and/or dysfunction. Dedicated RCVS sessions on data interpretation are designed to facilitate and complement the project experience.

Most of the tutors on the RCVS stream work at the National Heart & Lung Institute, and represent the largest ‘critical mass’ of research-active, respiratory or cardiovascular science academics in Europe. For example, Professor Peter Barnes (FRS) is the most cited published author for COPD in the world. Consequently, students will be in a premier, cutting-edge environment of respiratory and cardiovascular teaching and research.

After completion of the RCVS stream the student will be able to:

-Describe the basic physiology of cardiac function
-Describe the pathophysiology of the major cardiovascular diseases (for example, cardiac ischaemia)
-Describe the pathophysiology of the major respiratory diseases, including asthma, COPD and cystic fibrosis
-Understand the advantages and limitations of animal models of respiratory and cardiovascular disease
-Understand the rationale behind the design of novel treatments for respiratory and cardiovascular disease
-Use library and other research sources effectively
-Design laboratory-based experiments to effectively test a specified hypothesis, incorporating use of appropriate controls
-Interpret data sets, depict data in an appropriate graphic format and apply appropriate statistical analysis
-Understand and be able to use bioinformatic approaches
-Be able to write a grant proposal for a research project
-Be able to present research project data in various formats, including as a poster, an oral presentation, a PhD-style write-up and a journal-based research paper write-up
-Be able to read, understand and critically evaluate research papers in peer-review journals

Please note that Postgraduate Diplomas and Certificates for part-completion are not available for this course.

A wide range of research projects is made available to students twice a year. The range of projects available to each student is determined by their stream. Students may have access to projects from other streams, but have priority only on projects offered by their own stream.

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Overview

Physiotherapy is a constantly evolving profession which requires practitioners to demonstrate current best practice and continued professional development at postgraduate level. The philosophy of this flexible modular course is to broaden and extend knowledge and skills in the field of cardio-respiratory physiotherapy and encourage personal and professional development. This programme is designed to provide opportunity for students to question and challenge current practice in aspects of cardio-respiratory physiotherapy and to enable students to explore in depth, areas of professional interest within physiotherapy. It also aims to enable students to evaluate evidence both for current practice and for new approaches in physiotherapy practice.

The structure of the core modules meets the needs of individuals to review and evaluate the cardio-respiratory field of physiotherapy and to integrate this into their clinical practice where appropriate. The optional modules allow students to devise a programme to suit their own specific requirements in terms of professional and personal development. The Research Methods in Health module and postgraduate dissertation, together with core/optional modules such as Evidence-based Practice and Assessment and Measurement, develop the student’s research capabilities and critical evaluation skills.

The School of Health & Rehabilitation is based on Keele campus and has a well-established undergraduate physiotherapy programme. It has strong connections both with local clinical units and with other Schools within the University such as the Schools of Nursing & Midwifery, Medicine, and Pharmacy.

The part-time MSc programme can be completed in two years, but students may take up to five years if they wish (modular route). The structure of the course therefore allows flexible learning in accordance with individual student interests and needs.

See the website http://www.keele.ac.uk/pgtcourses/physiotherapycardio-respiratory/

Course Aims

Provide an environment where the student is supported and motivated to develop academically, professionally and personally. Promote reflective thinking, reflective practice, and self-evaluation. Develop the process of critical and evaluative thinking, writing, and communication. Transfer scientific knowledge from theory into practice. Develop research skills to provide students with a sound academic core to their clinical practice in physiotherapy. Develop a scientific approach to the evaluation of current practice in cardio-respiratory physiotherapy.

Promote interdisciplinary perspectives and an holistic approach to the cardio-respiratory management and rehabilitation of person.

