Postgraduate Diploma Acute Medicine and Urgent Care

The Postgraduate Diploma Acute Medicine and Urgent Care programme is designed specifically for clinicians to build on their existing knowledge, skills and experience and develop mastery in the clinical and service aspects of Acute Medicine.

Our Diploma programmes benefit greatly from the diversity of our international participants and our world-class experts who design and facilitate our programmes.

Learn at one of the UK’s premier medical learning institutes and become alumni of The University of Plymouth.
Blended learning with flexible, online study. Please note, currently, due to Covid-19, our course is 100% online.

3 good reasons to study the Postgraduate Diploma in Acute Medicine and Urgent Care:

Our course equips you with the necessary theory and skills to develop mastery in the clinical and service aspects of Acute Medicine and Urgent Care
You’ll have greater confidence and knowledge to better manage your patients. You’ll also be further recognised and appreciated by clinical colleagues, as having a special interest and skill set in Acute Medicine and Urgent Care
You’ll have the opportunity to meet other doctors and medical staff on the course – from the UK and worldwide – building your international network

The Postgraduate Diploma Acute Medicine and Urgent Care programme is designed specifically for clinicians to build on their existing knowledge, skills and experience and develop mastery in the clinical and service aspects of Acute Medicine.

Our Diploma programmes benefit greatly from the diversity of our international participants and our world-class experts who design and facilitate our programmes.

Learn at one of the UK’s premier medical learning institutes and become alumni of The University of Plymouth.
Blended learning with flexible, online study. Please note, currently, due to Covid-19, our course is 100% online.

3 good reasons to study the Postgraduate Diploma in Acute Medicine and Urgent Care:

Our course equips you with the necessary theory and skills to develop mastery in the clinical and service aspects of Acute Medicine and Urgent Care
You’ll have greater confidence and knowledge to better manage your patients. You’ll also be further recognised and appreciated by clinical colleagues, as having a special interest and skill set in Acute Medicine and Urgent Care
You’ll have the opportunity to meet other doctors and medical staff on the course – from the UK and worldwide – building your international network

We welcome applications from healthcare practitioners around the world. The course is accessed online, so you must have access to a computer and the internet.

The formal entry requirements are:

Possession of an MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery)*
A satisfactory reference from a senior health care practitioner or line manager with knowledge of your work and experience
If your first language is not English, you must be able to demonstrate oral and written fluency in English. Working or studying in an English-speaking environment will usually be sufficient to demonstrate acceptable competence

Please note, we do not offer any scholarships or financial assistance.
*Applications are considered from candidates who do not meet the formal entry requirements but can provide evidence of equivalence. For example, a medical degree from a World Health Organization recognised institution.

We have over 25 years of experience in healthcare education. Each year, we carefully evolve our programme to bring you the latest expertise and best possible learning environment:

Gain a UK Higher Education Institution Accredited Diploma
Study in your own time at your own pace (in whatever time-zone you live)
Continue to live in your own country/location without disrupting family life
Continue to pursue your existing career, without a break

Programme Outline
Our programme has been designed specifically for Primary Care Physicians and other healthcare professionals working in Acute Medicine or Urgent Care, to gain experience in the management of clinical and service aspects of Acute Medicine and Urgent Care. Our programme is learning experience is tailored to suit your individual preferences. The diploma requires you to complete 3 modules:

Module 1: Core generic knowledge & skills
Module 2: Advances in Acute Medicine and Urgent Care
Module 3: Clinical Practice in Acute Medicine and Urgent Care

You’ll be expected to participate in online clinical activity.

We pride ourself on offering market-leading learning experiences for medical practitioners. Our experienced team of top experts have carefully developed our programme to deliver the best possible learning outcomes for you. There are 3 modules:

Module 1: Core generic knowledge & skills

Determinants of health
Lifestyle factors in health
Identification of risk factors
Nutrition and health
Breaking bad news.

Module 2: Advances in Acute Medicine and Urgent Care
Topics include:

ALS, ATLS, PLS, child protection, medicolegal issues, general approach to emergencies, abdominal disorders ABCD emergency symptoms, gastroenteritis, dangerous diagnoses, alcohol-related pathology, urgent mental health, diabetes, the chest wall, back pain, chest pain, wrist injuries, difficulty breathing, hand injuries, asthma, elbow injuries, bradycardia, shoulder pathology, falls in the elderly, seizures, spinal trauma, non-traumatic eye disorders, PV bleeding, traumatic eye disorders, upper GI bleed, burns, skin lacerations, ankle injuries, skin disorders, knee pathology, throat disorders, hip pathology, bites & stings, monoarthropathies, genitourinary emergencies, facial & dental injuries, haematological emergencies

Module 3: Clinical Practice in Acute Medicine and Urgent Care
Here we cover clinical skills related to advanced life support (ALS), advanced trauma life support (ATLS), paediatric life support (PLS), cardioversion – chemical and electrical, key ECG interpretation, peak flow measurement and interpretation, management of non-traumatic pneumothorax, venous cannulation +/- ultrasound guidance, arterial blood gas sampling, fluorescein staining with the slit-lamp examination, removal of foreign bodies – using needle tip or cotton wool bud, administering local anaesthetic, wound assessment and management, basic procedural sedation with airway management, prepare and administer non-invasive ventilator support, understand the difference between BiPAP and CPAP and their respective values, the optiflow nasal cannula and more.

These are presented as a series of specially selected key video clips to enable you to understand the procedure and the steps required. We don’t assess clinical skill competency and strongly advise you to access hands-on clinical sessions with a local clinical specialist following the programme.

Duration

The Postgraduate Diploma runs over 1 academic year (9 to 12 months). For exact course dates please check our website here.

Delivery Method

Our courses are online with a 1-day introductory workshop and ½ day exam at the end.

Ranking

The University of Plymouth’s medical school has a high score of 96/100 and 100% employment for graduates six months from graduation (Complete University Guide 2019). It also has the top dental school in England – outside of London – scoring of 94/100, including a value-added score of 8/10 (The Guardian University Guide 2018).

Tuition Fees

Please check our current fees here. This fee includes everything (online access, course material, webinars, exam fees), except for graduation ceremony fees, which are separate.

Accreditation and Recognition

On completion of our programme, you’ll receive a diploma from The University of Plymouth. It’s an internationally recognised academic qualification. The University of Plymouth has been committed to excellence since its foundation in 1862. It received its University title, and degree awarding powers, from His Majesty’s Most Honourable Privy Council. It’s fully recognised by the British Government and listed on the UK’s Department for Business, Innovation and Skills list of recognised UK awarding institutions.