ASSESSMENT TASK-Research leading to diagnostic methods used on Lassa fever diagnosis
Your fundamental task is to outline how scientific advances have resulted in current medical Science laboratory practices. Each student will select a particular topic and has to be approved by the unit coordinator (My approved topic is LASSA FEVER)
This task is directly relevant to the profession of medical science, as it required to address how Research has led to medical science laboratory methods that directly indicate treatment for individual patients. There is no easy way to do this task, as you will see from the following points:
- If you simply describe a disease and its diagnosis and perhaps treatment, you have completely missed the point of this task. You are required to outline the research that has led to current medical science laboratory techniques relevant to your topic.
- It is completely impossible to carry out this task without coming to grips with the primary research literature in a substantial manner. You will have to use Pubmed extensively to search the literature, and develop the skills to determine the relevance, read and understand high level complex research papers. If there are concepts and/or terminology that you do not understand in a paper that you are trying to read, then your first stop is Google, as you educate yourself. I expect you to spend many veryhard hours grappling with very advanced research material in this manner.
- What your assignment needs to cover are the following (and it is strongly suggested that these are used as headings)
The clinical need: The only reason for a procedure to be performed in a medical science laboratory is to inform the treatment of individual patients. You need to outline how the methods you are discussing inform individual patient treatment.
Recent technological advances that have led to improvements in meeting the clinical need:
This is the "core" of your assignment, where you discuss critical research advances that have resulted in the current methods used in medical science laboratories relevant to your topic. The research can encompass progress in understanding the disease, or methods development. Many of you might want to include both.
The current state of the art: This is where you summarise current practice in medical science laboratories, relevant to your topic. This must be a smooth segue from the previous topic
Possible future developments: This is where you project future changes to medical science laboratory practices relevant to your topic
Value: 20%
Length: 2500-3000 word written work, based on primary research literature, please don't use reviewed literature. It is anticipated that the bibliography will contain.
Number of references: 25 references, mainly of primary research papers. There will be a maximum of 5 figures.