Course Content

The MSc programme comprises taught modules to the value of 120 Level 7 credits and a dissertation of 60 M Level 7 credits, giving a total of 180 credits. Students may choose to finish their studies after completing 60 taught credits (Postgraduate Certificate) or 120 taught credits (Postgraduate Diploma), or they may study any module on a stand-alone basis and obtain the relevant credits. The part-time MSc programme can be completed in two years, but students may take up to five years if they wish. The structure of the course therefore allows flexible learning in accordance with individual student interests and needs.

The core modules meet the needs of individuals to review and evaluate the scientific background of the cardio-respiratory specialism and to integrate this into their clinical practice. The option modules allow students to devise a programme to suit their own specific requirements in terms of professional and personal development. The Research Methods in Health module and Evidence-based Practice module together with the dissertation develop the student’s research capabilities and critical evaluation skills.

Teaching & Assessment

Lecture sessions are led by a variety of experienced authorities in their field. Therefore, the student receives a wide knowledge base from academics and practising experts.

The programme is assessed by a variety of techniques chosen to reflect the aims and objectives and teaching methods of individual modules, for example: essay, oral examination, critical evaluation, paper review, seminar presentations, examination, the use of the Virtual Learning Environment, and dissertation. The pass mark for all modules is 50%.

Additional Costs

Apart from additional costs for text books, inter-library loans and potential overdue library fines we do not anticipate any additional costs for this post graduate programme.

Find information on Scholarships here - http://www.keele.ac.uk/studentfunding/bursariesscholarships/

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The incidence of respiratory disease has been increasing worldwide as we see an increase in allergies and as the world population gets older. This course aims to inform and equip the practitioner with the necessary skills to function in a modern biomedical/clinical environment specialising in caring for the patient with respiratory problems.

Why Study Respiratory Medicine with us?

You will receive training in the skills required in the reading and interpretation of the literature and translating that into evidencebased practice. We aim to develop your research and writing skills so that you will be in a position to contribute to the scientific literature in an effective manner.

The course culminates in the Research Dissertation, which will be assessed through your production of two publishable scientific articles.

The content of the course is mapped to The Joint Royal Colleges of Physicians Training Board Speciality Training Curriculum for Respiratory Medicine.

If biomedical or clinical research is your interest, successful completion of the MSc will allow you to directly register onto PhD study and join our team of researchers at the Institute of Medicine.

What will I learn?

Our course investigates the different types of respiratory problems and various complications. You will review current guidelines and their evidence base in the therapeutic management of respiratory disease, and explore potential new therapies. You will also carry out a research project.

Seminars and tutorials will be held with various healthcare professionals and clinical researchers. You will also attend respiratory clinics in one of our partner hospital trusts.

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Respiratory Physiotherapy is one of the core areas of Physiotherapy Practice. The aim of this course is to develop physiotherapists knowledge and skills in the physiotherapy management of the patient with respiratory disorders. The course will take place on a part-time basis to facilitate physiotherapists working in clinical practice. The MSc course is run on a full-time (1 year) and part-time (2 year) basis. The PG Diploma is completed in 1 year. All students will attend 3 days per month for the first year. A 5-week clinical placement will either be timetabled for the end of year 1 (full-time MSc students and diploma students) or during year 2 (part-time MSc students). A research project will be undertaken in year 1 for full-time MSc students and in year 2 for part-time MSc students. Teaching will include lectures, laboratory practicals, seminars and tutorials. Clinical experience in Respiratory Physiotherapy will also be provided. Specialist themes covered include:Cardiovascular and Respiratory Physiology Exercise prescription Clinical Exercise Prescription Research Methods and Statistics Physiotherapy in Respiratory Medicine Clinical Practice in Respirator Physiotherapy. Health Policy and Management Research Dissertation. .
An individual research project on some aspect of Respiratory Physiotherapy shall be completed by MSc students. Students shall be assigned a supervisor with whom the research topic must be agreed. The proposal must be accepted by the course committee prior to commencement. Ethical approval for research projects will be sought as necessary. The dissertation will involve regular meetings between the student and supervisor. MSc students will present their research findings in a report in a paper format of no more than 3,500 words.

