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Curriculum

Objectives of the Behavioural Sciences Stream

    The general educational objectives of the Behavioural Sciences Stream (BSS) are derived from the institutional objectives of the Faculty of Medicine, Colombo. The four institutional objectives given below are particularly relevant to the BSS.

    • Work harmoniously with others as a leader/ member of a health care delivery team
    • Educate and train other individuals, health care personnel and the community towards better health
    • Develop and maintain personal characteristics and attitudes for a career as a health professional
    • Develop into a self-directed learner with the capacity to recognise the need for self-evaluation

    Based on the above mentioned educational objectives, the BSS aims to acheive certain specific learning objectives. At the end of the BSS course the student should be able to:

    • Communicate efficiently
    • Recognise factors that facilitate and inhibit effective communication
    • Recognise factors that promote and inhibit interpersonal interactions
    • Acquire the skills and attitudes for useful interpersonal interactions
    • Provide education and trainig in health related issues
    • Give effective membership and leadership to a team
    • Manage and develop delivery of health care
    • Develop as an individual and as a professional
    • Demontrate ethical behaviour during interaction with patients, colleugues and other members of health care team.



The organisation of the curriculum

The curriculum of the Behavioural Sciences Stream spans over thirteen terms of the medical curriculm, i.e- term 2 – 3  &  5 – 13 of the MBBS Course. Contact time per week is 3 hours and Contact time per term is 30 hours. The modules of the Behavioural Siences Stream are as follows;(The hand book of the relevent module can be downloaded by clicking on the link.)

Module No.
Module Name
Term
1
2
3
No BSS teaching/ Learning activities
4
2
5
6
3
7
8
4
9
10
5
11
12
6
13

Teaching/Learning Methods

The main modes of  teaching/ learning are lectures and small group discussions.
Other methods of learning;

  •          student-centred seminars
  •          project presentations
  •          demonstrations
  •          student assignments
  •          self learning activities 

Lectures: Lectures introduce students to the subject matter being focused on during BSS teaching/learning activities. These lectures also provide guidance to those interested in doing further in-depth study of the specified subject areas. Duration of lectures is usually  1 hour.

Small Group Discussions (SGDs): Small group discussions are task oriented learning activities. This is a process in which knowledge, skills and attitudes are learnt through open discussion, exchange of information, challenging of perspectives and acceptance of others’ viewpoints.

  

During SGDs:-
Students are divided into groups of 20. A learning task is given at each of the SGDs in the form of one or two activities/ problems. The relevant activities/ problems are provided to the students in a handout/ student guide.

Different learning methods are adopted during the SGDs including role plays, student generated discussions, use of evaluation questionnaires and feedback forms etc.

During the SGD students appoint a chairperson and secretary from amongst the group. The chairperson guides and facilitates the group discussion focusing on the learning tasks provided, whilst the secretary takes down notes of the discussion and summarises what was discussed on conclusion of each of the activities.

A member of the teaching staff acts as the moderator of the group. Academic staff belonging to different departments act as facilitators for the SGDs. His/her role is not to engage in teaching but to facilitate Student centred learning and provide necessary guidance for the SGD.

Student-centred Seminars/ Project Presentations: Students work in groups to prepare and present a seminar/ work on a project on a specified topic. Objectives of these activities and suggestions for reading and information gathering are provided to the students prior to the activity. Information gathering may involve observation of ward work, talking to patients, conducting a clinical audit etc.

Each group is given around 10-15 minutes for their presentation.

It is recommended that whenever possible, students use audio-visual aids to illustrate their presentation. Presentations should stimulate interest, curiosity and discussion.

Each presentation is followed by an open discussion giving opportunity to others to provide feedback to the presenter/s.

A member or a panel of academic staff facilitates the activity and provides feedback during the discussions.

Demonstrations: Students are provided with demonstrations of engaging in certain activities/ tasks by experienced resource personnel. Audio visual material has also been prepared to demonstrate the practical aspects of what is taught during lectures. It is expected that the skills/ techniques learnt at these demonstrations will act as facilitators in the student’s life as a person, student and professional.

Self study: Students are guided to self- directed learning by recommending text books and other reading material relevant to the module.

Assignments:Students are provided with the topics and guidelines for assignments. Some assignments are based on practical activities carried out by the students in the wards. Whilst adequate time is provided to complete these assignments, they should be submitted for correction on the dates specified. Late submissions are not accepted.

Formative Assessment Activities: Students are exposed to formative assessment activities by means of formative assessment examinations, self evaluation activities and peer assessment activities. These activities are conducted with the aim of providing the students with constructive feedback in assignment writing and answering examination questions.


Teaching learning activities of BSS



Assessments

Eligibility to sit examinations
Completion of course work which is reflected by 80% attendance at all student-centred activities (SGDs, Student Seminar Presentations, Assignments etc.)


 Structure of assessments during course
Assessments include three Continuous Assessments and one Final Summative Assessment.
Marks obtained at these assessments contribute towards a cumulative total obtained at the end of the BSS Course.
The final cumulative mark obtained from the BSS contributes towards 10% of the final marks obtained at the end of the MBSS Course.
Please find given in the Assessment Schedule, details of assessments including the marks that each of the assessments contribute towards the final BSS marks.

Assessment
Assessment area (modules)
Period
% of Marks
Format
Duration (hrs)
Assessment I
 Personal Development & Basic Behavioral Sciences
End of term 6
20
3 SEQ
1 1/2
Assessment II
Communication Skills & Medical Ethics
End of term 10
20
3 SEQ
1 1/2
Assessment III
Changing Behaviour & Health Management
End of term 13
20
3 SEQ
1 1/2
BSS Final Assessment
All Modules
End of course
40
5 SEQ
3

BSS Final

Repeat Assessment
All Modules
4-6 weeks after release of result of main exam
100
5 SEQ
3

 

Criteria for passing:

A minimum of 50% for the BSS Cumulative Mark should be obtained by the end of the BSS Final Assessment.
Please note that there is no cut-off mark for BSS Assessments I, II  and III.


Communicaiton skills viva: The Communicaiton skills viva held at the end of the professorial paediatrics appointment contributes to the final mark of the appointment.  Different case scenarios which are related to various components of the Behavioural Sciences are given to the students and they are marked according to an objectively structured marking scheme compiled by the staff.


Objectively Structured Clinical Examination(OSCE) : The OSCE examinations at the end of the professorial appointments of Clinical Medicine, Gynaecology and Obstetrics have BSS stations to evaluate communication skills, adherence to medical ethics etc.

                                     

Structure of the Behavioural Sciences Stream

 Term

 Behavioural Sciences Stream activity

Term 1

No BSS activity

Term 2

Personal Development module part  1

Term 3

Personal Development module part 2

Term 4

No BSS activity

Term 5

Basic Behavioural sciences part 1

Term 6

Basic Behavioural sciences part 1

  Assessment I

Term 7

Communication Skills module part 1

Term 8

Communication Skills module part 2

Term 9

Medical Ethics module part 1

Term 10

Medical Ethics module part 2

                                                            Assessment II

Term 11

Changing Behaviour module part 1

Term 12

Changing Behaviour module part 2

                                                           Assessment III

Term 13

Health Management module

                                                           Final Assessment