Postgraduate Certificate in Calcium and Bone Medicine
The global need for advancing knowledge in calcium and bone medicine is evident. With 800 million people considered undernourished and more than 3.5 billion at risk of calcium deficiency (Harinarayan, Akhila and Shanthisree, 2021), it is crucial to enhance knowledge at all levels of healthcare and research. This field connects to endocrinology, nutrition and public health, benefiting diverse populations and healthcare settings. Our online, part-time Postgraduate Certificate in Calcium and Bone Medicine offers a specialised and comprehensive exploration of the topic. It is designed to equip healthcare practitioners with in-depth knowledge and skills related to calcium and bone physiology, encompassing areas such as parathyroid disorders, osteoporosis, and metabolic bone conditions like Paget's disease.
Studying our unique and valuable online bone health course which features osteoporosis medicine will allow you the opportunity to learn from peers and experts worldwide, encouraging the exchange of ideas and experiences across borders. The curriculum has been developed in collaboration with leading experts in the field. This ensures that our online bone medicine course reflects the latest research, clinical guidelines, and best practices. Students can benefit from the expertise and knowledge of renowned professionals in calcium and bone medicine such as our Programme Lead, Dr Soha Zouwail, enhancing the credibility and relevance of the programme.
This Postgraduate Certificate in Calcium and Bone Medicine is a specialised programme for healthcare professionals who have already achieved a university undergraduate qualification in a relevant medical field.
Next intake: September 2024Key Facts
The successful completion of our online Postgraduate Certificate in Calcium & Bone Medicine qualification will enable you to gain:
- Lifelong learning and advanced problem-solving skills for practical use in calcium and bone medicine.
- Evaluate complex ideas, research, and clinical data, allowing you to make informed decisions for better patient outcomes.
- Greater knowledge, critical skills, and practical abilities in calcium and bone medicine for helping patients, developing services, and future learning.
University of South Wales
The University of South Wales (USW) is a modern, industry focused University located in Cardiff, Newport and Pontypridd in South Wales, UK. It was rated best in the UK for the Health Professions in the Guardian University Guide 2020 and, in the latest Complete University Guide 2022, is in the top 10 in the UK for Health Studies. USW is one of Britain’s largest and most exciting new universities attracting a cosmopolitan mix of students from across the globe.
Faculty
Programme Leader - Dr Soha Zouwail
Current post: Consultant in Medical Biochemistry/Metabolic Medicine and Clinical Lead of acute Biochemistry, University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff
Dr Zouwail’s sub-specialty interests include cardiovascular risk management including hyperlipidaemia and Familial...
Next intake: September 2024 Key Facts
Programme Leader - Dr Soha Zouwail
Current post: Consultant in Medical Biochemistry/Metabolic Medicine and Clinical Lead of acute Biochemistry, University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff
Dr Zouwail’s sub-specialty interests include cardiovascular risk management including hyperlipidaemia and Familial Hypercholesterolaemia, metabolic renal stone disease and electrolyte imbalance. She has contributed significantly to research in basic science and clinical projects, having secured grants for vital studies in cardiovascular risk and acute kidney injury.
With a strong commitment to medical education, Soha Zouwail has been involved in various teaching roles at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Dr Zouwail is a member of key professional societies, including the Association of Clinical Biochemists and the Welsh Association of Chemical Pathologists.
Dr Soha Zouwail’s career is marked by her dedication to patient care, impactful research and medical education, perfectly placing her to lead programmes in Metabolic Medicine and Calcium and Bone Medicine here at Learna | Diploma MSc.
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Why Study a Calcium and Bone Medicine Postgraduate Certificate with Learna
We have over 10 years’ experience delivering online courses, giving you access to flexible, affordable distance learning in partnership with world-leading educators.
100% Flexible
Our courses are 100% online. No fixed study times mean you can log in and learn whenever and wherever.
Multidisciplinary - study in a group of doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other healthcare professionals.
Expert Led
All of our programmes are authored and developed by world leading experts in their field.
Our faculty are selected due to their subject expertise, experience and teaching abilities to ensure the highest standards of educational excellence.
Career Boosting
Get a University Validated postgraduate qualification in just 1 calendar year instead of 2 academic years.
40% of our alumni reported an increase in salary 2 years after studying with us.
Who is this course for?
This calcium health course is aimed at healthcare professionals who have an interest in calcium and bone medicine across a broad spectrum of public health, primary and secondary care settings.