Students performance will be assessed by coursework that is completed throughout the year and by their performance during a clinical placement. Coursework will include case-based questions, case studies, essays, laboratory reports and literature reviews.

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Course description

Our MRes Experimental Medicine (Respiratory) programme will give nurses, doctors, clinical researchers and research programme managers the skills needed to work in early phase clinical studies.

You will learn how to master experimental medicine with a focus on respiratory through a combination of traditional teaching and hands-on learning, through spending a year working closely with the Experimental Medicine Respiratory Team of the Biomedical Research Centre while also taking four structured taught units.

The taught units will see you learn the details of designing and delivering early phase clinical studies, understanding the pre-clinical data required before a clinical programme can commence, and how to optimise early clinical studies to provide evidence for progressing a promising drug or intervention into Phase II/III clinical testing.

Alongside the taught elements, you will have a named supervisor and be exposed to tasks required in the setup, delivery, interpretation and audit of a clinical study.

Nursing and physician students may participate in patient care, including new and follow-on patient clinics, treatment and care-giving episodes with patients.

For non-registered clinical researchers and research programme managers, no direct patient contact is envisaged and you may participate in clinical trial setup, protocol amendments, database setup, data entry, costing and billing for clinical research.

You will be able to choose two aspects of your direct clinical trial research experience to write up for your two research projects in a dissertation format. This will give you the skills and knowledge required to critically report medical, scientific and clinically related sciences for peer review.

Aims

The primary purpose of the MRes in Experimental Medicine (Respiratory) is to provide you with the opportunity to work within a premier Biomedical Research Centre and, through a mix of taught and experiential learning, master the discipline of experimental medicine related to respiratory.

Special features

Extensive practical experience

You will spend most of your time gaining hands-on experience through completion of two research projects working closely with the Experimental Medicine Respiratory Team of the Manchester Biomedical Research Centre

Taught by experts in Experimental Medicine within dedicated research and clinical trials facilities

You will also have opportunities to interact with and learn from experimental medicine researchers across a range of different fields within the Manchester Biomedical Research Centre and the Manchester Clinical Research Facility and thereby broaden your knowledge and experience of experimental medicine.

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The course is designed for students who wish to pursue a career in biomedical research, whether it be in academia, industry or goverment. To date, of the students who wanted to, the overwhelming majority have gone on to study for a PhD . We will equip you with the key skills needed to plan, conduct, publish and obtain funding for successful research.

The course comprises two 5-month research projects and a core programme including grant writing, technical workshops, journal clubs and transferrable skills. Please note that Postgraduate Diplomas and Certificates for part-completion are not available for this course.

Respiratory and Cardiovascular Science Stream

This stream covers the main areas of respiratory physiology and cellular and molecular biology, and introduces the major disease-causing conditions, giving you a broad base of understanding of the heart and lungs.

The Global Burden of Disease Study predicts that by 2020 the top ten leading causes of disability-adjusted life years has ischaemic heart disease at number 1, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) at number 5, and lower respiratory tract infections at number 6. COPD is predicted to quickly rise ‘up the charts’ after 2020 because it is unique in being currently untreatable, with four people a minute worldwide dying of this condition.

Consequently, study of respiratory and cardiovascular science is essential to improving our future health prospects. To that end, the Respiratory and Cardiovascular Science (RCVS) stream combines lectures and journal clubs covering the physiology and pathophysiology of the heart and lungs to provide a solid grounding on how dysfunction in physiology can lead to pathophysiology and clinical manifestations of severe heart or lung disease.

There are studentships available for this biomedical research stream:

• MRC-Asthma UK Centre in Allergic Mechanisms of Asthma PhD Studentships
• BHF Centre of Research Excellence Studentships

IS THIS STREAM FOR YOU?

This stream is aimed at students with a biological or biochemical background wishing to pursue further education in a biomedically relevant area and those that want to undertake research projects aimed at understanding pathophysiological mechanisms underlying respiratory and/or cardiovascular diseases. It is also aimed at students who want to gain a Master’s qualification with a view to undertaking doctoral training, or work in the pharmaceutical industry or in a professional biomedical technical environment.

