Teaching

The Discipline of Health Behaviour Sciences is active in both undergraduate and postgraduate teaching at the University of Newcastle. The teaching activity is concentrated on the University of Newcastle’s Callaghan campus, although the Discipline does offer one course on the Ourimbah campus, another at the Port Macquarie campus, as well as maintaining the postgraduate courses offered through distance education.

The Discipline provides course content across a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate programs.

Staff

  • Dr Sue Outram (Discipline Lead)
  • Mrs Kate Dundas
  • Dr Conor Gilligan
  • Assoc Prof Erica James
  • Dr Natalie Johnson
  • Mrs Nicole Lubans
  • Dr Marita Lynagh

Undergraduate

Teaching activity crosses three University of Newcastle Programs:

  • Bachelor of Medicine Program

Courses offered:

Course Code

Bachelor of Medicine – Year 1
Introduction to professional practice:
Clinical communication skills & psychosocial aspects of health & illness

MEDI1011

Bachelor of Medicine – Year 3:
Sexuality Counselling - Chronic Disease and Sub-Specialities Clinical Practice

MEDI3017

Bachelor of Medicine – Year 4:
Women's and Children's Health:

  1. Addressing sensitive issues with adolescents
  2. Parent & child relationships with doctors: Forming partnerships, dealing with suspected abuse.
  3. Presenting information to patients concerning antenatal screening
  4. Talking with Aboriginal women about cervical cancer screening
Medicine and Surgery:
  1. Advanced Care planning
  2. Behavioural change strategies: Smoking cessation
  3. Dealing with angry patients
  4. Preparing patients for potentially threatening clinical procedures and informed consent

MEDI4015




 



MEDI4016

Bachelor of Medicine – Year 5: Interactional Skills

  1. Consultation skills in breaking bad news
  2. Brief intervention for reducing alcohol related harm

MEDI5012
  • School of Education Program
    • Bachelor of Teaching/Bachelor of Health & Physical Education
    • Bachelor of Teaching/Bachelor of Early Childhood Studies
    • Bachelor of Teaching/Bachelor of Arts

Courses offered

Course Code

Semester

Foundation Studies in K-6 Physical Education, Health, & Personal Development (Primary)

PUBH2030

1 Callaghan
1 Port Macquarie

Health of Populations & Young People (Secondary)

PUBH2040

1

Foundation of Child Health & Well-Being

PUBH2020

1 Callaghan
1 Ourimbah (from 2011)

Foundation Studies in Health

PUBH1010

2

Personal Development and Health Issues in the Primary School (Elective)

PUBH2300

2

Personal Development in Health

PUBH3040

2
  • School of Health Sciences Programs

Courses offered

Course Code

Semester

Foundation Studies in Population Health & Health Promotion

PUBH1080

1 Ourimbah
2 Callaghan

Post-graduate

  • Masters of Public Health

Courses offered

Course Code

Semester

Introduction to Health Promotion

HPRO6710

1

Health Program Evaluation

HPRO6760

2
  • Master of Pharmacy

Contributions to Courses

Course Code

Trimester

Pharmacy Practice 1

PHAR6111

1

Pharmacotherapeutics 4

PHAR6223

2

Pharmacotherapeutics 6

PHAR6233

2

Recent developments in teaching have included:

  • Revision of courses for the Post Graduate Health Promotion Program, to be part of the Masters of Public Health (offered from 2009)
  • Foundation Studies in K-6 PDHPE is now offered at Port Macquarie for students in the Primary Teaching Program.
  • Studies in Population Health & Health Promotion is now offered to the Nutrition & Dietetics, Podiatry, Oral Health and other students at the Ourimbah Campus in semester 1.
  • Use of podcasts and electronic lectures to support students off-campus
  • Use of a 40 module, web based medical consultations skills program sourced from Drexel Medical School, Philadelphia USA and American Academy on Communication in Health Care.
  • Production of a DVD for Year 3 Medical Students. “Getting back to normal: Doctor/Patient communication and sexual health after a heart attack.”

Quality in Teaching

Award CeremonyAcademic staff are continually involved in quality assurance processes and dissemination of scholarship of teaching.

The contribution of HBS staff to quality teaching was officially recognised in 2008 when Marita Lynagh and Sue Outram were awarded the Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Teaching Excellence and Learning Support for 2007 and Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Teaching Excellence in the Faculty of Health.

The Vice-Chancellor’s Awards for Teaching Excellence and Learning Support honour the University’s outstanding teachers.

The Awards are presented to an individual or a team with an exceptional record in advancing student learning, educational leadership, and scholarly contribution to teaching and learning. Recipients of this award demonstrate a broad and deep contribution to enhancing the quality of learning and teaching at the University of Newcastle. Dr Marita Lynagh and Dr Sue Outram were awarded for their contribution to the Discipline of Health Behaviour Sciences.

Dr Lynagh and Dr Outram are lecturers in the School of Medicine and Public Health. Between them, they have a combined teaching experience at the University of Newcastle of 39 years. They have developed, coordinated and taught innovative courses in a range of schools across the University, including Nursing, Health Sciences, Education and Medicine. They have taken a leadership role in delivering undergraduate and postgraduate courses that inspires students to learn through their focus on meaningful and professionally relevant curricula. They are exemplars of quality teaching, helping students to develop the professional skills and confidence as graduates in diverse areas, including public health and health promotion, clinical communication skills, sexuality, and loss and grief.

http://www.newcastle.edu.au/unit/ctl/

Academic Course Convenors

For any academic questions relating to the:

For any general enquiries for any courses please contact the Health Behaviour Sciences Administrative Assistant Milena Luciani (Milena.Luciani@newcastle.edu.au)