Orthopedic medicine course is one of the basic modules of the Orthopaedic Medical Technology Programme and students are taught how to treat the patients with the effective medical prescription. The Orthopaedic Medical Technology Programme educate the clinical practitioners how to implant orthopaedic mechanics and materials, fracture fixation and joint muscles replacement.
The basic objectives of the Orthopaedic Medical Technology Programme are to develop understanding of the medical students about the advanced technologies of orthopaedic and application of the basic principles related with the development of orthopedic knowledge (Orthopaedic Medicine (Medical Technology Programme), 2007). The knowledge of orthopaedic medicine and orthopedic medical technology program contributes greatly to enhance the professional skills and ability so that they may work efficiently in the competitive environment or workplace by employing all technological tactics (Orthopaedic Medicine (Medical Technology Programme), 2007).
Course Aims and Learning Outcomes
- The main objectives and prospects of orthopaedic medicine course which should be keep in mind when you are going to join any medical institute for the enhancement of professional skills. Some course aims and outcomes are mentioned below:
- For the development of understanding the basic knowledge of functional biomechanics, physiology and anatomy of the musculoskeletal system, the course is important to diagnose or evaluate musculoskeletal disorders (Assessment Handbook, 2004).
- There is a need of improving the student’s skills in planning, implementing and evaluating the wider range of therapeutic involvements, related with orthopaedic medicine.
- To improve the student’s abilities in using the complex techniques of injection protocols efficiently.
- The basic aim of the course is to promote inter-professional understanding, competitive working relationship via collaboration of different professional fellows (Assessment Handbook, 2004).
- After completion of the course, the students will be able to generalize and execute the techniques of functional biomechanics for the critical evaluation of the complex musculoskeletal disorders.
- The professional medical practitioner will show the mastery skills in diagnosing musculoskeletal problems with perfect treatment.
- The course training will be helpful in developing mastery skills and employing therapy techniques of injection protocols and appropriate treatment.
- The trainees will be facilitated with effective ways of communication and collaboration with their professional colleagues (Assessment Handbook, 2004).
Significance of Professional Development Portfolio
When you are well-acquainted with these basic aims and outcomes of the course, you may compile up your professional development portfolio in order to recognize the evidences of your learning, related with professional practice of orthopaedic medicine course. The basic aim of the Professional Development Portfolio (PDP) is to boost up the professional expertise and scope of clinical practices by ensuring the guaranteed professional career of the students. The main aim of composing the Professional Development Portfolio (PDP) is to demonstrate the individualistic achievements in the professional career (Assessment Handbook, 2004).
The Professional Development Portfolio (PDP) is very significant to identify the learning experience in the clinical field, showing the professional interests and individual professional practice in the clinical environment by getting new knowledge. The Professional Development Portfolio (PDP) is considered as an integral part of experience in commencing the course and it is important to develop linkage between theoretical aspects of the course and the latest knowledgeable practice in the clinical environment. The Professional Development Portfolio (PDP) should be arranged according to the learning environment, professional and organizational objectives of the orthopaedic medicine course (Assessment Handbook, 2004).
Outlines of Professional Development Portfolio
The Professional Development Portfolio comprises following main features of the clinical practitioner as mentioned here:
- Personal details (GMC certificate, exam certificates, date of qualification)
- Academic qualifications
- Professional qualifications
- Academic activities – e.g. publications, conference presentations
- Professional involvements – e.g. membership of professional community
- Previous posts – classifying main areas of dependability and most important achievements
- Current post – giving the details about major areas of responsibility, and major achievements (Assessment Handbook, 2004).
- Research experience and aspirations
- Case presentations
- Memorable events and patients
- Audit projects undertaken and planned
- Publications
- Teaching notes and critique (Brigden, 1999)
This Professional Development Portfolio is a supportive tool to enhance the managerial performance and potentiality as it is a personal record of employment, training tenure and developmental stages of professionalism. A Professional Development Portfolio demonstrates your persistent commitment and devotion to your profession, reviewing the entire experience of professional development, basic requirements and learning activities (Professional Development Portfolio for Education and Children’s Services Managers and Officers, 2005).
This portfolio has a great significance in the terms of employability, performance and success while working in the competitive environment. There is a need of developing transferable skills, professional responsibility, positive and flexible attitude during the learning stage. The Professional Development Portfolio is an instrumental tool to enhance one’s professional practice, encompassing formal or informal, course-based work and nature of individualistic collaborative learning skills or aptitudes (Professional Development Portfolio for Education and Children’s Services Managers and Officers, 2005).