Careers

Our MRes in Biomedical Research is designed for students looking to pursue a career in biomedical research, whether in academia, industry or government. The overwhelming majority of graduates, who have wanted to continue on to PhD study, have done so.

The course will equip you with the key skills needed to plan, conduct, publish and obtain funding for successful research.

The programme offers training in a vast array of laboratories across the Faculty of Medicine (approximately 700 world leading research groups) and an opportunity to learn from leaders in the field.

* Location will depend on where your projects are based.

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The Cardiovascular & Respiratory Sciences graduate program consist of affiliations with multidisciplinary research groups and institutes. Graduate students supervision leading to advanced degrees is offered by the Cardiovascular Group, the Smooth Muscle Research Group (both part of theLibin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta), and the Airways Inflammation Research Group.

Students have the opportunities to study in multidisciplinary environments where research groups share adjacent laboratory space. The multidisciplinary scheme has proven to facilitate the development of individual research programs, especially with respect to collaborations involving different techniques and model systems. Students are encouraged to take advantage of such collaborations to enhance the scope and quality of their dissertation research.

The Department of Cardiovascular/Respiratory Sciences focuses on providing a training experience that is based on research excellence and quality. Many of our graduates have the skills and abilities to succeed in further academic training, research, technical and professional positions in academic and non-academic settings.

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This course will be held at the Medway Campus

- https://www.kent.ac.uk/locations/medway/

The Professional Doctorate in Sport, Exercise and Health Science is a specialist programme designed for experienced sport, exercise and health practitioners who would like to undertake research that is relevant and applied to their area of professional practice.

Through a combination of individually tutored modules and your own research, you develop your academic and professional knowledge and acquire a range of advanced research skills. The professional doctorate programme culminates with the submission of your doctoral thesis or portfolio on a topic that advances your area of professional knowledge or practice.

Visit the website https://www.kent.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/158/sport-exercise-and-health-science-professional-doctorate

About the School of Sport and Exercise Sciences

The School of Sport and Exercise Sciences is one of the most exciting and innovative sports schools in the UK.

The School is based on the University’s award-winning Medway campus and has well-equipped, state-of the-art sports science laboratories, sports therapy clinic, sports rehabilitation gymnasium and respiratory clinic.

The University of Kent has recently benefited from the development of Medway Park, an £11 million project to create a regional centre of sporting excellence that was an approved pre-Olympic training camp venue for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Medway Park has hosted a number of major sporting events, such as the Modern Pentathlon World Cup and European Championships.

The School of Sport and Exercise Sciences offers both taught and research postgraduate courses in Sport and Exercise Science and Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation.

Study support

- Postgraduate resources

The School of Sport and Exercise Sciences has recently invested heavily in its equipment and other resources, and has world-class sports therapy and sport science facilities. Campus facilities include a 12-couch teaching clinic and state-of-the-art sports science laboratories. There is a wide range of equipment, including motorised and non-motorised treadmills, cycle ergometers, an isokinetic dynamometer, and blood and gas analysis equipment. In addition, at Medway Park, the School of Sport and Exercise Sciences has its own cutting-edge sports therapy clinic, rehabilitation gymnasium, sports science laboratories and a respiratory clinic.

There is also a hypoxic environmental chamber, and analytical chemistry, respiratory testing and psychobiology laboratories. These specialist rooms have been set up with over £700,000 of new equipment, including an anti-gravity treadmill, a 3D video analysis system, 2D force pedals, ultra-sound imaging, near-infrared spectroscopy and a gait analysis system.

The School operates a commercial sports injury and rehabilitation clinic, respiratory clinic and sports performance services from Medway Park to support elite athletes, regional squads and local residents. As a postgraduate student, you have the opportunity to develop your professional skills as you work with clients in the clinic and laboratory under staff supervision.

