The contents and learning objectives of the here presented course correspond with the training for pediatricians. All six modules are concerned with other content aspects useful for the upcoming visitation and needed for the profession of pediatricians. Each topic is divided into content and language learning objectives and goals that aim at enhancing the practical skills in more hands-on learning settings. Within one module, students get to know diverse clinical presentations, symptoms and diagnosis as well as treatment methods. Content of the practical block seminars is similar to the contents of the optional courses (JLU-FB11 2015j). Students have two hours of interactive lecture (120 min.) introducing the concepts or expending already existing knowledge. Additionally, three hours of seminars (180min.) are spent on each module.
Table 6: Syllabus: Block practical training on Pediatrics
First week Tuesday Module/Topic 1
Preventive Care for Babies and Infants
Learning objectives Learn about routine tests and check-ups (pre-birth, newborn
and infant).
Get to know the different development stages and the corresponding healthy child’s body system.
Learn about possibilities to ensure health and take preventive actions during all stages.
Reading: understand scientific texts on preventive care and check-ups; understand and recognize key aspects in short articles or colleague’s notes.
Listening: listen to academic lectures/presentations; follow a presentation/ conversation on familiar topics without major difficulties; understand key aspects in clearly structured conversations.
Speaking: exchange factual information on preventive care; participate in conversations with colleagues; pass on information to parents and patient.
Writing: write short notes and documentations; summarize information on vaccinations.
Practical part Provide information about vaccination, necessity, benefits
and possible resulting symptoms.
Diagnose if vaccination can be carried out.
Practice vaccination and interact with young patients. Documentation of vaccination and consultation.
First week Thursday Module/Topic 2
Infectious and Common Children's Diseases
Learning objectives Learn about the underlying causes and clinical presentations
causing rash, cough, rhinitis, eye irritation, fever, infection, pneumonia, headaches, meningitis, itching, skin infection, scars, and tiredness.
Learn about the most common children’s diseases and the clinical presentation of measles, mumps, rubella and varicella.
Get to know the presentation, treatment and preventive measures.
Learn the underlying concepts of viral infections and vaccinations.
Reading: understand scientific texts on infections and children’s diseases; understand and recognize key aspects in short articles or colleague’s notes.
Listening: listen to academic lectures/presentations; follow conversations on familiar topics without major difficulties; understand key aspects in clearly structured conversations. Speaking: exchange factual information on infectious diseases and preventive care; pass on information to parents and patient; give recommendations.
Writing: write documentations; describe symptoms of infectious diseases.
Practical part Provide information about vaccination, necessity, benefits
and possible resulting symptoms.
Diagnose if vaccinations can be carried out.
Practice vaccination and interact with young patients. Documentation of vaccination and consultation.
Second week Tuesday Module/Topic 3
Check-ups and School Entry Health Examinations
Learning objectives Learn about the underlying causes for weight loss or gain,
mobility disorders, distress and anxiety, learning problems, difficulties in concentration and listening.
Learn about pediatric exams, their content and focus depending on age.
Get to know basic tests, procedures and how to proceed if medical problems are detected.
Reading: understand medical texts on pediatric health examinations; understand and recognize key aspects in short articles.
Listening: listen to academic lectures/presentations; follow a presentation/ conversation and understand key aspects in clearly structured conversations.
Speaking: exchange factual information on preventive care, children’s diseases and health examinations; participate in conversations with colleagues; pass on information to parents and patient; describe diagrams and interpret findings.
Writing: write prescriptions and documentations; summarize information of examinations and diagrams.
Practical part Run routine tests, interact with child and gain confidence.
Assess physical and mental condition as well as weight and mobility.
Assessment of vaccination coverage, overweight and obesity, child’s mobility.
Evaluate social and emotional status, assess necessity for support or aid.
Documentation of results for research and diagnosis.
Refer child to specialist or prescribe certain actions to be taken.
Second week Thursday Module/Topic 4
Chronic Coughs and Ambiguous Abdominal Pain
Learning objectives Learn about the different diseases, clinical patterns and
disorders that can cause chronic cough or abdominal pain in children.
Get to know the differential diagnosis and treatment methods for respiratory distress, bronchitis and asthma attacks in children.
Get to know the differential diagnosis, symptoms and causes for abdominal pain and possible treatment methods for appendicitis, infections, intolerances, poisoning and inflammation of the abdomen.
Reading: understand short texts on patients presenting with chronic coughs and abdominal pain; understand and recognize key aspects in short articles.
Listening: listen to academic lectures/presentations; follow a presentation/ conversation of colleagues or parents and understand key aspects.
Speaking: exchange factual information on differential diagnosis and clinical patterns; pass on information to adults and patient; communicate treatment methods; describe underlying diseases, symptoms and management.
Writing: write documentations and treatment plans; give instructions.
Practical part Assess symptoms, pain and accompanying symptoms.
Run tests, make and confirm diagnosis.
Decide on treatment and inform about drug administration. Give instructions that have to be followed.
