Examination arrangement

Course content

The course provides an introduction to clinical health science and focuses specifically on clinical research and clinical issues in various patient groups. The course provides an introduction to the challenges and importance of research within these patient populations, and touches different perspectives on health and illness as well as consequences for patients/ health care utilizers and health care personnel. The course touches topics such as incidence, risk factors, prognostic factors and comorbidity. The organization of health care is analyzed with a focus on prevention and treatment / follow-up with a view to creating good and predictable patient courses. The subject emphasizes the importance of prevention and good communication; both communication with patients and relatives, but also with other health professionals, NAV and other stakeholders. The course also thematizes the importance of health literacy and coping-oriented practice as an approach for patients who can take advantage of improved strategies for coping with long-standing ailments and stressful life situations. Coping in this context has a psychological approach, but also includes themes such as lifestyle, physical activity and facilitation. Contact and care of relatives, and the experience of stigma that can often be associated with different health issues are discussed.

Learning outcome

Knowledge:

After completing the course, the candidate should be able to:

• explain challenges concerning recruitment of subjects to clinical studies and to understand why it is crucial that these groups are represented in studies
• discuss ethical challenges and dilemma related to clinical issues and clinical research on various groups of patients, often with complex health complaints
• understand and discuss methodological challenges related to clinical research on various groups of patients, often with complex health complaints
• present a broad overview of risk factors, prognostic factors and comorbidity among patients with complex health complaints
• present a broad overview over the mapping and assessments needed when working with patients with complex health complaints and to understand both the importance of - and the possibilities for - prevention of further health deterioration.
• understand the role of own profession as well as the roles of other professionals in a multidisciplinary approach to different groups of patients.
• present various lifestyle factors and their significance in the prevention and treatment of different health complaints.
• understand the significance of communication in contact with patients, their relatives, other health professionals and stakeholders
• understand the significance of focusing on coping and various coping strategies when working with patients with long-term health complaints.

Skills:

After completing the course, the candidate should be able to:

• explain challenges and ethical dilemmas and apply this knowledge when planning clinical research to groups of patients with long-term and often complex health complaints
• apply knowledge of methodological challenges in planning clinical research projects
• explain the risk factors, prognostic factors and multimorbidity in persons with long-term health complaints
• explain how community-level drivers can cause and maintain symptoms and various health complaints
• discuss the importance of multidisciplinary assessment, interaction and good communication in research and clinical work with patients with complex health issues
• Understand the resources and challenges of relatives in different phases of the course of a disease or illness and apply this understanding in the caretaking of relatives in clinical work and research.

General competence

After completing the course, the candidate can:

• reflect and discuss challenges related to clinical research on vulnerable groups
• discuss various forms of organizing health care for patients with long term and often complex health complaints through a patient course / life cycle.

Learning methods and activities

Lectures and compulsory written assignment. All lectures will be given during a few weeks.

If few students register for the course, learning activities can be changed.

Compulsory assignments

• Assignment

Further on evaluation

Compulsory activity: Assignment, individual or in small Groups with oral presentation. May be done as a written assignment if needed.

For re-sit exams the off campus exam must be done again. The compulsory activity is approved for 4 semesters.

In case of delayed exam the assessment form could be subject to change.

Specific conditions

Recommended previous knowledge

Equivalent to the admission requirements to the Master's programme of Clinical Health sciences.

Required previous knowledge

The course is primarily intended for students admitted to the master's programme in Clinical Health Science (ntnu.no/studier/mklihel). Other students may be accepted after an individual evaluation.

Course materials

Course materials will be announced at the start of the semester.