- Dynamic publishing culture

Staff publish regularly and widely in leading scientific journals. Among others, they have recently contributed to: Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise; American Journal of Sports Medicine; Journal of Applied Physiology; and British Journal of Sports Medicine.

- Researcher Development Programme

Kent's Graduate School co-ordinates the Researcher Development Programme (http://www.kent.ac.uk/graduateschool/skills/programmes/tstindex.html) for research students, which includes workshops focused on research, specialist and transferable skills. The programme is mapped to the national Researcher Development Framework and covers a diverse range of topics, including subjectspecific research skills, research management, personal effectiveness, communication skills, networking and teamworking, and career management skills.

Careers

Our programmes have been developed and designed to provide students with the required knowledge and skills to work autonomously in the field of sport science and sports therapy. The programmes provide opportunities for you to develop and demonstrate both specialist academic and transferable skills such as good communication, problem solving, critical analysis and the ability to work independently to a high standard. The programmes also aim to give you the opportunity to build long-term careers within your chosen field.

Find out how to apply here - https://www.kent.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/apply/

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The M.Sc. in Medical Physics is a full time course which aims to equip you for a career as a scientist in medicine. You will be given the basic knowledge of the subject area and some limited training. The course consists of an intense program of lectures and workshops, followed by a short project and dissertation. Extensive use is made of the electronic learning environment "Blackboard" as used by NUI Galway. The course has been accredited by the Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine (UK).

Syllabus Outline. (with ECTS weighting)
Human Gross Anatomy (5 ECTS)
The cell, basic tissues, nervous system, nerves and muscle, bone and cartilage, blood, cardiovascular system, respiratory system, gastrointestinal tract, nutrition, genital system, urinary system, eye and vision, ear, hearing and balance, upper limb – hand, lower limb – foot, back and vertebral column, embryology, teratology, anthropometrics; static and dynamic anthropometrics data, anthropometric dimensions, clearance and reach and range of movement, method of limits, mathematics modelling.

Human Body Function (5 ECTS)
Biological Molecules and their functions. Body composition. Cell physiology. Cell membranes and membrane transport. Cell electrical potentials. Nerve function – nerve conduction, nerve synapses. Skeletal muscle function – neuromuscular junction, muscle excitation, muscle contraction, energy considerations. Blood and blood cells – blood groups, blood clotting. Immune system. Autonomous nervous system. Cardiovascular system – electrical and mechanical activity of the heart. – the peripheral circulation. Respiratory system- how the lungs work. Renal system – how the kidneys work. Digestive system. Endocrine system – how hormones work. Central nervous system and brain function.

Occupational Hygiene (5 ECTS)
Historical development of Occupational Hygiene, Safety and Health at Work Act. Hazards to Health, Surveys, Noise and Vibrations, Ionizing radiations, Non-Ionizing Radiations, Thermal Environments, Chemical hazards, Airborne Monitoring, Control of Contaminants, Ventilation, Management of Occupational Hygiene.

Medical Informatics (5 ECTS)
Bio statistics, Distributions, Hypothesis testing. Chi-square, Mann-Whitney, T-tests, ANOVA, regression. Critical Appraisal of Literature, screening and audit. Patient and Medical records, Coding, Hospital Information Systems, Decision support systems. Ethical consideration in Research.
Practicals: SPSS. Appraisal exercises.

Clinical Instrumentation (6 ECTS)
Biofluid Mechanics: Theory: Pressures in the Body, Fluid Dynamics, Viscous Flow, Elastic Walls, Instrumentation Examples: Respiratory Function Testing, Pressure Measurements, Blood Flow measurements. Physics of the Senses: Theory: Cutaneous and Chemical sensors, Audition, Vision, Psychophysics; Instrumentation Examples: Evoked responses, Audiology, Ophthalmology instrumentation, Physiological Signals: Theory Electrodes, Bioelectric Amplifiers, Transducers, Electrophysiology Instrumentation.

