Course coordinator
Dr Viana Vuvan
Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 1, 2025 (24/02/2025 - 21/06/2025)
- Study level
- Postgraduate Coursework
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Health & Rehab Sci School
Advances student's clinical skills in the assessment and treatment of musculoskeletal and sports injuries and conditions.
This course provides an opportunity for the graduate physiotherapist to advance their theoretical knowledge and clinical skills in musculoskeletal and sports physiotherapy. This course emphasises the integration of skills and knowledge with specific disorders applied in the clinical setting. The graduate is encouraged to incorporate all aspects of learning from the course into their clinical practice.
Course requirements
Restrictions
MPhty students only
Course contact
Course staff
Lecturer
Associate Professor Michelle Smith
Dr Viana Vuvan
Professor Shaun O'Leary
Associate Professor Natalie Collins
Dr Melinda Smith
Guest lecturer
Mr Patrick Swete Kelly
Mr Quentin Scott
Ms Mary Mitchell
Mr Kevin Sims
Mrs Chari Stewart
Program director
Associate Professor Michelle Smith
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Additional timetable information
Full timetable information available on Blackboard.
Aims and outcomes
To develop advanced clinical reasoning and clinical skills in the management and prevention of musculoskeletal and sports injuries and conditions.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Demonstrate advanced level skills for the assessment and treatment of articular, muscular and neural systems.
LO2.
Understand and explain the rationale for the selection of assessment and treatment techniques/plans for musculoskeletal and sports injuries and conditions.
LO3.
Explain the evidence underpinning assessment and treatment techniques and management approaches.
LO4.
Demonstrate an understanding of risk management principles and ethical considerations in the safe and effective management of clients with musculoskeletal and sports injuries and conditions.
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Examination, Practical/ Demonstration |
Objective Structured Clinical Exam #1: Spine and Upper Limb
|
40% Must Pass |
26/05/2025 8:00 am |
| Examination, Practical/ Demonstration |
Objective Structured Clinical Exam #2: Lower Limb, Handheld Dynamometry and Exercise
|
40% Must Pass |
30/05/2025 1:00 pm |
| Essay/ Critique |
Clinical skill case report
|
20% |
9/06/2025 2:00 pm |
A hurdle is an assessment requirement that must be satisfied in order to receive a specific grade for the course. Check the assessment details for more information about hurdle requirements.
Assessment details
Objective Structured Clinical Exam #1: Spine and Upper Limb
- Hurdle
- Identity Verified
- In-person
- Mode
- Activity/ Performance
- Category
- Examination, Practical/ Demonstration
- Weight
- 40% Must Pass
- Due date
26/05/2025 8:00 am
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04
Task description
This exam will assess practical physiotherapy skills in a practical station exam.
This assessment task is to be completed in-person.
The use of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools will not be permitted. Any attempted use of Generative AI may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Hurdle requirements
The Objective Structured Clinical Exam #1: Spine and Upper Limb and Objective Structured Clinical Exam #2: Lower limb, Handheld Dynamometry and Exercise (combined grade) must be passed to pass this course overall, i.e. even if your final percentage mark is 60% or higher the combined grade for these assessment items must be 60% or higher to pass this course.Exam details
| Planning time | no planning time minutes |
|---|---|
| Duration | 40 minutes |
| Calculator options | No calculators permitted |
| Open/closed book | Closed Book examination - no written materials permitted |
| Exam platform | Other |
| Invigilation | Invigilated in person |
Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You may be able to defer this exam.
Objective Structured Clinical Exam #2: Lower Limb, Handheld Dynamometry and Exercise
- Hurdle
- Identity Verified
- In-person
- Mode
- Activity/ Performance
- Category
- Examination, Practical/ Demonstration
- Weight
- 40% Must Pass
- Due date
30/05/2025 1:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04
Task description
This exam will assess practical physiotherapy skills in a practical station exam.
This assessment task is to be completed in-person.