The content of the portfolio should be comprehensible and intelligible for everyone either he or she has some knowledge about the nature of your work. You can use cross-references, reflection and commentary to prove the competence or excellence in the specific field. There is a need of addition of experience, showing your record of learning opportunities during different courses of professional development (Brigden, 1999).
The composition of the portfolio should make a clear sense of your work to yourself and others, reflecting on your motivation, philosophy and nature of the work experience. A large-sized portfolio is not necessarily fine one and you can select, organize the materials showing the acquirement of further experience and learning opportunities in the form of cycle of personal as well as professional development.
There is a complete balance between reflection and evidence in the context of proper learning activities and outcomes, showing enthusiasm, flair and innovative imagination (Brigden, 1999). As a learner or student of orthopaedic medicines, it is your responsibility to perceive information, evaluate its impact upon your personal and professional development with critical comparison of the experiences and learning schemes (Conner, 2008). Kolb and Fry have designed a sketch of the experimental learning process in the most perfect manner, showing all critical assessment of the weaknesses and strengths of the learners (Kolb, 1996).
The professional portfolio demonstrates the individualistic learning experiences by perfect reviewing reflection and transparent decisive power in order to build confidence via learner’s skills and qualities. What should be supporting or facilitating activities which cause the progress of the professionals in clinical field by linking the specific knowledgeable criteria to empower the learners with perfection and skillfulness (What is an e-portfolio, 2008). During the clinical practice, it is fundamental to improve the ability of the judgments about the different situations by developing the deep compassion for the concerned patient and family.
The learning experience is a reflection of the new insights or perceptions by self-practice, determining one’s vision or understanding and practical wisdom. The reflective practitioners have to develop their own mindful and practical wisdom according to the specific situation by knowing the different unique patterns of learning; the practitioner can gain new insights into self and be empowered to respond more congruently in future situations within areflexive spiral towards realising one’s vision as a lived reality. Reflexivity is a way of reviewing self’s development and influences of the previous and future experiences, revealing the systematic and disciplined quest for the desirable practice (Becoming Reflective, 2004).
Why I choose Society of Orthopaedic Medicine Diploma Course?
The Society of Orthopaedic Medicine Diploma Course has been attributed by Middlesex University, introducing the highly advanced collaborative venture between University and the Society of Orthopaedic Medicine. It is well-recognized in Europe for continuing professional development program which provides significant opportunities to boost up the practicability and expertise of the physiotherapists and medical practitioners. This course has been designed to develop clinical, research-oriented work experience and advanced practice via multiple project development and research methodologies (PG Dip/MSc Orthopaedic Medicine, 2007).
The Orthopaedic medicine course is related with musculoskeletal medicine and therapy with the combination of the academic program and clinical experience which is the main source of professional development and clinical enhancement. The course is very assistive to enable the medical practitioners and physiotherapists in developing their mastery skills in the application and integration of the clinical practice with the treatment of orthopaedic medicine. It is very effective course to uplift the level of the patient care, especially in the field of the musculoskeletal medicine and physiotherapy (PG Dip/MSc Orthopaedic Medicine, 2007).
This advanced course of orthopaedic medicine is designed to review and improve the manual skills of the medical practitioners and chartered physiotherapists, evaluating their professional practice and knowledge of the advanced practice of orthopaedic medicine. I want to improve my professional skills in the field of physiotherapy by employing all orthopaedic medicine techniques. I want to enhance my clinical practice with the help of the creative and innovative approach, showing excellent performance and excellence (Advanced Clinical Practice in Orthopaedic Medicine, 2008). This course will help me out in enhancing my skills in this specific area and I will have chance to explore more in this field.
Improvement of Professional and Personal Skills
I want to devise such personal development plan in order to develop my personal, organizational and professional skills by fulfilling all required demands. I want to improve my professional skills by utilizing IT advanced technologies. I want to cover up my all weakness and lack of confidence by having critical analysis. I have a plan of improving psychosocial characteristics in order to maintain the effective relationship with patients and clinical patients.
I want to negotiate with my colleagues in order to enhance collaborative expertness. I want to enhance my expertise by developing understanding of resourceful managements and politico-economic vision. The course outlines may help to improve professional leadership and creative ideas by complete reliance on professional characteristics (Assessment Handbook, 2004).
When you are going to plan a project of medical practice, there is a need of identification of your goals for learning in accordance with the credentials of professional qualifications and experience. I will plan such practical projects, identifying the learning needs and achieving the determined goals by getting more advanced education via such advanced clinical courses. I want to improve my intellectual by improving IT skills so that I may use well-developed technologies of multimedia for compiling information, related to chosen subjects. I will present psychosocial and politico-economic ideologies to acquire depth of knowledge according to the healthy practical polices and learning goals (Assessment Handbook, 2004).