Medical Imaging (10 ECTS)
Theory of Image Formation including Fourier Transforms and Reconstruction from Projections (radon transform). Modulation transfer Function, Detective Quantum Efficiency.
X-ray imaging: Interaction of x-rays with matter, X-ray generation, Projection images, Scatter, Digital Radiography, CT – Imaging. Fundamentals of Image Processing.
Ultrasound: Physics of Ultrasound, Image formation, Doppler scanning, hazards of Ultrasound.
Nuclear Medicine : Overview of isotopes, generation of Isotopes, Anger Cameras, SPECT Imaging, Positron Emitters and generation, PET Imaging, Clinical aspects of Planar, SPECT and PET Imaging with isotopes.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging : Magnetization, Resonance, Relaxation, Contrast in MR Imaging, Image formation, Image sequences, their appearances and clinical uses, Safety in MR.

Radiation Fundamentals (5 ECTS)
Review of Atomic and Nuclear Physics. Radiation from charged particles. X-ray production and quality. Attenuation of Photon Beams in Matter. Interaction of Photons with Matter. Interaction of Charged Particles with matter. Introduction to Monte Carlo techniques. Concept to Dosimetry. Cavity Theory. Radiation Detectors. Practical aspects of Ionization chambers

The Physics of Radiation Therapy (10 ECTS)
The interaction of single beams of X and gamma rays with a scattering medium. Treatment planning with single photon beams. Treatment planning for combinations of photon beams. Radiotherapy with particle beams: electrons, pions, neutrons, heavy charged particles. Special Techniques in Radiotherapy. Equipment for external Radiotherapy. Relative dosimetry techniques. Dosimetry using sealed sources. Brachytherapy. Dosimetry of radio-isotopes.

Workshops / Practicals
Hospital & Radiation Safety [11 ECTS]
Workshop in Risk and Safety.
Concepts of Risk and Safety. Legal Aspects. Fundamental concepts in Risk Assessment and Human Factor Engineering. Risk and Safety management of complex systems with examples from ICU and Radiotherapy. Accidents in Radiotherapy and how to avoid them. Principles of Electrical Safety, Electrical Safety Testing, Non-ionizing Radiation Safety, including UV and laser safety.
- NUIG Radiation Safety Course.
Course for Radiation Safety Officer.
- Advanced Radiation Safety
Concepts of Radiation Protection in Medical Practice, Regulations. Patient Dosimetry. Shielding design in Diagnostic Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Radiotherapy.
- Medical Imaging Workshop
Operation of imaging systems. Calibration and Quality Assurance of General
radiography, fluoroscopy systems, ultrasound scanners, CT-scanners and MR scanners. Radiopharmacy and Gamma Cameras Quality Control.

Research Project [28 ECTS]
A limited research project will be undertaken in a medical physics area. Duration of this will be 4 months full time

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MSc Advanced Physiotherapy is an advanced programme of study for registered and qualified Physiotherapists.

Under this main programme of study, there are five specialist areas where our students can direct their focus and develop their professional practice:
-Physiotherapy focus
-Musculoskeletal Therapy focus
-Neurological Therapy focus
-Cardio-respiratory Therapy focus
-Manual Therapy focus (provides eligibility for MACP membership)

However, no matter whether students choose to focus on one or many of the different specialist areas of focus above, you will graduate with an MSc Advanced Physiotherapy.

Each of these areas consists of core units which must be taken in order for you to achieve the academic standards required to successfully complete your programme and be eligible to be awarded an MSc degree by the University. In addition, there are a range of optional units which can be taken to improve your professional practice or develop specialist skills in a particular area.

Some of these units may be delivered by other Master’s programmes within the University. This not only widens the variety of units, which you can study but also offers the potential for multi-professional education and professional study.

Whilst there is freedom to choose a range of units, which interest the student and develop multi-professional practice, Advanced Physiotherapy units must form two thirds of your final credits in order to successfully graduate from the programme.