Our anticipated audience includes:
- Medical graduates with an interest in calcium and bone health, such as healthcare professionals working in care of the elderly medicine, musculoskeletal medicine and rehabilitation medicine.
- Healthcare professionals working in varied settings worldwide, including nurses, GPs, physiotherapists and allied health professionals working in nutrition, public health and pharmacy.
How Will I Learn?
You will be supported throughout your studies by a committed team of internationally recognised educational experts.
Our courses are conducted through our interactive online learning platform, log in daily whenever and wherever you want. No fixed timetable empowers you to study when it suits you
These usually occur within groups of 10-20 students, allowing you to clearly communicate with both your tutor and fellow students.
Curriculum
Our online Calcium and Bone Medicine Postgraduate Certificate allows you to study for just six months and is a part-time, distance-learning course. The course is worth 60 credits and comprises three modules of 20 credits, each running over a period of six weeks.Module Aims:
This module aims to provide healthcare professionals with an in-depth understanding of the physiological and pathophysiological mechanisms involved in calcium homeostasis and bone metabolism.
Content Summary:
Indicative content to include topics outlined below and/or any other relevant current topics to fulfil the module aims and learning outcomes:
- Normal calcium homeostasis
- Vitamin D physiology and supplementation
- Phosphate homeostasis and disorders
- Magnesium regulation and disorders
- Bone physiology and role of diet
- Role of gonadal steroids and growth hormone in bone health
Learning and Teaching Methods:
- An ability to critically analyse and interpret the evidence base related to the process of calcium homeostasis and the role of various hormones and regulatory mechanisms in maintaining normal calcium levels in the body.
- Critically evaluate the evidence relating to the physiology and pathophysiology of calcium homeostasis and bone metabolism and relate the learning into clinical practice.
Module Aims:
This module aims to equip healthcare professionals with the knowledge and skills to effectively manage disorders related to mineral metabolism and parathyroid function.
Content Summary:
Indicative content to include topics outlined below and/or any other relevant current topics to fulfil the module aims and learning outcomes:
- Acute management of calcium disorders
- Signs and investigation of hyper- or hypocalcaemia
- Hyperparathyroidism
- Hypoparathyroidism
- Hypercalcaemia of malignancy
- Bone health and cardiovascular disease
Learning and Teaching Methods:
- Critically evaluate the evidence of acute calcium disorders, including hypercalcaemia and hypocalcaemia, and systematically apply this to clinical practice.
- Critically implement the learning and synthesise the evidence into clinical practice to improve the care of patients presenting with hyperparathyroidism and hypoparathyroidism.
Module Aims:
This module aims to enable healthcare professionals to diagnose, monitor, and manage various metabolic bone diseases encountered in clinical practice.
Content Summary:
Indicative content to include topics outlined below and/or any other relevant current topics to fulfil the module aims and learning outcomes:
- Diagnosis and monitoring of bone disease
- Osteoporosis epidemiology, diagnosis and management
- Osteomalacia and rickets
- Renal osteodystrophy
- Paget’s disease
- Osteogenesis imperfecta and other genetic bone disorders
Learning and Teaching Methods:
- Analyse and develop an in-depth understanding of the systemic understanding of knowledge, current problems and new insights in the assessment and treatment of metabolic bone diseases.
- Critically evaluate the latest evidence base for metabolic bone diseases and relate this knowledge into clinical practice.
Assessment Methods
The Calcium and Bone Medicine online course places assessments at the heart of the learning process through the employment of real life scenarios to enhance problem-solving, critical analysis and evidence-based practice. Since the scenarios act as a focus for learning and assessment, the two are intrinsically linked.
The three modules on the course have the same assessment format and for all modules, you will be assigned a dedicated expert tutor. Your tutor will then facilitate case discussions with the group, whilst monitoring, assessing and marking your work throughout. You will also participate in a combination of module activities that may be group and/or individual based, dependent on the module.
These innovative teaching methods enable you to envisage the translation of your studies into your every day work and practice. Due to the online nature of the course, you will be expected to regularly login and participate in the course - ideally on a daily basis. Students are recommended to spend around two hours per day on their studies. Our dedicated Student Support Team are also available to help with any problems you may face. From navigating our online platform to advising you on deadlines, our team can assist with any questions or challenges you may have along the way.
Students are required to critically analyse clinically focused case-based scenarios, discussion threads and weekly questions posed by their tutors via the Academic Forum (an online discussion board) and designed to meet the module learning outcomes. Here, students make their own researched and referenced contributions and interact with the tutor and their fellow students. There is no didactic teaching, instead, students are posed questions and prompted to search the literature, read it critically and respond. Engagement is encouraged by the tutor prompting students to respond and the use of automated activity monitoring software.