I want to emphasize upon my following research interests in Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery by enhancing my potentiality via great practice and experimental studies. The main research interests are mentioned here:
- Foot Pressure Analysis
- Footwear and Orthotic Design
- Gait Analysis
- Lower Limb Biomechanics
- Osteoporosis
- Prosthetics
- Bone Density
- Seating and Wheelchairs
- Finite Element Analysis (Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, 2008)
I have developed a research-oriented aptitude to find solutions of the difficult clinical experience, developing inter-professional and inter-personal skills and expertise as a clinician of orthopaedic (Fish and Coles, 1998). I have achieved success in gaining new knowledge and technological skills to deal my patients expertly without any hesitation. I can treat them by using all essential remedial tactics, physiotherapeutic techniques and medicines. As I have undergone different process of learning and training by working on different assessment worksheets of physiotherapy which are included in this course of orthopaedic medicine.
I have learned how to provide careful and effective treatment to different kinds of patients by handling all physio-therapeutic issues. I get knowledge how to achieve my learning goals within the competitive clinical environment where I can collaborate with my colleagues confidently on the basis of my improved professional achievement and development (Assessment Handbook, 2004). All kinds of treatments can be applied on different patients’ joints or soft tissues, knowing the serious conditions of the disease.
In my opinion, orthopaedic mobilization is one of the most effective remedial techniques for chronic back pain and serious kinds of spinal disorders and an expert therapist can use such therapeutic techniques in order to relieve the patients from severe pain (Treatment Orthopaedic Medicine, 2008).
I can attend different medical seminars, collaboration experiences with different physicians and therapists to update my own professional knowledge. I have developed professional confidence and self-reliance by joining this well-recognized medical institute, the society of orthopedic medicines. I have been facilitated to observe different conditions, diseases and problems of the patients in order to learn all technological orthopaedic treatments by diagnosing musculoskeletal and neurological problems of the patients.
As a physiatrist, I have been trained in management of musculoskeletal disorders and other various conditions including pharmacologic control of spasticity, neurological problems with behavioral training in head-injured patients, bowel and bladder management. I get expertise to use techniques of injection protocols for the treatments of arthritis, bursitis, myofascial pain syndromes and tenosynovitis. I get knowledge how to prescribe physical medicines according to the physical principles and dynamic intervention so that the pain can be reduced by maximizing the functionality of musculoskeletal system (The Medical Student’s Guide to Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 2008).
I have been also learned how to introduce exercise programs according to the patients’ needs in order to maintain and enhance the muscular movements, proprioception (awareness of joint position in space) and muscle relaxation by preventing contracture in a spastic spinal cord of the patient. As a therapist and physician I have to use all kinds of assistive equipments including gait and mobility aids, communication aids and environmental control devices (The Medical Student’s Guide to Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 2008).
According to my professional studies in physiotherapy, I can treat and identify the health issues and want to promote well-being of the patients by preventive advice and rehabilitation. I have knowledgeable skills as chartered physiotherapist by treating the patients via manual therapy, application of electro-physical modalities and therapeutic exercises. There is a need of compliance with your patients according to the psychological, social and cultural influences in order to help them frankly (The Medical Student’s Guide to Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 2008).
I can implement my all professional expertise and practical reflection to solve the problems and the systematic clinical approaches are best for patient-centered care. I have learned how to work with a broader range of physical problems, related with neuromuscular, cardiovascular, and musculoskeletal and respiratory systems, getting opportunities to work with physiotherapy colleagues or team of healthcare professionals (The Medical Student’s Guide to Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 2008).
Orthopedic Medicine is the non-surgical assessment and management of the moving parts of the body. It is a “low-tech,” hands-on approach for diagnosing and handling musculoskeletal problems by implementing orthopaedic physicians’ osteopathic licensure and the diagnostic schema. I have now well-acquainted with all basic treatment modalities which are effective and practical methods (Gracer, 1997). Orthopedic medicine presents a wide-ranging way to elucidate and treat musculoskeletal problems in a reproducible, rational way. By treating the chief causes of pain, and recognizing that the body will restore to health itself if allowed, problems can often be solved, instead of palliated.
This course of orthopaedic medicines also allows for proper references of those patients who need specific Orthopedic Medical involvement to physicians, as well as referral by physiotherapists to well-trained manual therapists for the many modalities in which they have expertise (Gracer, 1997).
