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Postgraduate Diploma in Diabetes

The Postgraduate Diploma in Diabetes from the University of Glamorgan is designed to be very practical and clinically focussed. The online course aims to help the student to become an important advocate in the delivery of care to people with diabetes. On completion of the diploma, students have:

  • a greater understanding of the multi-disciplinary approach to the care of people with diabetes.
  • experience of developing local guidelines, patient information literature or care pathways which will be part of their individual and group activities.
  • a greater confidence and understanding of the management of people with diabetes through case studies and discussion.
  • improved critical analysis of published data and data interpretation.

Modules

The postgraduate diploma course is based on the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) Curriculum for diabetes health professional education. The online course lasts one calendar year and is a part time distance learning course, with 6 modules per year, each of 6 weeks duration.

  • Module 1 - Principles of diabetes
  • Module 2 - Approaches to care
  • Module 3 - Promoting self care
  • Module 4 - Management of diabetes
  • Module 5 - Complications (microvascular)
  • Module 6 - Complications (macrovascular)

Teaching methods

Teaching begins with 2 days of introductory lectures. Students may attend these lectures in either UK (Glyntaff campus, Uni Glam ) or South Africa (CDE Johannesburg ). This allows the students to meet with the tutors and their peers with whom they will become more familiar over the duration of the online course. Tutors introduce both the module content and the online learning environment to students.

For the continuing online course, candidates are split into groups of 10-15 students. Each group is supervised by a tutor who facilitates the group, monitors and assesses each student throughout the module. Students are assessed across the following components of the module:

  • Clinical case scenarios with case based discussion
  • Individual learning portfolio
  • Group/individual activity
  • Case based Examination

More about the modules:

Module 1 - Principles of diabetes

Syllabus relating to diagnosis, classification, epidemiology and the metabolic syndrome.

  • To understand the methods of diagnosing patients with diabetes and their implementation in clinical practice. Terminology such as impaired fasting glucose and impaired glucose tolerance.
  • The classification of diabetes including LADA, MODY, Type 1, Type 2, secondary diabetes and the accurate diagnosis of these conditions.
  • Basic epidemiology including prevalence, incidence, case selection.
  • Screening for diabetes, issues surrounding screening and case selection.
  • The metabolic syndrome, pre-diabetes, insulin resistance - diagnostic criteria, contribution of central obesity versus obesity, the role of waist circumference, BMI and epidemiology.
  • The contribution of prandial and fasting glucose to hyperglycaemia.

On completion of this module the student will be able to:

  1. Critically evaluate the presentation, diagnostic criteria and classification of diabetes and the implications of pre-diabetes of the development of diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
  2. Interpret research in relation to the aetiology, pathophysiology and risk factors for diabetes and its complications.

Module 2 - Approaches to care

Syllabus relating to the role of the multidisciplinary team, education and the patient perspective.

  • To gain a critical and applied understanding of the different approaches to delivering diabetes care including multidisciplinary working in complex/unpredictable cases and situations.
  • The roles of the multidisciplinary team and the contribution of the components to patient care.
  • Models of patient care.
  • Delivery of diabetes care across a variety of healthcare settings.
  • Educational programmes including X-PERT, DAFNE, DESMOND.
  • The patient perspective - living with chronic disease and improving care.
  • Understanding the patient's psyche including changing behaviour - cognitive behavioural therapy and motivational interviewing.

On completion of this module the student will be able to:

  1. Analyse the contribution of different health professionals to providing diabetes care.
  2. Adopt relevant psychological, behavioural and educational strategies in managing diabetes care.