Have a follow-up check, documentation of medical procedure.
Third week Tuesday Module/Topic 5
Youth Medicine
Learning objectives Learn about the underlying disorders and diseases that can
cause learning problems and concentration difficulties, constrained and reduced mobility, malpositions, anxiety and distress.
Learn about children's learning and achievement disorders, their description, explanation, diagnosis and treatment. Learn about growth disturbances and pediatric orthopedics.
Reading: understand medical texts on pediatrics and youth medicine; recognize and understand key aspects in short articles.
Listening: listen to academic lectures/presentations; follow conversations of colleagues, parents or teenagers and understand key aspects.
Speaking: exchange factual information on medical-related youth problems; pass on information to adults and patient; communicate treatment methods and procedures; give instructions and recommendations.
Writing: write documentations and treatment plans; give instructions.
Practical part Take patient’s history; assess mental and emotional health of
patient.
Be a confidential person and identify underlying problems. Consult other specialists if necessary; find solutions in cooperation with the patient and parents.
Diagnose behavioral disorders, run tests.
Diagnose disturbances in development, malpositions and misalignments.
Inform about possible procedures or treatments.
Third week Thursday Module/Topic 6
Allergy Diagnostics
Learning objectives Learn about the clinical patterns causing abdominal pain,
rhinitis, diarrhea, vomiting, weight loss and gain, itching, swelling, nausea, sneezing, coughs, fainting, chest pain, shortness of breath.
Learn about allergies and food allergies, anaphylaxis and intolerances, side effects and first aid methods in situations of allergic shocks.
Reading: understand general and scientific texts on allergies; understand and recognize key aspects in short articles; read laboratory findings.
Listening: listen to academic lectures/presentations; follow general and professional conversations on allergies and understand key aspects.
Speaking: exchange factual information on allergy diagnostics; pass on information to patient; communicate management possibilities; differential diagnosis and clinical patterns; interpret laboratory findings.
Writing: write treatment plans and laboratory documentations.
Practical part Learn about common seasonal allergies and food allergy.
Ask about symptoms and habits, take patient’s history and assess severity.
Run allergy specific laboratory tests seasonal allergies. Diagnose seasonal allergies and order preventive measures. Diagnose food allergy and inform patient to keep a food diary to determine allergen.
Suggest treatment in cooperation with patient.
For the presented modules and when attending these CLIL settings, students need the same knowledge and skills as mentioned above, i.e. after accomplishing the pre-clinical stage, students are expected to have basic knowledge biomedical processes, human anatomy and physiology. They should be familiar with the mechanism of human bodies, the immune system as well as the presentation and symptoms of common diseases. Since preventive health care is playing a major role in the profession of pediatricians and it is especially important for their future patients, students gain further knowledge on vaccinations, viral infections, and the developmental stages of children and adolescents. While attending these CLIL modules, students should gain specialized knowledge in the use of terminology and enhance their communicative competence. The whole course is designed for practicing theory and practical skills in combination since real medical cases are addressed. Thereby, the communication skills required in the interaction with young patients and their relatives are trained and students gain confidence in simulated situations. Likewise, they learn the terminology needed to communicate among specialists, and how to explain something to the general public. The acquisition of medical equipments, treatment methods and procedures is also part of the course. Just as in all other courses and specialists training, pediatricians learn to write patient files, prescriptions, give instructions and explain diagnosis and treatment. It is therefore also important to enhance the reading and writing skills in both basic and academic/scientific usage. In order to be as authentic as possible,
interactive activities will be carried out as e.g. role-plays of real-life scenarios.
In the end of the whole module, students should be able to distinguish and identify the following common clinical features:
rash, cough, rhinitis, eye irritation, fever, infection, pneumonia, headaches, meningitis, itching, skin infection, scars, tiredness, weight loss or gain, mobility disorders, distress and anxiety, learning problems, difficulties in concentration, abdominal pain, constrained and reduced mobility, malpositions, rhinitis, diarrhea, vomiting, swelling, nausea, sneezing, fainting, chest pain, shortness of breath, headaches.
They should be able to assess, diagnose, manage and inform about the following diseases/ clinical pictures:
measles, mumps, rubella, varicella, overweight, obesity or underweight, chronic cough, growth and development disturbances, behavioral disorders, respiratory distress, bronchitis, asthma, allergies, food intolerances, appendicitis, infections, learning and achievement disorders, malpositions and misalignments, anaphylaxis and allergic shocks.
The final assessment of the whole seminar concerned with pediatrics is divided into two parts. The first part lasts 60 minutes and is more theoretical: Students have to take a multiple-choice exam that mainly focuses on content- knowledge. There are also some short texts and questions that assess the reading and writing comprehension. The second part takes about 40 minutes and is more practice-oriented: Students have to interact in two different situations with patients and parents and/or colleagues. This part is concerned mainly with speaking and listening. Since language and content are in both parts essential, both are included in assessment whereas the content is of
slightly higher importance. The final grade is calculated as follows: 60% first part, 40% second part.