Postgraduate Certificate Musculoskeletal Practice (First Contact Practice)

• Duration: 8 months (Full Time) or 12 months (Part Time)*
• Delivery: Face to face
• Start Date: October/February/April

Course Aim:

This programme has been designed with partners in clinical practice to further develop healthcare professional's expert Musculoskeletal (MSK) knowledge and skills.

Students will learn to improve the translation of evidence into practice, promote critical thinking and advanced clinical reasoning whilst adapting to different environments and considering the needs of diverse populations and communities. Students will develop specialist skills to enable them to deliver safe, effective, person-centred care to people presenting with complex MSK conditions.

In addition, students will develop knowledge and skills in education, leadership and research and consider application in a clinical and organisational context.

This First Contact Practitioner course is recognised by The Centre for Advancing Practice as meeting the FCP Roadmap Stage 1 and 2 requirements and evidence of successful completion meets current requirements for First Contact Practice.

Research Methods and Quality Improvement

• Duration: 3 months (8 delivery days)
• Delivery: 8 days face to face
• Start Date: October 2024

Course Aim: To deliver advanced theoretical and practical knowledge and research and quality improvement understanding within a specialist discipline of Musculoskeletal (MSK) Health, Sport and Exercise Science.

This 20 credit UK Level 7 module will support students to develop a Master's level of understanding of research. They will develop expert skills in literature searching to identify evidence within their specialist area and comprehensive critical evaluation skills in qualitative and quantitative research. Students will consider where there are gaps in the available evidence in order to identify areas to develop their own research. They will also consider the challenge of translating evidence into practice within MSK services and consider the importance of audit, service and quality improvement in order to bridge this gap and ensure evidence informed practice can lead change within organisations to enhance patient care.

Advancing Skills in Musculoskeletal (MSK) Practice (First Contact Practitioner)

• Duration: 3 months (8 delivery days)
• Delivery: 8 days face to face
• Start Date: October 2024

Course Aim: To develop advanced clinical reasoning skills in the assessment and management of complex, undifferentiated and undiagnosed conditions in MSK practice.

During this 20 credit UK Level 7 module students will develop advanced clinical reasoning skills in the assessment and management of complex, undifferentiated and undiagnosed conditions in MSK practice. There will be a focus on evidence-based decision making in diagnosis and managing risk, including radiology, blood tests, neurophysiology, clinical examination of multiple systems and pharmacology. Students will enhance their skills in communication, behaviour change and exercise prescription in the context of person centred care in a variety of clinical settings and consider how health inequalities and population health can influence decision making. Students will be introduced to concepts and theories of leadership and education and consider their role as leaders and educators within an organisation.

This First Contact Practitioner course is recognised by The Centre for Advancing Practice as meeting the FCP Roadmap Stage 1 and 2 requirements and evidence of successful completion meets current requirements for First Contact Practice.

Population Health and Physical Activity

• Duration: 3 months (8 delivery days)
• Delivery: 8 days face to face
• Start Date: February 2025

Course Aim: To develop knowledge, understanding and practical applied skills of activity and exercise prescription to improve the physical and mental health and wellbeing of individuals and communities with a variety of health needs.

This 20 credit UK Level 7 module addresses population health and the social, psychological, environmental, cultural and economic determinants of health and health inequalities. Students will critically evaluate how these factors influence decision making in the context of person centred and individualised care. Students will explore the principles of physical activity and exercise prescription within varied populations, with a focus on both mental and physical health and wellbeing.

Theoretical principles and models of behavioural psychology will be discussed and applied within the current physical activity prescription guidelines to demonstrate how goals can be achieved for groups and individuals from a range of populations. The application of physical activity prescription will be further supported by exploring the principles of nutrition and complemented by reviewing aspects of rehabilitation and injury prevention. Students will apply this learning to Musculoskeletal (MSK) practice in order to improve the physical and mental health and wellbeing of individuals and populations.

The Spine and Lower Limb: Developing advanced assessment and management skills

• Duration: 3 months (9 delivery days)
• Delivery: 9 days face to face
• Start Date: February 2025

Course Aim: To develop expert clinical reasoning skills in the assessment and management of Musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions relating to the spine and lower limb.

This clinically focussed 20 credit UK Level 7 module focuses on the lumbar spine and pelvis, hip, knee, foot and ankle. Students will develop expert clinical reasoning skills in the holistic assessment and management of MSK conditions considering the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) classification and person-centred, individualised care. Students will critically explore the evidence base and apply to practise using a problem based learning approach. Students will work with clinical experts to consider the application of learning to different clinical settings such as rehabilitation, first contact practice and advanced practice.

Students will apply advancing knowledge of MSK practice to support complex decision making in uncertain and undifferentiated conditions, managing risk and integrating advanced communication skills and behaviour change interventions into practice. Students will consider their role as a leader within an organisation and apply their theoretical learning to developing their leadership skills to promote the translation of evidence to practise to enhance multi-disciplinary patient care.

Biomechanical Techniques in Human Health and Performance

• Duration: 3 months (8 delivery days)
• Delivery: 8 days face to face
• Start Date: April 2025

Course Aim: To develop practical and analytical skills in biomechanical techniques and apply to clinical and community settings.

This 20 credit UK Level 7 module focuses on the expert application of biomechanical techniques. Students will learn theoretical principles and practical application of evaluative techniques such as force plates, electromyography (EMG) and motion capture. Students will learn to analyse this information and interpret data to enable them to integrate expertise into a rehabilitation plan including biofeedback, exercise and orthotic prescription. There will be focus on lower and upper limb musculoskeletal assessments in clinical and laboratory settings.

The Spine and Upper Limb: Developing Advanced Assessment and Management Skills

• Duration: 3 months (9 delivery days)
• Delivery: 9 days face to face
• Start Date: April 2025

Course Aim: To develop expert clinical reasoning skills in the assessment and management of Musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions relating to the spine and upper limb.

This clinically focussed 20 credit UK Level 7 module focuses on the cervical and thoracic spine, shoulder, elbow, wrist and hand. Students will develop expert clinical reasoning skills in the holistic assessment and management of MSK conditions considering the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) classification and person-centred, individualised care. Students will critically explore the evidence base and apply to practise using a problem based learning approach. Students will work with clinical experts to consider the application of learning to different clinical settings such as rehabilitation, first contact practice and advanced practice.

Students will apply advancing knowledge of MSK practice to support complex decision making in uncertain and undifferentiated conditions, managing risk and integrating advanced communication skills and behaviour change interventions into practice. Students will consider their role as a leader within an organisation and apply their theoretical learning to developing their leadership skills to promote the translation of evidence to practise to enhance multi-disciplinary patient care.