Family Medicine

Aim of the module
To develop an in-depth understanding of the global epidemiology of disease and the importance of preventative care and health promotion in family medicine.

Synopsis of module content

• The principles of prevention
• Health promotion
• Screening
• Primary and secondary preventative strategies of chronic disease
• Vaccinations

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

1. Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the eipidemiology of disease globally, health promotion measure, and screening and immunisations as part of disease preventative strategies.
2. Critically apply an in-depth knowledge of health promotion strategies into their practices as a family physician.

Aim of the module:
To develop an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the common presentations associated with women's health and sexual health, in the context of Family Medicine.

Synopsis of module content:

• Common gynaecological presentations including menstral disorders
• Menopause-related conditions
• Common disorders in pregnancy
• Sexual health presentation (male and female) including STIs
• Contraception
• Infertility

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

1. Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of a range of common primary care presentations in women's health and sexual health.
2. Critically apply an in-depth knowledge of diagnosis and treatment into their practice as a family physician.

Aim of the module
To develop an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the common presentations associated with child health, in the context of Family Medicine.

Synopsis of module content:

• The febrile child
• Childhood respiratory diseases and abdominal diseases
• Childhood rashes
• Behavioural problems
• Childhood emergencies

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

1. Demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of a range of common primary care presentations and the recognition of emergencies in child health.
2. Critically apply an in-depth knowledge of diagnosis and treatment into their practice as a family physician.

Module Aim

• To develop an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the common presentations in adulthood, in the context of Family Medicine.

Synopsis of module content:

• This module will cover a range of common presentations of common disorders in adulthood that may present to the family physician in primary care. This will include disorders of the main systems of the body and include some common emergencies seen in adult medicine.

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

1. Demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of a range of common primary care presentations and the recognition of emergencies in adult medicine.
2. Critically apply an in-depth knowledge of diagnosis and treatment into their
   practice as a family physician.

Aims of the module:

• To develop an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the common mental health presentations, in the context of Family Medicine.
• To develop an understanding of some of the psychological interventions in primary care.

Synopsis of the module content:
This module will provide an overview of the diagnosis and treatment of a range
of common mental health presentations that may present to the family physician.
This will include:

• low mood
• delirium and dementia
• eating disorders
• schizoaffective disorders

This module will also cover an overview of some of the methods to promote well
being and psychological interventions in primary care.

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

1. Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of a range of common primary care presentations in mental health.
2. Critically evaluate a variety of methods used to promote well being and psychological interventions available to family physicians.
3. Critically apply an in-depth knowledge of diagnosis and treatment into their
   practice as a family physician.

Aims of the module:

• To develop an in-depth knowledge and improve recognition of the symptoms presenting to the family physician, that may indicate a possible cancer diagnosis.
• To improve the understanding of palliative care including the treatment of symptoms as well as legal issues and the role of the multidisciplinary team in palliative care.

Synopsis of module content:

• An overview of the diagnosis and treatment of various cancers that
  may present to the family physician.
• Recognition of red flag symptoms for different malignancies that should alert urgent referral to secondary care for further investigations.
• Palliative care including the treatment of palliative care symptoms, legal
  issues and the role of the multidisciplinary team.

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

1. Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of symptoms presenting
   to the family physician which may indicate a possible cancer diagnosis and
   improve recognition of these symptoms.
2. Demonstrate a critical knowledge, understanding and evaluation of palliative care including the treatment of associated symptoms, related legal issues and the important role of the multidisciplinary team.
3. Critically apply knowledge of cancer diagnosis, treatment and palliative care
   into their practice as a family physician.

To prepare students for an independent research-based project by developing skills in selecting, appraising, discriminating, using evidence and appropriate research/investigative methods to address relevant topics for investigation. The professional project module provides students with an opportunity to complete an important, substantial and potentially publishable study of their own choosing.

Module outlines
This module will start by focussing on research methods using the Academic Forum. Students will learn about research methodologies and critical appraisal over a period of 8-weeks.

• Quantitative Studies
• Statistical Analysis Interpretation
• Interpreting the Evidence
• Meta-analysis and Systematic Reviews
• Qualitative Studies
• Evidence Appraisal: Interpreting, Weighing and Synthesising the Evidence
• Audit, Governance and Quality Improvement, Health Economics
• Preparing a Research Proposal: Research Committees, Consent, Ethics, Probity and Literature Review

Following the research methods, students will submit a professional project proposal for their chosen topic, this includes a proposal form and ethics application. Students are given a 4-week period after the research methods to complete this.