This is a flexible programme of study and can be delivered on a modular basis as a full or part time programme. All units of study provide academic credits, which are built up to offer exit routes at the following stages:
-180 credits: MSc Advanced Physiotherapy
-120 credits: PgDip Advanced Physiotherapy
-60 credits: PgCert Advanced Physiotherapy

About the Course

The programme contains units in several clinical specialities including: physiotherapy; cardio-respiratory therapy; manual therapy; musculoskeletal therapy and neurological therapy. These units have been developed after consultation with students, other practitioners and service managers and are intended to equip the student/practitioner with the skills to develop their practice at a unit and organisational level.

Features and benefits of the course

-Full time students have up to 15 months to complete the course, taught units should be completed within 12 months.
-Part time students must undertake a minimum of one unit per year
-All students must take either the Dissertation or the Advanced Physiotherapy Project Unit. Students cannot take both.
-The Manual Therapy focus provides eligibility for membership of the Musculoskeletal Association of Chartered Physiotherapists (MACP).
-Most modules can be taken as stand-alone units. By this we mean that they can be studied on their own merit providing evidence for your CPD portfolio or they can form part of the credits required to gain a master’s level qualification.
-This programme is accredited by the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy
-Access to state of the art Clinical Skills laboratories and Simulation Suites
-Students can focus on particular areas of specialist study, Musculoskeletal, Neurological Therapy, Cardio-respiratory, Physiotherapy or Manual Therapy

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The Postgraduate Certificate in Cardiorespiratory Practice enables UK registered healthcare professionals to achieve professional development and gain experience in this specialist area.

You will have the opportunity to develop your knowledge, skills and understanding of assessment, planning, delivery and evaluation of care relating to the management of critically ill patients with complex care needs being cared for in a cardiac and/or respiratory care environment.

Successful completion of this course allows you to exit with the Postgraduate Certificate in Cardiorespiratory Practice worth 60 CATS credits at Level 7.

See the website http://www.brookes.ac.uk/studying-at-brookes/courses/postgraduate/2015/postgraduate-certificate-in-cardio-respiratory-practice/

Why choose this course?

- Practitioners are educated to develop a critical understanding of cardiorespiratory practice and by applying evidence based practice, deliver the best outcome of care for the patient and their family.

- There is an emphasis on practice focused learning throughout, with learning and assessments being based around practice and the workplace.

- Identifying the importance of developing practitioner skills for practice ensures the transferability of the programme to direct service provision.

- Curriculum content is informed by relevant national and international research and evidence based literature to help you expand the breadth of your studies and develop a depth of critical analysis and evaluation of practice.

- Importance is placed on the individual's experience within the educational process and your journey of lifelong learning from both a personal and professional perspective.

- Our lecturers are experienced in their specialist areas and maintain excellent practice links with those areas locally or across the region.

Teaching and learning

Teaching, learning and assessment strategy reflects the programme's student centred, patient-centred and practice-focused approach. Each module strikes a good balance between structured learning activities and private study. You will have opportunities for sharing your existing and developing skills, knowledge and experience. A variety of teaching and learning strategies will be employed to make the most of the range of experience, skills and knowledge within the group.

Approach to assessment

You will be assessed in each of the modules. There is a mixture of assessment strategies chosen for their appropriateness for an individual module and programme learning outcomes and content, the academic standard expected and the different styles of learning present within the group. Assessments are used to give you an opportunity to demonstrate your knowledge as well as the critical and reflective analysis required for professional practice.

Assessments will also provide you with an opportunity to experience a range of postgraduate attributes that will prove valuable in your future career.

How this course helps you develop

Teaching, learning and assessment strategies include development of core postgraduate attributes encouraging development of critical self-awareness and personal literacy, digital and information literacy and active citizenship within the context of both academic and research literacy.

