Special Environment - Mountain
| Module title | Special Environment - Mountain |
|---|---|
| Module code | HPDM073 |
| Academic year | 2020/1 |
| Credits | 15 |
| Module staff | Dr Malcolm Hilton (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 8 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 12 |
|---|
Module description
This module builds on knowledge and skills introduced in the Extreme Medicine Masters programme 'Core Concepts' module in year 1. The taught component of the module is all delivered during an ascent to altitude in an overseas location, normally Nepal.
Module aims - intentions of the module
In this module you will critically examine the challenges of providing safe and effective healthcare in a mountain and high altitude environment. You will focus not only on the evaluation of health issues to be expected in the field, but the planning and preparation phase for activities in the mountains. You will reflect in more depth on the ethical, professional and legal challenges of delivering medical care in high altitude environments.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. Define and demonstrate an understanding of the physiological changes the human body undergoes as it ascends to high altitude.
- 2. Critically appraise the available evidence for high altitude medical interventions
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 3. Apply your critical appraisal conclusions to medical decision making in extreme environments
- 4. Demonstrate competence and understanding in the planning and provision of safe, effective medical cover for a high altitude expedition
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 5. Collaborate with peers to experience the value of shared and supported learning in a high fidelity context
- 6. Evaluate and experience the effects of mild to moderate physiological stress (cold, altitude, tiredness) on self and team dynamics, and be able to apply this experience to future roles.
Syllabus plan
Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, an example of an overall structure is as follows:
Physiological changes in humans that occur on ascent to altitude
Physiological adaptations to high altitude
Safe ascent profiles
Acclimatisation to high altitude
Impact of high altitude on common long term medical conditions
Acute mountain sickness: evidence for risks, prevention, prophylaxis
Scoring systems for acute mountain sickness and their relevance
High altitude cerebral oedema: evidence for risks, prevention, prophylaxis
High altitude pulmonary oedema: evidence for risks, prevention, prophylaxis
High altitude retinopathy and ultraviolet keratitis
Changes in psychology and decision making abilities at high altitude
Critical appraisal of coroners reports following high altitude deaths
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 30 | 120 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching | 30 | Residential course: Lectures, seminars, master-classes, practical exercises and group work in specialist areas, and contemporary debates |
| Guided Independent Study | 80 | Reading and preparation for scheduled sessions and coursework. Web-based learning; resource gathering and in-depth reading during the period of module delivery. |
| Guided Independent Study | 40 | Preparation and writing of assignments. |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Group reflection and discussion | Workshop within course | 1-6 |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 0 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Written assignment | 100 | Equivalent to 2000 words of written assignment | 1-6 | Written |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Written assignment | 2000 words | 1-6 | Typically within six weeks of the result |
Re-assessment notes
Please see the Student Handbook for advice
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
-
Doctor on Everest: Emergency Medicine at the Top of the World - a Personal Account of the 1996 Disaster – Kenneth Kamler
-
Oxford Handbook of Expedition and Wilderness Medicine. 2nd Edition Chris Johnson, Sarah R Anderson, Jon Dallimore, Chris Imray, Shane Winser, James Moore and David A. Warrell—Oxford University Press, May 2015. ISBN: 9780199688418. £34.99
-
Wilderness Medical Society consensus guidelines for the prevention and treatment of acute altitude illness.
-
Luks AM1, McIntosh SE, Grissom CK, Auerbach PS, Rodway GW, Schoene RB, Zafren K, Hackett PH; Wilderness Medical Society.
-
Wilderness Environ Med. 2010 Jun;21(2):146-55. doi: 10.1016/j.wem.2010.03.002. Epub 2010 Mar 10.
-
The High Altitude Medicine Handbook, 3rd edition, by Andrew J. Pollard and David R. Murdoch
-
Acute altitude illnesses BMJ 2011; 343 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.d4943
| Credit value | 15 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 7.5 |
| Module pre-requisites | None |
| Module co-requisites | None |
| NQF level (module) | 7 |
| Available as distance learning? | Yes |
| Origin date | 25/10/2016 |
| Last revision date | 19/09/2019 |