Students will then create a piece of work based upon a specific subject-related project relevant to the student’s practice. The students will have a further 24-weeks to complete this. This project may comprise:

• Systematic literature review and appraisal of the evidence
• Audit of non-patient data/organisational audit
• Review and implementation of evidence-based practice
• Literature review and qualitative or quantitative research proposal
• Case(s)-based and quality of service review with critical appraisal
• Case report, review of literature and organisational assessment
• Secondary data analysis

As each Medical Council has their own rules/regulations with regard to Postgraduate study we recommend that you contact your local Medical Council with regard to recognition.

Upon completion of the course the University would invite you to a graduation ceremony and provide your certificate which makes no reference to the fact that the course was studied online and is therefore typically recognised the same as any other UK University qualification.

Rest assured, the overall Postgraduate Diploma carries a total of 1,200 CPD points, with the MSc an additional 600 CPD points, and all official certifications are issued directly by the University.

When you study one of our programmes you may be surprised to find that there are no lectures or seminars. Your learning will be self-directed meaning that rather than being told information you find it for yourself (with tutor guidance and support). We do this via a series of clinically rich scenarios which your tutor will post on our academic forum which you and your classmates will research, respond to and discuss.

You will be assessed through the Academic Forum, Reflective Journal and Assignments. Learning will be carried out using our online learning platform: Moodle.

You can study whenever and wherever you want - our programmes are totally flexible to fit around your other work and life commitments.

The course is specifically designed so that part of your study is the application of theory to practice in your day job.

We typically suggest that students aim to log into the Moodle platform daily. We recommend a "little and often" approach for reading, reflection and/or posting. High achieving students will typically spend 1-2 hours dedicated to their studies a day; 10 hours per week is sufficient time to spend on the platform.

Those who cannot dedicate more time than once/twice per week may struggle with the demands of this postgraduate programme.

Yes, everything is done entirely online through our learning platform, Moodle. You do not need to attend the University.

All of our courses are delivered in English, so proficiency in the English language is essential for success. If English is not your first language, we require proof of competency as part of your application. We accept the following as proof of English Language skills:

We Accept a Range of English Language Qualifications
While IELTS and TOEFL are among the most commonly used English tests, we understand that students come from diverse backgrounds — and we’re happy to work with you to accept a wide range of other recognised English language qualifications.

We accept IELTS (International English Language Testing System)
Our most commonly accepted test, IELTS is globally recognised and widely used for university admissions.

We accept TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language)
Another widely accepted test, TOEFL assesses your reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills in an academic setting.

We accept English Medium of Instruction (EMI) Letters
Many of our international students provide an EMI (English Medium Instruction) letter from their previous institution. This letter should confirm that you were taught in the medium of English. It is a popular and widely accepted form of proof, especially if you have completed prior academic studies in English.

Our University partners Requirements
The University of South Wales accepts an overall score of 6.0 (minimum of 5.5 for each band) and The University of Buckingham accepts an overall score of 6.5 (minimum of 6.0 for each band).

Our Flexible Instalment Plan is designed to offer ultimate flexibility to pay for your programme. You have the choice of two payment options:

Make an Upfront Payment in Full: For those who prefer to settle their fees upfront, you can pay the full amount at the beginning of your programme.

Interest-Free Payments: Alternatively, you can choose to spread your payments out with interest-free instalments every month for the duration of your course.

These options are separate from our existing lending partners, which you can explore further on our programme pages. We believe that education should be accessible to all, and our Flexible Instalment Plan is just one of the ways we are committed to supporting you in your academic journey.

We currently offer two discounts: the Early Bird Discount and the Action Taker Discount. The Early Bird discount allows you to save up to £500 or more, available only to self-funders and is a limited-time offer that runs for the entirety of November for the March cohort or the entirety of May for the September cohort. Our Action Taker Discount allows you to save up to £150 off for PGCert and £250 off for PGDip/2-year MSc programmes. To qualify for Action Takers, you must pay the deposit within 7 days of acceptance.

For Early Bird Discounts, the discount is visible if your application and acceptance are completed within the required timeframe. For Action Taker Discounts, it will reflect once conditions are met.

An MSc in Family Medicine is a Level 7 postgraduate master’s qualification providing advanced academic study of subjects relevant to Family Medicine and primary care alongside master’s-level research. Learna’s MSc in Family Medicine is a 180-credit qualification validated by the University of Buckingham and completed online and part-time over two years.

The MSc may be relevant to GPs and general practitioners who want to undertake postgraduate academic study across Family Medicine and primary care while developing their knowledge of evidence-based medicine, critical appraisal, and research. It is an academic postgraduate qualification and does not replace professional GP training or accreditation.

The online format may make the MSc particularly suitable for international doctors seeking postgraduate Family Medicine education without relocating to the UK. Because professional titles, training pathways, and requirements differ between countries, the MSc should be considered an academic postgraduate qualification rather than professional accreditation to practise as a family physician or GP.