Unit information: Infertility- Diagnosis & Management in 2021/22

Unit name	Infertility- Diagnosis & Management
Unit code	SOCSM0009
Credit points	20
Level of study	M/7
Teaching block(s)	Academic Year (weeks 1 - 52)
Unit director	Dr. Gordon
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	None
Co-requisites	None
School/department	Bristol Medical School
Faculty	Faculty of Health Sciences

Description including Unit Aims

This unit covers the causes, prevalence and investigations of infertility. This unit will provide the students with a comprehensive understanding of the primary and secondary levels of infertility diagnosis and management. It will outline the clinical and laboratory techniques that are utilised in the diagnosis of infertility. This knowledge will enable students to interpret and apply these techniques at primary and secondary level of management and treatment of fertility.

The four main aims of the unit are:

• It will provide a comprehensive coverage of the primary and secondary level of management of couples with difficulty in conceiving.
• It will provide detailed coverage of various pathologies associated with infertility in both male as well as female partners.
• It will provide detailed coverage of the diagnostic tests as well as management options available for each of the pathologies.
• It will explore, through a number of practical case studies and scenarios, the difficulties as well as dilemmas faced in day to day infertility practice.

Intended Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit, students will be able to:

• describe the investigation pathways of couples suffering from infertility.
• identify the common pathologies associated with infertility like anovulation, endometriosis, tubal problems, unexplained and male infertility.
• recognise the contribution of related disciplines such as cytogenetics, ultrasound and counseling in infertility.
• evaluate the routine laboratory techniques and clinical procedures used to investigate cases of infertility.
• formulate a treatment pathway including the investigations and likely management in a case of infertility.

Teaching Information

• Lectures/Seminars
• Synchronous discussion sessions
• Self-directed study
• Peer-to-peer learning (group work/presentations)
• Asynchronous discussion forums

Assessment Information

• Coursework (contributing a total of 60% to the Unit)

Essay (1 x 1500 words) 30%

Practical Log Book (1 x task) 10%

Peer assessed problem-based case studies seminar contributing 20% to Unit.

• End of Unit assessment (contributing a total of 40% to the Unit)

• A timed, open book end of unit written assessment

Resources

If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.

If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. SOCSM0009).

How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks, independent learning and assessment activity.

See the Faculty workload statement relating to this unit for more information.

Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit. The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. If you have self-certificated your absence from an assessment, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (this is usually in the next assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any extenuating circumstances and operates within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.