Programme Outline

This programme develops professional skills including leadership and governance skills along with critical appraisal of evidence as applicable to clinical practice applicable to paediatric healthcare. Research skills as applicable to a wide range of paediatric problems in clinical and epidemiological settings in low- and middle-income settings will be developed including the ethical considerations both in clinical and research practice. Emphasis is given to the scientific and empiric evidence for diagnosis, management and control of the most prevalent diseases in low- and middle-income settings, with particular reference to high burden diseases such as tuberculosis, HIV and malaria, from a public health and clinical perspective. It aims to provide students with knowledge, skills and understanding needed to enable them to contribute to strengthening health systems in support of child health, facilitating the implementation and scale up of good clinical practice, and raising awareness amongst public, fellow professionals and politicians of the need for more effective use of knowledge and tools to impact on various health indicators. Where relevant, various vulnerable groups in society will be discussed in the context of specific medical problems in low- and middle-income settings. Teaching methods will include interactive lectures, case based learning and small group work as well as simulation scenarios.

Following the taught programme, participants will complete a project/dissertation, choosing from a range of options according to the individual interests including a period of applied research, a systematic review, a quality improvement project or a clinical placement, either overseas or in Liverpool. Projects should be discussed early in the course and indeed pre-course for students with specific ideas in mind, to facilitate the appropriate pathway though the programme.

This clinical MSc will have an emphasis on the infectious diseases’ aspects in low- and middle-income settings along with relevant non-infectious clinical problems in the paediatric setting. The course will commence with core teaching on the Evidence application for clinical practice, looking at study design and critical appraisal to then apply that knowledge in practice, the other 2 modules in the 1^st semester will be Essentials of Tropical Medicine module and a Leadership and education principles in clinical practice module which will be valuable, and a novel module, designed to equip health care professionals to lead the wider health care team in various areas of clinical practice and how to apply education principles and training to day-to-day clinical work including how to design training programmes and ensure clinical evidence is applied in practice. These generic modules applicable to both adult and paediatric care, will have examples and scenarios in both settings for students on both courses.