The musculoskeletal system of the human body is a complex and fascinating system, utilising clever lever and pulley systems and air cushioning techniques to allow us to move in the day to day. This course will cover the growth and development of the skeleton from birth right through to old age looking at how the body changes over time and frequent concerns that may arise.
This course goes into detail on the anatomy of the human skeleton and musculature to look at how our body functions when things are going well and what to look for, and how to treat, when things go wrong. Ranging from the study of how bone is formed and formulated to congenital disorders and growth factors, students will learn why orthopaedic medicine is a field all of its own and the complex systems which come into play when looking at this fascinating field of study.
The Orthopaedic Care course runs from 9:30am – 4pm for 5 consecutive days with a 1-hour break for lunch. We teach at a low student to tutor ratio (10:1) meaning that students are supervised and encouraged throughout their course.
Day 1
Morning Session: The Musculoskeletal System
Following introductions to other students and lecturers, students will have an opportunity to showcase their prior knowledge on the topic through a brainstorming session.
Students will begin their week with an overview of how the musculoskeletal system is structured. They will learn all the major bones within the body as well as looking at how we can divide bones into different sections.
Afternoon Session: Structure and the Skeletal Lifecycle
Having studied and discussed the broader topic of the musculoskeletal system as a whole, we may now zoom in and look more closely at how bone is formed within the body and the methods the body uses to create a strong but adaptable system that can grow and change based on stressors and physiological requirements imposed upon it.
Students will then learn how to perform a GALS examination, essentially a screening assessment for patients to pick up abnormalities within the skeletal system.
Day 2
Morning Session: Nutrition and Bone Structure
A study of any system within the body would not be complete without looking at the impact of diet. In this segment we will discuss how specific aspects of nutrition are utilised by the body to build and reinforce the bones of the body, what happens when the body is unable to do this due to nutritional deficiencies and how we can apply this knowledge to determine the root causes of bone disorders such as osteoporosis and fragile bones.
Afternoon Session: Preventative Nutrition and Bone Health
Having considered how nutrition applies to the formation of bone and what the body requires, we will move on to looking at what we can do to avoid these deficiencies as well as how we can ‘shore up’ our skeletal system pre-emptively and the pros and cons it can provide. Students will examine case studies of widespread nutritional deficiencies such as hypocalcaemia and how diet can be considered a serious public health issue facing today’s society, from nutritional supplementation in the water supply to public education and the complex nature of nutritional science.
From here we will move on to look at bone health and how we would go about determining it in a patient before an injury can occur. This allows us to intervene and provide medications, dietary methods or even lifestyle changes to avoid these potential injuries as best as possible.
Day 3
Morning Session: The anatomy of movement
Students will learn further detail around the anatomy of the musculoskeletal system, including how bones are held together, how joints work and their different types. The anatomy of skeletal muscle and how this contracts to create movement is then explored.
Afternoon Session: Musculoskeletal Trauma
Moving on from the morning session we will begin to discuss how injury can impact the functioning of the musculoskeletal system and how we would go about treating injuries ranging from minor to severe. We will look at different fracture patterns and how we describe or classify fractures of the bone. Students will then be able to practice plaster casting each other’s wrists, which is a commonly used skill in the A&E department as a way of immobilising a fracture.
Day 4
Morning Session: Disorders of the musculoskeletal system
Students will learn about the many different types of arthritis and how to image, investigate and treat them. They will also look at some of the common congenital bone disorders and how we treat them. Moving on from learning about different fracture types, students will learn a systematic way of reading an x-ray to identify a fracture.
Afternoon Session: X-ray test and intraosseous insertion
Students will put their knowledge of fractures and x-rays to the test by reading real life x-rays in search of fractures. There may be some normal x-rays thrown in there too! After this, students will learn about intraosseous insertion of a cannula and some of the possible side effects of this. They will then be able to practice this insertion using a real IO driver.
Day 5
Morning Session: Examinations
Students will utilise their knowledge of the MSK system to examine each other’s knees and shoulders. They will then go one step further and use an ultrasound machine to assess the shoulder and knee.
Afternoon Session: Career Discussion & Quiz Time!
We will close out the week with a discussion on careers in orthopaedic care ranging from medicine to physiotherapy and everything in-between. Students will have the opportunity to discuss with their lecturers their specific career paths and gain an insight into how to go about formulating a career plan and progressing into their desired career.
To end the day, we will have a quiz on all we have covered throughout the week with a prize for the winner!
During this 5-day course, students will learn skills beneficial for any university application including:
BioGrad is an Approved Activity Provider for the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. This course may be used as your Duke of Edinburgh Gold Residential Award, which can be signed off by the course leader on the final day.
Please provide your Duke of Edinburgh Award number on your registration form at the time of booking your course.
Students using this course for their GOLD residential must stay at Quest Aparthotel. Please note course fee does not include accommodation fee.
Accommodation MUST be paid at least 28 days in advance of course commencement.
Find out moreThe cost of this course is £999
You can reserve your place on this course with a deposit of just £249.75 if you are booking more than 28 days in advance. The remaining balance is due four weeks prior to the course start date
You can also choose to pay for this course in 6 instalments if you are booking more than 26 weeks in advance, or 12 instalments if you are booking more than 54 weeks in advance
Private accommodation is available at a special rate at 'Quest', our partnered accommodation provider.
Students attending courses for 16-19 year olds can select accommodation at the time of booking your course, the confirmation email sent after booking will contain a link for you to pay for your accommodation (at least 28 days prior to course commencement.)
Please note, accommodation is not included in the course fee. Private studio accommodation at Quest is available to BioGrad Education students at a special rate of £90/night.
See our accommodation page for more details
Science Park, Liverpool, L3 5TF
This course lasts for 5 days
9:30am - 4pm
Sorry, we don't have any of these courses planned at the moment in the next academic year.