Course description
The Bachelor of Health Sciences (Paramedic) is for people seeking a career as a paramedic officer.
The program contains mainly compulsory core topics and has been developed to ensure the community receives optimum care in health emergencies from paramedics able to manage all situations in a manner consistent with best practice.
The introduction of a broad-based program at university level is part of a move to ensure that all paramedic officers have the skills, knowledge and attitudes to enable them to provide emergency pre-hospital care of a sophisticated nature and ensure seamless care from site to hospital.
The 3 year program is open to all applicants, including school leavers. A shorter conversion course is available for those with existing approved paramedic qualifications who wish to upgrade to a university qualification.
What will I study?
Refer to the program of study.
Why undertake Paramedic training at Flinders?
* Paramedical Science is a rapidly evolving profession which combines aspects of pre-hospital emergency care and primary health care. Professionals working in the field will be expanding their scope into various extended care practitioner roles, such as paramedic practitioners and the remote area practitioner.
* As a newly evolving profession, the individuals should also be committed to research, lifelong learning and the implementation of best practices to enable the professiona to be able to respond to the rapid development.
* We aim to equip students with the skill, knowledge and attitude to enable them to be future leaders in the industry.
Career opportunities
What can I do with my Bachelor of Health Sciences (Paramedic) degree?
Study a language
Flinders also offers all students the opportunity to major in a language in conjunction with any undergraduate course. The Diploma in Language is designed to provide students with competence in a chosen language that adds greater portability to their qualifications. You will complete a total of one extra year of study and graduate with both your chosen degree and the Diploma in Language. You can apply for this at time of enrolment.
The Bachelor of Health Sciences requires three years of full-time study (or the equivalent part-time). The course is offered by the Faculty of Health Sciences.
The Bachelor of Health Sciences can also be taken in a combined degrees program with:
* Bachelor of Nursing (four years full-time or the equivalent)
* Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting) (four years full-time or the equivalent)
* Bachelor of Education (Middle School) (four years full-time or the equivalent)
* Bachelor of Education (Secondary) (four years full-time or the equivalent)
The combined degrees program in Health Sciences and Nursing allows a student to meet the requirements for nursing registration as well as complete a Bachelor of Health Sciences specialty stream in Health Education and Promotion, Health Management, Disability Studies, or Mental Health Nursing with endorsement as a mental health nurse.
The combined degrees program with Commerce fulfils the requirements of the Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting) enabling students to complete sufficient core topics to qualify as an accountant. It also allows students to complete the award of the Bachelor of Health Sciences by providing the equivalent of all core topics and a specialty stream in Health Management.
Students in the Health Management, Life Sciences, Disability and Community Rehabilitation, and Health Education streams may take elective topics from the Globalisation program. This option is not available to students in the combined degrees programs or Paramedic stream.
An Honours year is also available to students who have completed the Bachelor of Health Science or another qualification which the Faculty Board (upon recommendation of the Honours Committee) agrees is equivalent; and achieved a GPA of at least 5 in the ordinary degree. Honours can be taken in two semesters full-time or in four semesters part-time.
PROGRAM OF STUDY [November, 2008]
To qualify for the Bachelor of Health Sciences a student must complete 108 units with a grade of P or NGP or better in each topic, including compulsory core topics and the program for one of the six optional streams as set out below.
The award of a grade of Fail (F) in the same topic on more than one occasion may constitute prima facie evidence of unsatisfactory progress for the purposes of the University's Policy on Student Progress.
Except with the permission of the Course Committee, a student may not proceed to higher year core topics unless they have satisfactorily completed the previous year's core topics.
All students undertake a set of core topics plus the program for one of six streams:
* Disability and Community Rehabilitation
* Health Education/Promotion
* Health Management
* Life Sciences
* Nutrition
* Paramedic
CORE TOPICS
First Year
HLTH1003
Legal/Ethical Aspects and Health Care #
4.5
HLTH1004
Human Bioscience *
4.5
HLTH1302
Introduction to Health Professions
4.5
HLTH1303
Reforming Health Care: Policy, Politics and the Professions
4.5
HLTH1304
Communication for Health Practitioners
4.5
# Students undertaking the Paramedic stream undertake HLTH3207 Emergency Law and Ethics (6 units) in their Third Year of study.
* Students undertaking the Life Sciences or Nutrition streams are not required to take this topic.
Second Year
HLTH2002
Health: A Psychological Perspective
6
HLTH2003
Society and Health: Sociology and Epidemiology
6
Third Year
HLTH3001
Health Research
6
Undergraduate: Course rule and topic information
Bachelor of Health Sciences
Optional Streams
To be read in conjunction with the Program of Study [November, 2008] requirements for the Bachelor of Health Sciences.
