Unit information: Aneurysm, Peripheral Vascular Disease & Stroke in 2020/21

Unit name	Aneurysm, Peripheral Vascular Disease & Stroke
Unit code	BRMSM0035
Credit points	20
Level of study	M/7
Teaching block(s)	Academic Year (weeks 1 - 52)
Unit director	Professor. Smith
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	None
Co-requisites	None
School/department	Bristol Medical School
Faculty	Faculty of Health Sciences

Description including Unit Aims

This unit will introduce students to both clinical and translational aspects of peripheral vascular disease (PVD), aneurysms, and stroke. Students will gain an understanding of clinical aspects of these disease processes, including an appreciation of patient screening principles, patient assessment and relevant clinical investigations and diagnostic strategies while an overview of the pathobiology of PVD, aneurysms and stroke will be given. Moreover, the genomics, epidemiology, clinical presentation and complications of PVD, aneurysms and stroke will be described. The roles of different medical treatments will be outlined and an overview of medical management and therapeutic (radiological and surgical) interventions will be given. Finally, relevant key clinical trials and pre-clinical models and the rationale for their use will be discussed aiming to give the students an insight into areas of development of translational research and emerging therapeutic strategies and technologies (including the use of stem cells, novel clinical pharmacology approaches, micro-RNAs and gene therapy).

Intended Learning Outcomes

Students successfully completing this module will be able to:

• Discuss the presentation, investigation & management of peripheral vein disease (PVD), aortic aneurysms and stroke.
• Understand the vascular biological aspects and the epidemiology of PVD, aortic aneurysms and stroke.
• Recognize current translational research strategies relating to PVD, aortic aneurysms and stroke.

Teaching Information

• Web-based lectures, tutorials and practical demonstrations (in PowerPoint with audio format)
• Online discussion forum(s)
• Self-directed study
• Hands-on practical workshops held in Bristol.

Assessment Information

Coursework (contributing a total of 60% to the unit) consisting of:

• 4 sets of multiple choice questions (MCQs) of a simple format (select the best answer from 4 or 5 options), contributing 10% to the unit,
• 1 essay (1500 words), contributing 25% to the unit.
• 1 short answers (750 words), contributing 12.5% to the unit.
• Poster presentation of a unit relevant journal paper, contributing 12.5% to the unit.

Please note that students will be given formative feedback on all coursework assessment.

Written exam (contributing a total of 40% to the unit and taken in Bristol) consisting of:

• Essay paper, contributing 40% to the unit.

Reading and References

Relevant selected recent articles and chapters from (among others) the following publication: Comprehensive Vascular and Endovascular Surgery. 2nd Edition. Eds Hallett JW, Mills JL, Earnshaw JJ and Reekers JA. Mosby (Elsevier) 2009.