Aims

The aim of this module is to provide the learner with a comprehensive overview of up-to-date clinical practice parameters and recent advances in allergy research. Clinical management will be grounded in the scientific basis of the allergic disease spectrum so that students may develop greater insight into how science translates into best clinical care. Learners will gain a detailed understanding of the allergic spectrum, including clinical assessment, diagnostic adjuncts, established and novel therapeutic strategies.

Outline Of Syllabus

Topics covered will include:
Basic immunology for clinical allergy practice
Approach to clinical evaluation of the allergic patient, including diagnostic techniques
Anaphylaxis
Asthma
Allergic skin disease- eczema, urticarial and angioedema
Drug allergy
Food allergy '1' (lgE mediated disease)
Food allergy '2' (GI and non lgE mediated disease)

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

This module will support, and enhance clinical care, through use of clinical cases in the module core learning activities.

Through a collection of different online resources, (such as case studies, videos and recorded PowerPoint presentations) as well as private study (including directed reading, and literature sourcing of information), students will gain detailed knowledge and understanding of the allergic disease spectrum.

Learners will be encouraged to develop their understanding of clinical encounters through the use of reflective journal postings, shared only with the module leader.

Students will be encouraged to participate in collaborative learning activities. Interactive on-line activities will help to consolidate their understanding of the curriculum.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The recorded presentation will assess students’ ability to present a case from their clinical experience and demonstrate their reflective practice. It will demonstrate students’ ability to learn from their experience, drawing on the learning in the module to adapt their clinical practice in line with current evidence.

The case study will require students to integrate clinical allergy presentation with the scientific and theoretical background to disease. It will demonstrate the students' deeper understanding of allergic disease mechanisms and new developments and how these can translate to improved clinical care of day-day affected patients. This assessment is held online and is time limited with forced completion once the test is initiated.

The written essay will assess students' ability to apply their learning and new knowledge in the critique of a topical allergy paper. The paper chosen will relate to current issues within the allergy field.