PG Cert Bone Densitometry Reporting

Start date: September and January

Course length: part time:15 months.

Campus: Kedleston Road site, Derby Campus

Faculty: Education, Health and Science

School: School of Health and Social Care

This course is awarded as part of our MSc in Advanced Practice course. This means you may either complete your studies at the Postgraduate Certificate level in Bone Densitometry Reporting or continue your studies to Masters level and gain either the Postgraduate Diploma or MSc in Advanced Practice.

You'll have the chance to study with people from different professions, which will improve your understanding of osteoporosis and bone densitometry reporting across a wide spectrum within healthcare. You'll also develop the skills you need to work at an advanced practice level, recognising areas for change and improvement that will enhance your practice.

It's important that you have the support of an appropriate mentor in your workplace before you start this course, as your mentor and our tutors will support you to produce diagnostic reports that will inform the management and care of your patients.

You'll attend a minimum of four study days at the University where you'll hear from keynote speakers, get involved in case study discussions and take part in scan viewing sessions.

Throughout this course you'll develop a portfolio of 100 reports, which have been independently reported on and include comments on technical aspects of the image as well as treatment recommendations. You'll also include an audit of your reports compared with those of a trained practitioner.

Your final optional module can reflect an area of particular interest to you personally and professionally, so it might be directly related to bone densitometry reporting or it could be a more generic module from the MSc in Advanced Practice course.

You’ll study this module:

DXA Reporting for Clinicians (40 credits)

After completing this double module you’ll be able to understand the role of DXA within the management of fracture risk. You will also improve your patient management skills and your ability to influence activity in the field.

And you’ll choose one 20 credit optional module from the MSc Advanced Practice course.

Please contact us for details of the fees for this course.

How you'll learn

You'll attend a minimum of four study days which will support your learning, provide keynote lectures, case study discussions in small groups, and viewing of scan sessions. These interactive study days are an integral part of this course.

How you're assessed

Following the study days, you'll develop a reflective portfolio of 100 cases, where you have independently reported on BMD results and commented on normal variants, artefacts and appearances in the image. You'll need to include a broad range of examples that reflect the diversity of your patient populations. 20 of your reports will need to include detailed reflective practice. Your report should include treatment recommendations  to agreed local protocols, which you'll need to include in your portfolio. You must present an audit of your reports compared with those of a trained practitioner. Your portfolio will need to be signed off by the trained practitioner who is your mentor in practice. You must ensure you have the support of a suitably appropriate mentor prior to admission on to the programme. There will also be an exam.

During this course you'll develop your understanding of osteoporosis and the role of DXA within the management of fracture risk. You will enhance your practice by using a systematic approach in both your theoretical appraisal of research as well as reporting bone mass density results. Your patient management skills will improve and you will have the abillity to implement further activities within the field of fracture management and DXA reporting.

When you've completed this course you'll be able to confidently establish standards of practice in your workplace. When working with your mentor and the academic team within the university you will be guided to produce diagnostic reports on the management and care of your patients.