Bachelor of Science: Medical Sciences Honours: Underwater Medicine
Health Sciences and Social Services - Curative Health
Purpose and Rationale
Purpose
- Equip candidates with advanced knowledge and a deeper insight into and understanding of Underwater Medicine.
- Ensure a high level of knowledge in the field of Underwater Medicine via a high level of analysis of new information, the ability to deal with complexity, and to find workable solutions to problems and challenges.
- Enable students to do basic research through the introduction to basic research methodology.
- Prepare students who aspire to move to a higher level of academic research work for Master Studies and to promote an approach based on academic integrity and professional ethics.
- Contribute to the pool of academics and professionals with the competence and critical intellectual abilities to ensure future health and advancement in the field of Underwater Medicine and to make provision for the country's needs in a skilled scientific workforce of the highest calibre.
- Prepare students who can apply their skills to the task of answering some of the questions and meeting some of the needs of the country.
Rationale
- South Africa has in excess of 250,000 certified recreational SCUBA divers, 1,500 commercial divers, 700 active military and citizen force divers, and 200 submariners.
- More than 55 incidents of decompression illness are reported and treated annually in South Africa.
- All divers seek diving medical advice at some time for routine dive medical fitness examinations, diving-related ill health or injury, and assessment of the impact of underlying medical and surgical conditions might have on their safety and ability to dive.
- Numerous research opportunities exist in the practice of underwater medicine, especially in the context of South Africa's coastal areas and naval facilities.
- Western Cape-based tertiary institutions have a distinct advantage in exploring these opportunities being located close to the SA Navy diving centre situated in Simonstown.
- Being situated at sea level further enhances these research opportunities as decompression tables are historically developed for use at sea level.
- This programme (focusing specifically on the underwater environment) will be the first university-based academic programme of its kind in Africa and will benefit medical practitioners working for major commercial diving companies in Africa.
Note: "Underwater Medicine" is the field of medicine that deals with the physics, physiology, pathology of the underwater environment. The two major sub-fields in Underwater Medicine are Diving Medicine and Submarine Medicine. This programme also includes other aspects related to the field of Underwater Medicine (e.g. legislative aspects, psychological issues, marine animal toxicology, etc.).
Outcomes
Assessment Criteria
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1:
- Assessment Methods: Formative and summative assessments such as literature reviews, journal article presentations, written and oral examinations.
- Integration of Modalities: Using a range of assessment methods integratively to determine if specified outcomes have been achieved.
- Reliability: Ensuring a judicious and planned assessment process to generalize from samples to a domain for reliability.
- Standard and Level: Meeting the standard and level of achievement for NQF Level 7 (New NQF Level 8-PG1).
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2:
- Supervisor Evaluation: Evaluating the student's ability to work in a research team and complete an independent research project.
- Displaying Abilities: Utilizing project write-up, oral presentation, and written examinations to showcase applicable abilities.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3:
- Independent Study: Demonstrating capacity for independent study through satisfactory completion of papers and assignments.
- Epistemological Thinking: Ability to evaluate foundations of thought and knowledge, accepting relativity and validity of positions within a frame of reference.
- Professional Relationships: Establishing professional working relationships within the profession or discipline.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4:
- Pass Requirements: Achieving a minimum of 50% in written examinations, technical skills evaluation, oral evaluation, and written research presentation.
- Research Skills: Presenting a basic research project with an acceptable literature review for assessment.
Integrated Assessment:
- Exam Format: Two written 3-hour closed book examination papers covering the syllabus with a balance between sections.
- Pass Mark: Overall pass mark set at 50% with a sub-minimum of 45% for any individual paper.
- Question Formats: Including multiple choice, diagram annotation, diagram sketching, fill-in-the-missing-words, short answer, and essay questions.
- Oral Examination: Minimum duration of 30 minutes with a pass mark of 50%.
- Clinical Skills Evaluation: Assessment based on diving-associated medical emergencies.
- Research Project: Completing a research project meeting the programme coordinator's satisfaction, presented in written format with potential for publication.
Qualification Details
- Type
- Honours Degree
- NQF Level
- 08
- Min. Credits
- 120
- SAQA Source
- More Information
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This page includes information from the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) . Builtneat Pty Ltd trading as Study Start, has modified all or some of this information. SAQA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.