Admission and Unit Information – Bachelor of Medical Science

How many species walk, fly, swim or slither, crawl, hop, wriggle or just float, hitchhike or move so slowly that they appear not to move at all? No one knows and new species appear almost every day. This unit focuses on this spectacular diversity of living things and the process of evolution. Students explore and classify biodiversity and how organisms function, acquire and assimilate resources and co-ordinate growth and reproduction. Organisms interact with one another and their environment forming a complex set of interactions in ecosystems. It is these interactions that have driven evolution. Ultimately human survival depends on the sustainable use of this biodiversity and ecosystems.

This unit is designed to provide students with scientific literacy and generic skills required to successfully undertake science-related undergraduate studies. Students learn, develop and utilise academic and interpersonal methodologies within the context of applied scientific principles in society and take responsibility for their own learning. Students are introduced to the contestable and uncertain nature of science and the scientific method. Activities encourage development of self-confidence, self-efficacy, creative thinking through problem solving, group process, communication and peer support. Academic skills include scientific reading and report writing, researching scientific information and library skills, oral presentation, taking tests and exams, effective personal and group based learning strategies, peer assessment, and online learning.

This unit provides an introduction to some of the essential knowledge, concepts and skills of chemistry, to serve the needs of students majoring in chemistry and those requiring a working knowledge of chemistry. Observable chemical facts and phenomena including structure, dynamics, and energetics, are explained in terms of current mathematical and visual models and further developed in Essential Chemistry 2. Evidence for chemical understanding is provided using IR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and computer molecular modelling. Laboratory skills relate theory to practice through the development of practical skills required to determine the concentration of an analyte using volumetric and spectrophotometric analysis.

This unit provides a basic understanding of human anatomy. It undertakes this by utilising a systems approach (in contrast to a regional approach), emphasising the special relationship between form and function.

Cells are the most basic form of all life, and underlying normal cell function are the molecules used to build complex cellular structures, generate energy, and propagate dynamic life. The unit will study the fundamental processes through which key biomolecules, including lipids, carbohydrates, amino acids and nucleic acids, are manipulated to generate and store energy, and build a broad array of important biological macromolecules including DNA, membranes and proteins. To sustain life, cells respire for energy and replicate for growth and sexual reproduction. Accordingly the unit will examine cellular respiration, transcription, translation, mitosis, meiosis, transmission and how the genetic code is inherited and modified providing students insights into the phenomena of life. The role of DNA technology in the fields of medicine, biomolecular plant and animal science, food, forensic and environmental science will provide students with real world applications.

This unit introduces an investigation of the reactivity of covalent molecules, in particular, of carbon-based compounds. Focussing on introductory chemical dynamics and thermodynamics, students will develop an in-depth understanding of the structure, nomenclature and reactivity of the principal organic functional groups, extending their basic principles of chemistry. They will also understand how molecules are synthesised and the ways they react being important in the function and role of chemistry in biological systems in our domestic and industrial worlds.

This unit introduces the concept of homeostasis and critically examines examples of how the body systems are regulated and homeostatically controlled. The unit uses a body-systems approach to examine the physiology of tissues, organs and systems in order to develop an integrated view of the regulated functioning of the human body.

This Level 1 unit introduces students to the mathematical modelling techniques that are used to formulate and solve problems in the physical and biological sciences. To use these techniques successfully, students must develop the ability to formulate a problem mathematically and then be able to use the appropriate knowledge to test conclusions by analytical and numerical means. These skills will be emphasized as each technique in introduced. Apart from some introductory work on logarithms and exponentials (essential concepts in the sciences), the main techniques developed involve aspects of differential calculus, culminating in the use of differential equations to model real phenomena in the sciences.

This level 1 unit develops the quantitative skills that underpin many fields of study in the sciences. The content covered includes basic algebra, functions, graphs, equations, linear and quadratic, introductory probability and descriptive statistics. These mathematical/statistical concepts will be revised and developed using scientific concepts such as molarity and dilution, optical density, population growth, and predator-prey models. In all aspects of this unit, students will be developing and using critical thinking skills to solve mathematical/statistical problems set in a scientific context.

This level one unit provides a solid foundation in the theory and applications of differential calculus, as well as some introductory work on complex numbers. It is the first of two units developing aspects of calculus.

Biometry introduces students to various statistical techniques necessary in scientific endeavours. Presentation of the content will emphasize the correct principles and procedures for collecting and analysing scientific data, using a 'hands-on' approach. Topics include effective methods of gathering data, statistical principles of designing experiments, error analysis, describing different sets of data, probability distributions, statistical inference, non-parametric methods, simple linear regression and analysis of categorical data.