Postgraduate Diploma in Family Medicine
Despite the fact that family medicine is recognised for its importance, it is acknowledged that the healthcare system does not easily adapt to the changing needs of society, particularly when it comes to concerns about "overcare" and "undercare," both of which can be significantly reduced by the development of family practitioner education. A global effort to educate medical professionals on the subject is required to enact change that will expand the scope of family medicine. Learna | Diploma MSc strives to help the situation and is proud to be one of the few healthcare education providers offering a post graduate diploma in family medicine online.
With our part-time, online diploma in family medicine you will be able to support your patients, from diagnosis stage through to treatment and prevention. The post graduate diploma in family medicine online is practical and clinically focused, and the knowledge gained from studying this course can be applied directly to your everyday practise. You will be able to hone your skills from your general training and improve patient outcomes, all without sacrificing your other work and life commitments.
Next intake: 2023 SeptemberKey Facts
Our post graduate diploma in family medicine online is led by our dedicated expert tutors who are exceptionally experienced in their fields, sharing their high-level knowledge directly with their students. Our multidisciplinary learning experience means that not only will you be learning from the very best leaders in the industry from across the globe, but you will be grouped with fellow students located all over the world.
The post graduate diploma in family medicine covers a variety of topics and will provide a number of learning outcomes. Students will be:
Equipped with a systematic understanding of family medicine, skills in critical appraisal and application of knowledge for direct patient benefit/service development and future study.
Equipped with a life-long learning and advanced problem-solving skills that they can apply to clinical practice in family medicine.
Enabled to demonstrate the ability to lead complex tasks and processes in the delivery and advancement of patient care.
Enabled to deliver leadership to teams in multi-agency, multi-cultural and/or international contexts.
Able to critically evaluate the delivery of care to patients.
Equipped with a systematic understanding of evidence-based medicine in relation to family medicine.
Enabled to use relevant understanding, methodologies and approaches to address complex issues of patient management across the spectrum of medical specialties.
Equipped with the ability to critically evaluate evidence and guidance for family medicine and implement best practice and innovation in complex patient scenarios.
University of Buckingham
The University of Buckingham is the only independent university in the UK with a Royal Charter, and also one of the smallest with around 2,700 students, who study for honours degrees in two intensive years of study. The University houses it's own medical school and was ranked first for student satisfaction in 2018, 2019 and 2020 by the Complete University Guide.
Faculty
Dr Chellaram Hathiramani
Dr Chellaram Hathiramani graduated from Cardiff Medical School in 1998 and successfully embarked on a vocational training scheme to qualify as a General Practitioner in 2003. She obtained various diplomas...
Next intake: 2023 September Key Facts
Dr Chellaram Hathiramani
Dr Chellaram Hathiramani graduated from Cardiff Medical School in 1998 and successfully embarked on a vocational training scheme to qualify as a General Practitioner in 2003. She obtained various diplomas in child health and obstetrics, amongst others, even adding an MBA to her armoury along the way. Her experience has been valuable in setting up the Family Medicine Diploma. Dr Chellaram Hathiramani knows what is required of the burgeoning family physician and appreciates the value of a broad set of skills and learning objectives, thus making the Diploma in Family Medicine very attractive to prospective doctors and allied health professionals.
Dr Chellaram Hathiramani encourages potential students to take the leap into enhancing and furthering their knowledge with the realisation that 12 months later they will have a well respected qualification under their belt.
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Why Study a Family Medicine Postgraduate Diploma 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.
Affordable
No physical campus means we can offer world-leading programmes at the most competitive prices.
Get a PgDip from £3,900 or an MSc from £7,500 - the most affordable courses of their kind in the UK.
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 1-year online Postgraduate Diploma in Family Medicine is aimed at a variety of healthcare professionals looking to expand their knowledge and skillset in the topic of family medicine. Our family medicine course is perfect for those looking to add value to their CV with a family physician degree. This diploma in family medicine will enable graduates to rise to the challenges of delivering high quality care to their patients within a complex primary and secondary care environment
How Will I Learn?
You will be supported throughout your studies by a committed team of internationally recognised educational experts.
Our courses are conducted entirely online through self-directed distance learning. You’ll receive guidance throughout your course with tutor-stimulated academic discussions, which are based on clinically-rich case scenarios.
These usually occur within groups of 10-20 students, allowing you to clearly communicate with both your tutor and fellow students.
Curriculum
The diploma in family medicine is a one year course, consisting of six modules (120 credits) covering a variety of relevant and interesting topics to help you gain the knowledge and skills to aid your career progression and improve patient outcomes through family practitioner education.Aim of the module
To develop an in-depth understanding of the global epidemiology of disease and the importance of preventative care and health promotion in family medicine.
Synopsis of module content
- The principles of prevention
- Health promotion
- Screening
- Primary and secondary preventative strategies of chroniic disease
- Vaccinations
On completion of this module, students will be able to:
- Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the eipidemiology of disease globally, health promotion measure, and screening and immunizations as part of disease preventative strategies.
- Critically apply an in-depth knowledge of health promotion strategirs into their practics as a family physician.