You can find out the best guidelines how to identify and treat orthopaedic issues of patients by studying Essentials of Orthopedic Surgery, very exclusive piece of writing and all surgeons, nurses and physician therapists may get knowledge and remedial tips by formulating the excellent treatment plans (Essentials of Orthopedic Surgery, 1993). I have gained knowledge how to play a leading role in the context of the clinical, educational and scientific aspects of musculoskeletal trauma care and its association with other specialties.
There is a need of patient care in multi-disciplinary specialties especially in general surgery, orthopaedic, neurosurgery, nursing, urology, physiotherapy and psychiatry. Due to such helpful clinical training courses, I have developed my professional skills with such operative experiences by dealing multiple cases (Guidelines for Orthopaedic Trauma Fellowships, 2008).
I have been trained in surgical and non-surgical treatment of musculoskeletal injuries according to the procedural steps of injury management. I have learned how to rehabilitate by giving intense care to the patients, understanding the complications and sequellae of musculoskeletal problems. I have been engaged in the activities of developing the skills, related with laboratory and clinical research on orthopaedic trauma by taking care of the ethical, legal and economical issues.
I can organize and supervise orthopaedic trauma service by coordinating with other administrative units who are engaged in management of orthopaedic trauma patients. In order to develop a research work for orthopaedic trauma care, there is a need of comprehensive management of the orthopaedic trauma patients (Guidelines for Orthopaedic Trauma Fellowships, 2008).
The orthopaedic medicine is related with the chronic pain of muscles and joints and it is main duty of the physiotherapist how to relieve the patients by utilizing different remedial methods (Goodley, 2007). There is incredible changeability in the supervision of patients with ordinary orthopaedic problems, including non-operative care and a extensive range of operative options. As Berven says: “Determining which option leads to the greatest and most reliable improvement of quality of life is an important goal of the outcomes effort….With accurate information on outcomes of different approaches to caring for a patient, we can empower the patient to make informed choices on what is best for them individually”(Outcomes: The Tough Job of Finding What Works, 2006).
Orthopaedic medicine provides fine methodological clinical examination by perfect diagnosis and treatment of non-surgical musculoskeletal abrasions. If you want to improve your knowledgeable skills in applied anatomy, injection therapy techniques, clinical assessments and effective ways of treatments, you should train yourself via different clinical courses of different medical institutes (Orthopaedic Medicine seminars, 2008).
I have updated my knowledge and understanding about the functional biomechanics, anatomy and physiology of the musculoskeletal system via advanced research and studies, developing my analytical skills in evaluation of musculoskeletal disorders. This newly acquired expertise in different treatment regimes are very effective to foster inter-personal and inter-professional understanding and communications for quick responses of the patients.
Works Cited
Orthopaedic Medicine (Medical Technology Programme), Page last modified. 2007. Web.
Assessment Handbook, Edited by Foxit PDF Editor, Copyright (c) by Foxit Software Company, 2004 – 2007.
Professional Development Portfolio for Education and Children’s Services Managers and Officers, VSC, 2005. Web.
Brigden, David Brigden (adviser for medical and dental education, Mersey Deanery, Liverpool L3 6AL) Career focus, Constructing a learning portfolio BMJ 7201 Volume 319. Web.
Conner, Marcia L. Conner, Learning from Experience. Web.
David, a. Kolb, david a. kolb on experiential learning, 1996. Web.
What is an e-portfolio?, 2008. Web.
Becoming Reflective, BARC01. 2004. Web.
PG Dip/MSc Orthopaedic Medicine. 2007. Web.
Advanced Clinical Practice in Orthopaedic Medicine. 2008. Web.
Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery (in the Division of Surgery and Oncology. 2008. Web.
Fish and Coles, 1998, Developing Professional Judgment in Health Care: Learning through the Critical Appreciation of Practice Editors: D Fish and C Coles 518 pp. ISBN 0-7506-3123-6 (paperback) Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann. Web.
Treatment Orthopaedic Medicine, 2008. Web.
The Medical Student’s Guide to Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 2008. Web.
Gracer, 1997, Richard I. Gracer, MD, Overview of Orthopedic Medicine, reprinted from TLfDP, 1997. Web.
W.B. Saunders (2007) Essentials of Orthopedic Surgery. Wiesel, Sam W.; Delahay, John N. (Eds.) Originally published by W.B. Saunders 3rd ed., XII, 620 p. 306 illus., Softcover ISBN: 978-0-387-32165-3. Web.
Guidelines for Orthopaedic Trauma Fellowships – 2008. Web.
Goodley, 2007, Paul H. Goodley, MD, Goodley Intentions: Why, Orthopaedic Surgery? Web.
Outcomes: The Tough Job of Finding What Works, 2006. Web.
Orthopaedic Medicine seminars, 2008. Web.