Careers

Students who have completed similar vocational health and life sciences postgraduate certificate courses at Oxford Brookes have been employed within the speciality both locally and nationally. This course enables you as a practitioner to work through the Agenda for Change grading bands to further your career progression.

Free language courses for students - the Open Module

Free language courses are available to full-time undergraduate and postgraduate students on many of our courses, and can be taken as a credit on some courses.

Please note that the free language courses are not available if you are:
- studying at a Brookes partner college
- studying on any of our teacher education courses or postgraduate education courses.

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This MSc Advanced Clinical Practitioner course is for healthcare professionals who want to extend the scope of their practice regarding consultation, assessment, diagnosis and therapeutic interventions.

Modern healthcare services are dynamic, diverse and challenging, often requiring care and interventions delivered by healthcare practitioners with advanced clinical skills and sound theoretical knowledge. This course will allow you to develop your skills at an advanced level, thereby meeting the requirements set by National Leadership and Innovation Agency for Healthcare (NLIAH).

You will develop your understanding of altered physiology to effectively assess patients health or ill health status. In addition you will study research methods, influences on current health care practices and independent prescribing.

The MSc can be achieved within three years and you will need to be supported by a medical and professional mentor in practice.

See the website http://courses.southwales.ac.uk/courses/355-msc-advanced-clinical-practitioner

What you will study

Modules:
Years One

- Clinical Conditions 1
This will involve developing your understanding of altered physiological processes in relation to cardiovascular, respiratory and musculoskeletal disease processes, for example Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), heart failure and Myasthenia Gravis disease.

- Clinical Skills 1
This will involve further developing your knowledge and skills in relation to examining patients with cardiac, respiratory and musculosketal diseases. This will include completing a comprehensive patient medical history, thoroughly examining each system mentioned above and identifying their treatment and management plan based on an individual clinical presentation.

- Influences on practice
You will debate the political, legal and professional influences on advanced practice in context with today’s healthcare system. Professional influences include considering the role of advanced practice within the Welsh Advanced Practice Framework. Legal influences include accountability and political influences will address the requirements advocated by Welsh Government.

Year Two:
- Clinical conditions 2
This will involve developing your understanding of altered physiological processes in relation to endocrine, neurological and abdominal disease processes, for example Diabetes and Thyroid disease, Parkinson’s disease, liver and gut diseases.

- Clinical Skills 2
You will continue to develop your knowledge and skills in relation to examining patients with endocrine, neurological and abdominal disease. This will include completing a comprehensive patient medical history, thoroughly examining each system mentioned above and identifying their treatment and management plan based on an individual clinical presentation.

- Research methods
You will learn how to critically evaluate a range of research methodologies.

Year three:

- Dissertation
You will choose a topic relevant to your own area of practice and critically evaluate the role of the advanced practitioner within your area.
- Independent Prescribing or

Optional module:
- Critical reflection on learning in the workplace.
- Leading effective teams in health & social care.

There is a dedicated route for paediatric practitioners.

Learning and teaching methods

You will attend the University one day a week. First year students will study on Mondays, whilst second and third years are taught on Thursdays.

You will be taught by a variety of methods including tutorials, lectures, case study presentations, peer presentations, and problem-based learning. You will also undertake practicals in our Clinical Simulation suite as well as in actual clinical practice.

Work Experience and Employment Prospects

On this degree, you will develop a range of clinical skills in greater depth and gain the knowledge to assess, diagnose and treat patients.

Study of relevant protocols, policy and research will complement this to allow safe practice at an advanced level.

Assessment methods

Assessments include written examinations, assignments and OSCEs (Objective Structured Clinical Examinations). The OSCE’s will take place in May each year and be completed as part of the clinical skills modules and involve undertaking a comprehensive patient history, examining a particular bodily system, and identifying a management and treatment plan for the individual.

Facilities

Our state of the art Clinical Simulation Centre is set up to replicate an acute care NHS environment, providing realistic clinical facilities for our Nursing and Midwifery students and qualified healthcare professionals.

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