Module: Clinical Reasoning in Practice

Latest Module Specifications

Current Academic Year 2025 - 2026

Module Title	Clinical Reasoning in Practice
Module Code	TRE1002 (ITS: SS320)
Faculty	Health & Human Performance	School	Science & Health
NFQ level	8	Credit Rating	5

Description

This module involves placing the student with a team and also in the Student Led Clinic. In addition, the student will take part in Journal Club. The module aims to teach the student 1. How to carry out a complete patient assessment (subjective and objective) in a timely manner with evidence-based clinical reasoning strategies, 2. How to prepare, deliver (in a concise and coherent manner) and discuss case presentations immediately after the patient consultation, 3. How to plan and progress sport-specific injury treatments and rehabilitation, 4. How to maintain and organise clinical notes.

Learning Outcomes

1. Perform a full clinical assessment of an injured patient in a timely manner
2. Perform and discuss an oral presentation of a clinical case, demonstrating a good ability to clinically reason through potential diagnoses and injury management plans
3. Perform an individual journal club presentation based on a research article of interest, and critique the journal club articles of peers to inform class discussions around evidence based practice following journal club presentations
4. Act as the lead student Athletic Therapist for his/her designated team, communicating effectively between athletes, management and year 2 ATT students
5. Produce documentation and clinical notes to the appropriate standard required in clinical practice

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full time hours per semester
Seminars	12	Journal Club
Professional Practice	36	Team Placement
Clinical laboratory	24	Student Led Clinic
Independent Study	53	No Description
Total Workload: 125

Section Breakdown
CRN	21066	Part of Term	Semester 2
Coursework	0%	Examination Weight	0%
Grade Scale	40PASS	Pass Both Elements	Y
Resit Category	RC1	Best Mark	N
Module Co-ordinator	Martin Sweeney	Module Teacher	Aoife Burke

Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Assessment Breakdown
Performance evaluation	Clinical exam based on a major case and also a viva element based on clinical scenarios, that are different from the major case material	50%	n/a
Report(s)	Duty and injury documentation completed at team placements	20%	n/a
Participation	Student Led Clinic attendance and performance, assessed by tutor with no formal exam	20%	n/a
Participation	Perform journal club presentation. Attend, read and engage with class discussions of peer presentations	10%	Once per semester

Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories; RC1: A resit is available for both^* components of the module. RC2: No resit is available for a 100% coursework module. RC3: No resit is available for the coursework component where there is a coursework and summative examination element. ^* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a coursework/summative examination split; where the module is 100% coursework, there will also be a resit of the assessment

Pre-requisite	None
Co-requisite	None
Compatibles	None
Incompatibles	None

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Student Led Clinic
Attend, learn and engage in weekly assigned Student Led Clinic. Support fellow students from year 2 in the learning process.

Team Placement
Attend and lead assigned team placements and collaborate with fellow students from year 2 of the programme. Complete all required documentation.

Journal Club
Select a research article of interest to critically appraise and present. Read and critique the articles of fellow classmates and engage in class discussions around evidence based practices.

Consultation Skills
Lead a full subjective and objective major clinical assessment independently. Provide evidence based rationale for differential diagnoses discussions, including the clinical reasoning or an injury management care plan.

Indicative Reading List

Books:

Chad Starkey, Jeffrey L. Ryan: 2002, Evaluation of orthopedic and athletic injuries, F.A. Davis Co., Philadelphia, PA, 978-0-8036-0791-0
Peter Brukner and Karim Khan: 2002, Clinical sports medicine, 2nd, 0-074-71108-3

Articles:
None

Other Resources

None