Students select one of the following:
DISABILITY AND COMMUNITY REHABILITATION
First Year
DSRS1201
Perspectives of Disability
4.5
DSRS1209
Human Diversity
4.5
and either
DSRS1206
Health Issues and Disability, OR
4.5
DSRS1210
Interpersonal and Group Skills
4.5
Second Year
DSRS2214
Practicum A - Disability and Community Rehabilitation
6
and either
DSRS1202
Lifespan Development, OR
4.5
DSRS1211
Introduction to Neurological Rehabilitation
4.5
And one option selected from the following:
DSRS2212
Principles of Learning and Instruction 1
6
DSRS3212
Communication and Language
6
DSRS2213
Family Professional Partnership
6
DSRS2215
Practicum B - Disability and Community Rehabilitation
6
DSRS2216
Principles of Learning and Instruction 2
6
Electives
7.5
Third Year
One topic selected from:
DSRS3106
Employment and Disability
6
DSRS2217
Ethical and Legal Issues
6
DSRS3208
Principles of Learning and Instruction 3
6
DSRS3209
Counselling
6
DSRS3210
Case Management
6
Electives
24
HEALTH EDUCATION/HEALTH PROMOTION
First Year
HLPE1504
Health Promotion
4.5
MMED1200
Our Environment, Our Health
4.5
Electives
4.5
Second Year
HLPE2514
Drugs, Politics and Public Health
6
HLPE2515
Health Education: Theory, Planning and Practice
6
HLTH2006
Project Management for Health Promotion
6
NURS2108
Mental Illness and Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs
6
Third Year
HLTH3003
Health Work Internship
6
PHCA3917
Evaluation in Primary Health Care
6
HLTH3009
Managing Chronic Conditions
6
Electives #
12
# The Third Year elective HLTH3008 Remote and Indigenous Health (6 units) is offered online with a week's placement in Alice Springs. Interested students should contact claire.drummond@flinders.edu.au OR tanya.tamm@flinders.edu.au
HEALTH MANAGEMENT
First Year
BUSN1005
Introduction to Management
4.5
Electives
9
Second Year
BUSN1001
Accounting for Managers
4.5
BUSN2015
Marketing Management
6
COMP1101
Information and Communications Technology 1A
4.5
Electives
9
Third Year
BUSN2009
Human Resource Management
6
HLTH3003
Health Work Internship
6
HLTH3004
Contemporary Issues in Health Service Management
6
Electives
12
LIFE SCIENCES
First Year
BIOL1101
Evolution of Biological Diversity
4.5
BIOL1102
Molecular Basis of Life
4.5
and
CHEM1101
Chemistry 1A, or
4.5
CHEM1201
Introduction to Chemistry A
4.5
and
CHEM1102
Chemistry 1B, or
4.5
CHEM1202
Introduction to Chemistry B
4.5
Following First Year, students are able to choose a sequence of stream topics to construct a major which may be, but is not limited to, one of the following areas: neuroscience, biochemistry, pharmacology, physiology or genetics.
Students must select their stream topics in consultation with the stream coordinator.
Second Year
Stream Topics (Second Year level)
12
Electives
12
Third Year
HLTH3003
Health Work Placement
6
Other Stream Topics (Third Year level)
12
Electives
12
NUTRITION
First Year
BIOL1102
Molecular Basis of Life
4.5
NUTD1000
Fundamentals of Nutrition
4.5
and either:
CHEM1101
Chemistry 1A
4.5
CHEM1102
Chemistry 1B
4.5
or
CHEM1201
Introduction to Chemistry A
4.5
CHEM1202
Introduction to Chemistry B
4.5
Second Year
BIOL2141
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
6
MMED2927
Human Physiology 2A
3
MMED2928
Human Physiology 2B
3
MMED3912
Biochemistry of Human Disease
3
NUTD2001
Food, Nutrition and Health
3
NUTD3201
Ecological Issues in Food and Health
3
Elective
3
Third Year
NUTD3202
Population Nutrition and Health
6
NUTD3012
Public Health and Community Nutrition
6
NUTD3014
Nutrients' Role and Function
6
HLTH2006
Project Management
6
Electives
12
PARAMEDIC*
First Year
HLTH1201
Paramedic Practice 1
4.5
HLTH1202
Paramedic Practice 2
4.5
HLTH1203
Paramedic Practice 3
4.5
HLTH1204
Contemporary Lifestyle Management for Health Care Professionals
4.5
Second Year
HLTH2201
Pathophysiology of Nervous System
6
HLTH2202
Pathophysiology of Cardiovascular System
6
HLTH2203
Pathophysiology of Respiratory System
6
NURS2108
Mental Illness and Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs
6
Third Year
HLTH3201
Paramedic: Professional Issues
6
HLTH3202
Pathophysiology of Body Systems
6
HLTH3204
Applied Pharmacology
6
HLTH3206
Applied Paramedic Practice
6
HLTH3207
Emergency Law and Ethics
6
Students undertaking the conversion course must consult with the Stream Coordinator, Bachelor of Health Sciences (Paramedic) regarding their prescribed program of study.
Except with the permission of the Faculty Board, a student in the paramedic studies stream may not proceed to higher year topics of the paramedic major unless they have satisfactorily completed the previous year's paramedic major topics.
* Only students who have gained admission to the Bachelor of Health Sciences (Paramedic) [SATAC Code 21491] may choose this stream.