Aim of the module:
To develop an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the common presentations associated with women's health and sexual health, in the context of Family Medicine.
Synopsis of module content:
- Common gynaecological presentations including menstral disorders
- Menopause-related conditions
- Common disorders in pregnancy
- Sexual health presentation (male and female) including STIs
- Contraception
- Infertility
On completion of this module, students will be able to:
- Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of a range of common primary care presentations in women's health and sexual health.
- Critically apply an in-depth knowledge of diagnosis and treatment into their practice as a family physician.
Aim of the module
To develop an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the common presentations associated with child health, in the context of Family Medicine.
Synopsis of module content:
- The febrile child
- Childhood respiratory diseases and abdominal diseases
- Childhood rashes
- Behavioural problems
- Childhood emergencies
On completion of this module, students will be able to:
- Demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of a range of common primary care presentations and the recognition of emergencies in child health.
- Critically apply an in-depth knowledge of diagnosis and treatment into their practice as a family physician.
Module Aim
- To develop an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the common presentations in adulthood, in the context of Family Medicine.
Synopsis of module content:
- This module will cover a range of common presentations of common disorders in adulthood that may present to the family physician in primary care. This will include disorders of the main systems of the body and include some common emergencies seen in adult medicine.
On completion of this module, students will be able to:
- Demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of a range of common primary care presentations and the recognition of emergencies in adult medicine.
- Critically apply an in-depth knowledge of diagnosis and treatment into their
practice as a family physician.
Aims of the module:
- To develop an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the common mental health presentations, in the context of Family Medicine.
- To develop an understanding of some of the psychological interventions in primary
care.
Synopsis of the module content:
This module will provide an overview of the diagnosis and treatment of a range
of common mental health presentations that may present to the family physician.
This will include:
- low mood
- delirium and dementia
- eating disorders
- schizoaffective disorders
This module will also cover an overview of some of the methods to promote well
being and psychological interventions in primary care.
On completion of this module, students will be able to:
- Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of a range of common primary care presentations in mental health.
- Critically evaluate a variety of methods used to promote well being and psychological interventions available to family physicians.
- Critically apply an in-depth knowledge of diagnosis and treatment into their
practice as a family physician.
Aims of the module:
- To develop an in-depth knowledge and improve recognition of the symptoms presenting to the family physician, that may indicate a possible cancer diagnosis.
- To improve the understanding of palliative care including the treatment of symptoms as well as legal issues and the role of the multidisciplinary team in palliative care.
Synopsis of module content:
- An overview of the diagnosis and treatment of various cancers that
may present to the family physician - Recognition of red flag symptoms for different malignancies that should alert urgent referral to secondary care for further investigations.
- Palliative care including the treatment of palliative care symptoms, legal
issues and the role of the multidisciplinary team.
On completion of this module, students will be able to:
- Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of symptoms presenting
to the family physician which may indicate a possible cancer diagnosis and
improve recognition of these symptoms. - Demonstrate a critical knowledge, understanding and evaluation of palliative care including the treatment of associated symptoms, related legal issues and the important role of the multidisciplinary team.
- Critically apply knowledge of cancer diagnosis, treatment and palliative care
into their practice as a family physician.
Assessment Methods
This postgraduate diploma in family medicine online places assessments at the heart of the learning process through the employment of clinical scenarios to enhance problem-solving, critical analysis and evidence-based care. Since the scenarios act as a focus for learning and assessment, the two are intrinsically linked.
The 6 modules on the family medicine 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 family medicine 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.
- Every week students are presented with two/three clinical case-based scenarios that are reflective of every day clinical practice and research.
- Tutors will post a number of questions and prompts to aid students in a formal discussion of each case.
- These discussions are facilitated throughout by your tutor and are then assessed at the end of every module.
For this assessment, students will work on a group assignment and/or an individual assignment.
- Group assignments are designed to hone skills in the multidisciplinary, holistic approach to modern treatments and patient management by requiring group participation in a single piece of work.
- Individual assignments are designed to hone skills in academic career progression through such tasks as reviewing papers, developing scientific posters or abstracts, peer-reviewing, social media activities, patient information leaflets and essays.
- Students are provided with case-based problems in the form of a one-hour timed examination.
- The exam consists of 30 'Single Best Answer' questions.
- Students are required to complete the exam online within the set time.
The reflective journal is used by students throughout each module to monitor personal progress. This is guided by weekly feedback from your tutor and is graded at the end of every module. The journal typically includes the following:
- Initial expectations and reasons for taking the course.
- Module and/or personal learning objectives.
- Description of events, issues and learning points within current personal practice.
- Change in every day practice due to knowledge gained on each module.
- A description of what has been learned during the module.
Entry requirements
Since our diploma in family medicine 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 field.
Registered healthcare professionals, 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 6.5 (with a minimum of 6.0 for each band) or an equivalent qualification.
If you do not meet these requirements, please don’t worry. You can also contact our admissions team on admissions@diploma-msc.com for more information on the qualifications we accept.
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.
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Why Learna
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.
Connect with multidisciplinary people around the world to expand your insights & broaden your career prospects.
Our programmes produce 90% fewer emissions than campus-based learning.