The use of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools will not be permitted. Any attempted use of Generative AI may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Hurdle requirements
The Objective Structured Clinical Exam #1: Spine and Upper Limb and Objective Structured Clinical Exam #2: Lower limb, Handheld Dynamometry and Exercise (combined grade) must be passed to pass this course overall, i.e. even if your final percentage mark is 60% or higher the combined grade for these assessment items must be 60% or higher to pass this course.Exam details
| Planning time | no planning time minutes |
|---|---|
| Duration | 40 minutes |
| Calculator options | No calculators permitted |
| Open/closed book | Closed Book examination - no written materials permitted |
| Exam platform | Other |
| Invigilation | Invigilated in person |
Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You may be able to defer this exam.
Clinical skill case report
- Online
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Essay/ Critique
- Weight
- 20%
- Due date
9/06/2025 2:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L02, L03, L04
Task description
Students should pick a technique they used with a patient (manual, exercise, assess, treat) and write a justification for its selection for that patient. Students should discuss how the selected technique was demonstrating evidence-based practice, discussing research evidence (where possible). Students should also discuss the effectiveness of the technique and how this effectiveness was evaluated in practice.
The word limit for this assignment is 500 words.
Monday the 9th (Exam week 1, 2pm 9th of June). 500 words.
Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
Extensions can be requested for this assessment item. Please apply for an extension request and provide evidence of circumstance as soon as it becomes evident that an extension is needed, but no later than the assessment item submission date. Further information regarding what constitutes an acceptable reason for an extension and how to apply for an assessment extensions can be found at: Applying for an extension - my.UQ - University of Queensland.
Late submission
Late submission of assessment items will attract a penalty of 10% of the mark per day late or, for work graded on a 1-7 scale, a deduction of one grade per day (including weekends and public holidays), unless a formal extension has been organised prior to the due date.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Cut off Percent | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) | 0 - 34 |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: A cumulative percentage from all assessment of 0 - 34%. |
| 2 (Fail) | 35 - 49 |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: A cumulative percentage from all assessment of 35 - 49%. |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) | 50 - 59 |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes Course grade description: A cumulative percentage from all assessment of 50 - 59%. A grade of 3 will be awarded to a student who achieves a final mark of 60% or higher but who does not pass must pass assessment items noted below. |
| 4 (Pass) | 60 - 69 |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: A cumulative percentage from all assessment of 60 - 69% and has passed the 'must pass' assessment items noted below. |
| 5 (Credit) | 70 - 79 |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: A cumulative percentage from all assessment of 70 - 79% and has passed the 'must pass' assessment items noted below. |
| 6 (Distinction) | 80 - 89 |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: A cumulative percentage from all assessment of 80 - 89% and has passed the 'must pass' assessment items noted below. |
| 7 (High Distinction) | 90 - 100 |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: A cumulative percentage from all assessment of 90 - 100% and has passed the 'must pass' assessment items noted below. |
Additional course grading information
Final marks falling between whole percentages will be rounded to the nearest whole percentage. Tie-breaking will be conducted using the round half up method whereby half-way values are always rounded up, meaning, for example, that 89.5% and above will be rounded to 90% and 89.49% and below will be rounded down to 89%.
IMPORTANT NOTE: This course contains ‘must pass’ assessment items, as follows: a mean of 60% or higher must be achieved in the Objective Structured Clinical Exams (OSCE) (an average of OSCE#1 & OSCE#2). You must pass these items to pass this course overall, i.e. even if your final percentage mark is 60% or higher the individual ‘must pass’ assessment items must have been passed.
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Library resources are available on the UQ Library website.
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Multiple weeks From Week 1 To Week 11 |
Not Timetabled |
Advanced Musculoskeletal and Sports Physiotherapy (Independent practice) Students will review and learn practical musculoskeletal and sports physiotherapy skills through video instruction. Learning outcomes: L02, L03 |
Multiple weeks From Week 12 To Week 13 |
Practical |
Advanced Musculoskeletal and Sports Physiotherapy (Practical series) Students will learn practical musculoskeletal and sports physiotherapy skills through in-class demonstration, feedback on handling and exercise prescription, and application to clinical cases. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04 |
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments - Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.