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  6. ME33MP: Health Psychology in Medical Practice

ME33MP: HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY IN MEDICAL PRACTICE (2022-2023)

Last modified: 31 Jul 2023 11:19


Course Overview

Behaviour is an important predictor and determinant of health. In this course you will learn about the factors that influence and determine human behaviour and behaviour change. You will learn how to help support your patients to engage in health promoting behaviours, such attending for screening and adhering to medication. Course activities will enable you to experience the evidence you encounter on the course so you can better understand your own and your patients’ health behaviours.

Course Details

Study Type Undergraduate Level 3
Term First Term Credit Points 15 credits (7.5 ECTS credits)
Campus Aberdeen Sustained Study No
Co-ordinators
  • Prof Diane Dixon

What courses & programmes must have been taken before this course?

  • Either Programme Level 3 or Programme Level 4
  • Any Undergraduate Programme
  • Medicine (ME)

What other courses must be taken with this course?

None.

What courses cannot be taken with this course?

None.

Are there a limited number of places available?

No

Course Description

This is an optional course in the Medical Humanities SSC in Year 3 of MBChB.

The course will cover the following topics:

  • What role does behaviour play in health and illness?
  • Models of health-related behaviour:
    • Models of health behaviour; what factors determine engagement in positive and negative health behaviours and how are those factors related? We will cover primary health behaviours such as exercise and diet and prevention behaviours such as screening.
    • Models of illness: what factors influence how a patient responds to symptoms and the resulting illness. How can we intervene to improve a patient’s response to promote better outcomes? We will examine the role of personal models of illness on behaviours such as help seeking and adherence to treatment.
    • Models of rehabilitation: behaviour has an important role in recovery from illness and its treatment, for example, recovery from surgery.
  • How to change health related behaviour. What techniques are available to help people change their behaviours. You will learn about and experience behaviour change techniques that you can use to change your own behaviour and to help support your patients when you ask them to change their behaviour.

Contact Teaching Time

Information on contact teaching time is available from the course guide.

Teaching Breakdown

More Information about Week Numbers


Details, including assessments, may be subject to change until 30 August 2024 for 1st term courses and 20 December 2024 for 2nd term courses.

Summative Assessments

Patient Journey Infographic

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 50
Assessment Weeks Feedback Weeks

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Feedback

Students will produce an infographic that details key behavioural and psychological processes during the journey of a patient from initial symptoms to the clinic. Students will select one patient from a range of short patient case studies provided and provide the infographic for that patient.

Feedback will be provided using a model infographic, illustrated with key theory based information points.
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
Sorry, we don't have this information available just now. Please check the course guide on MyAberdeen or with the Course Coordinator

Adherence Practical

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 50
Assessment Weeks Feedback Weeks

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Feedback

Students will be provided with a mock medication regimen and will be asked to adhere to that regimen for a 7-10 days. Students will choose suitable small sweets, dried fruit or nuts as they prefer, in place of actual pills. Students will produce a 750 word report giving a concise overview of their own adherence, identifying possible determinants of non-adherence/linking them to theory and making evidence based suggestions of what could support their adherence.

A detailed marking guide will be provided after the assignment against which the students can evaluate their own performance.
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
Sorry, we don't have this information available just now. Please check the course guide on MyAberdeen or with the Course Coordinator

Formative Assessment

There are no assessments for this course.

Resit Assessments

Resubmission of each assignment

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 100
Assessment Weeks Feedback Weeks

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Feedback
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
Sorry, we don't have this information available just now. Please check the course guide on MyAberdeen or with the Course Coordinator

Course Learning Outcomes

Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
ConceptualEvaluateUnderstand and critically evaluate the role of behaviour in health and illness.
ReflectionEvaluateAnalyse a health relevant behaviour, identify its likely determinants and suggest techniques that could be used to change it.
ReflectionEvaluateSelf reflect on experience of the evidence encountered during the course and identify implications for own practice.
 

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