1).
Outcomes (a) – (c) are assessed as follows:

Students are given physiological ‘brainteaser’ topics to analyse thoroughly, and eventually present to an audience of scientists which includes, when possible, a prominent researcher from overseas.

Outcome (d) is assessed as follows:

Students work in groups on ‘self-planned (research) experiments, SPEX’ in physiology (see: Leon, Jordi & Koeslag, Medical Education 1991, 25: 208-212.
Reviewed in American Journal of Physiology 1991 161:S36.

Outcome (e) is assessed as follows:

Research articles are thoroughly analysed, and critically evaluated in the same manner as the SPEX’s, at weekly Journal Club meetings.

Outcomes (f) – (g) are assessed as follows:

Each student performs a research project, which is written up as a mini-thesis and presented at the Annual Congress of the Physiology Society of Southern Africa.

Outcome (h) is assessed as follows:

All work (SPEX’s Brainteaser topics, and research article analyses) is presented orally for open discussion within the group. Research projects are presented at the National Conference of the Physiology Society of Southern Africa.

Outcome (i) assessed as follows:

Health Service training occurs in the academic and regional hospitals, where service to the patient as a person (rather than a vehicle for a disease), and the patient in the context of his/her community at large is emphasised.

2).
1. In-course assessment and closed-book examinations in all the components of the course.

2. Regular feedback, and trouble shooting sessions, plus in course assessment during project work.

3. Regular discussions of the ‘Brainteaser topics’ chosen by the candidate and a final formal verbal presentation of the conclusions.

4. Regular journal club meetings, where candidates analyse and discuss research articles, for marks.

5. The writing up of a mini-thesis on their project work.

6. Regular ‘SPEX’s projects (see:Leon, Jordi & Koeslag, Medical Education 1991, 25:208-212. Reviewed in America Journal of Physiology 1991 261:S36). Also see#4 above.

7. Regular tutorial discussions and open-book examinations.

8. Regular in-house presentations of progress in project work, presentation and discussion of research articles, and attendance of the Annual Congress of the Pysiology Society of Southern Africa to present research results, in competition with BSc (Hons) students from the other universities

3).
Items 1 – 3 are assessed primarily via closed-book examinations.

Items 4 – 7 are assessed primarily via in-course assessment, using the ‘SPEX’s (see: Leon, Jordi & Koeslag, Medical Education 1991, 25:208 – 212. Reviewed in America Journal of Physiology 1991 261:S36), the Physiological Brainteaser discussions, and journal club meeting

Regular in-course assessment of laboratory project work.

In-course discussions, written reports, and closed-book examination questions.

The assessments used meet the standard and level of achievement for NQF level 7.

INTEGRATED ASSESSMENT

The presentation of results f the Research Project component of the Course is in the form of a mini-thesis, a Congress presentation, and an in-house presentation. This integrates a literature review, actual practical work, reporting on the practical work, a detailed discussion, professional writing and computer skills. The verbal and audiovisual presentation skills are also assessed.

The ‘SPEX’s’ (see: Leon, Jordi & Koeslag, Medical Education 1991, 25:208-212). Reviewed in American Journal of Physiology 1991 261: S36) successfully achieve the same level of integrated assessment on an on-going basis throughout the year, and over a much wider front.

The Physiological ‘Brainteaser’ projects integrate information gathering, higher order cognitive skills, critical analytic-synthetic reasoning, hypothesis-formulation, and the highly important ability to distinguish between dogma, theories and facts. Audiovisual presentation skills are also tested.

The Open-book examination assesses the ability to identify appropriate factual knowledge from a wide variety of disciplines, to apply that knowledge to address a physiological problem, and to present opinions in a professionally written, logical manner.