At the end of each module, the tutor allocates marks to each student based on a marking rubric. The rubric takes into account the following elements:
· Promptness and initiative
· Delivery of post (spelling and grammar)
· The relevance of post and referencing
· Expression within the post
The online reflective journal is a learning portfolio that requires the students to record and critically reflect on their learning. Reflection is an important aspect of the programme as the professionals will be able to spend time considering how their practice compares to the themes being discussed in the module. The tutor provides regular feedback to the student and marks it at the end of the module.
Reflective practice is a requirement for healthcare professionals for both professional re-validation and professional development.
The group activity is designed to stimulate and test the students’ ability to work as a team in taking the subject area forward. A group task is set, the group elects a leader using the online forum (designed to put leadership skills into practice) and the leader allocates tasks to group members.
The leader is responsible for managing, collating and submitting the activity (online) at the end of the module. The tutor provides formative guidance part way through the module and marks the assessment at the end.
Examples of individual activities might include either a written assignment, poster, blog or social media project.
All students must complete the same assignment for each module that is predetermined by the programme Leader before the modules commence. Students are not provided with an option to choose.
Case problems in the form of a one-hour timed examination with multiple-choice ‘single best answer’ questions directly test the reasoning and knowledge objectives of the module. The online examination is marked automatically. The examination tests Anti-Ageing Medicine related theory and problem-solving skills.
Entry requirements
Since our bone medicine course is conducted entirely online, it is accessible to both UK and international registered healthcare professionals.
Applicants will typically hold a first degree or equivalent (including international qualifications) in a relevant professional healthcare or management field.
Registered healthcare professionals working in the healthcare field, without these recognised qualifications will be considered on an individual basis and a wide range of prior experience may be taken into account. In some cases, applicants may be asked to submit a piece of work for assessment in order to confirm that they are able to work comfortably at postgraduate level, and demonstrate the requisite clinical and professional knowledge.
Documents Required
- A copy of your updated CV including your address and date of birth.
- A copy of your undergraduate degree certificate.
- The name and email address of someone who is able to provide a reference, this can be a work colleague, employer or former tutor.
- A detailed personal statement explaining why you would like to undertake the course.
- A copy of your proof of English competency (see below).
English Language Requirements
Proficiency in the English language is also essential to completing our courses. If English is NOT your first language, we ask for proof of competency during the application process. We are able to accept an IELTS overall score of 6.0 (with a minimum of 5.5 for each band) or an equivalent qualification.
If you do not meet these requirements, please don’t worry. The University of South Wales run a number of English Language Programmes at the Centre for International English to prepare you for your academic studies. You can also contact our admissions team on admissions@diploma-msc.com for more information on the qualifications we accept.
Course Fees
Option 1: Upfront Payment in full. Option 2: Interest free payments every other month for the duration of the course.
| Date | Instalments | Up-Front Payments |
|---|---|---|
| Deposit | £850 | £2,550 |
| 1st November 2024 | £850 | |
| 1st January 2025 | £850 |
† Deposits are non-refundable
†† Prices are subject to review following each intake
Option 3: Lower your monthly payments by spreading the cost for between 2 and 8 years with a loan from our lending partner Lendwise*.
*Subject to eligibility criteria.
Learna | Diploma MSc has a partnership with Lendwise which is a leading private student loan provider, to help UK students fund their course fees should they require financing. Lendwise is a UK-based education finance platform through which candidates can fund their postgraduate and professional qualification studies at leading educational institutions.
A Lendwise loan comes with a fixed interest rate for the duration of the loan (between 2 and 8 years) and no early repayment penalties. The interest rate offered will depend on the overall applicant profile and the application process is entirely online.*
*Other sources of funding are available.
Learna | Diploma MSc does not offer financial advice, recommend or endorse any financial product. You should always check the suitability of the product that is of interest to you. If you are in any doubt as to its suitability, we suggest that you seek independent professional advice.
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We have over 10 years’ experience delivering online diploma courses, giving you access to flexible, affordable distance learning in partnership with world-leading educators.
Our courses are some of the most affordable of their kind, providing value for money without compromising on quality. We also don't apply an international surcharge. No fixed timetable means you can log in & learn on the go, at your convenience.
Being totally online means we can select the very best tutors and resource editors, no matter where they’re located.
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