Module 3 - Promoting self care

Syllabus relating to diet, exercise and psychological aspects

  • Promotion of self care with focus on diet and exercise.
  • Physiological principles including knowledge of calorie intake and energy expenditure.
  • Total energy expenditure, basal metabolic rate.
  • Anthropometric measurements including BMI and waist circumference.
  • Understanding appropriate dietary interventions.
  • Basic concepts of dietary interventions and various diets employed including GI index, Atkins diet, VLCD.
  • Role of dietary intervention in treatment of diabetes.
  • Principles of carb counting in managing hyperglycaemia.
  • The role of exercise in the management of patients with diabetes and in those patients with weight-related disorders.
  • Physiological benefits of exercise.
  • Understanding the types of exercise and the selection of the appropriate exercise programme for the patient.

On completion of this module the student will be able to employ a variety of techniques and approaches to encourage self management of physical activity and nutrition.

Module 4 - Management of Diabetes

Syllabus relating to therapies, Research methods and clinical guidelines

  • Awareness of the appropriate structured approach to the therapies employed in treating patients with diabetes.
  • Action, use, contra-indications and side effects associated with oral hypoglycaemic agents including sulphonylureas, insulin secretagogues, biguanides and thiazolinidiones.
  • Action, use, contra-indications and side effects associated with Insulins and insulin analogues.
  • Emerging therapies including incretinomimetics, gliptins and incretins.
  • Treatments used in obesity, overweight and their efficacy in diabetes.
  • Awareness of other treatment options including pancreatic transplantation and insulin pumps.
  • Awareness of the appropriate algorithmic use of therapies as suggested in clinical guidance.
  • Understanding of clinical trials and basic statistical interpretations such as Number needed to treat, absolute and relative risk.

On completion of this module the student will be able to:

  1. Demonstrate knowledge and skills in the therapeutic management options of people with diabetes.
  2. Have an awareness of the role of emerging therapies and evaluate current and emerging therapies.
  3. Demonstrate the ability to create clinical guidelines.

Module 5 - Complications (microvascular)

Syllabus relating to acute metabolic and microvascular complications

  • Awareness of the short and long term complications of diabetes.
  • Metabolic sequelae - including effects of hyperglycaemia, diabetic ketoacidosis, Hyperosmolar osmotic non-ketosis (HONK) and Lactic acidosis.
  • Hypoglycaemia - physiology, effects, prevention and treatment.
  • Physiological principles underlying acute metabolic consequences of diabetes.
  • Microvascular complications.
  • Neuropathy - epidemiology, diagnosis, classification, consequences, presentation and treatment.
  • Retinopathy - epidemiology, diagnosis, classification, consequences, presentation and treatment.
  • Nephropathy - epidemiology, diagnosis, classification, consequences, presentation and treatment.
  • Review the evidence base and apply strategies for the prevention and treatment of complications.

On completion of this module the student will be able to:

  1. Be competent in the recognition and management of the acute metabolic complications of diabetes.
  2. Be competent in the recognition and management of microvascular complications of diabetes.

Module 6 - Complications II (macrovascular disease)

Syllabus relating to macrovascular disease, diabetic foot disease, IHD, Stroke, hypertension and lipids.

  • Understanding of the physiology underlying macrovascular disease in diabetes.
  • Understanding the contribution of various risk factors in the development of macrovascular disease in diabetes.
  • The epidemiology of macrovascular disease in diabetes including stroke, ischemic heart disease, MI, foot disease, hypertension and peripheral vascular disease.
  • Investigation and treatment of vascular disease in diabetes.
  • The role of the multi-disciplinary team in the treatment of vascular complications.
  • The management of lipid disorders and hypertension in subjects with diabetes.
  • An understanding of the guidelines relating to the treatment of macrovascular disease, the diabetic foot, hypertension and lipids in diabetes.

On completion of this module the student will be able to

  1. Use the evidence base to identify risk factors for macrovascular complications.
  2. Appraise clinical trial evidence in the management of macrovascular complications.
  3. Multidisciplinary working in complex/unpredictable cases and situations.

More about the Teaching Methods:

Online discussion and cases

Each week the students are presented with two or sometimes three clinical cases which are designed to promote discussion within a specific clinical area. The student completes the questions and then discusses issues raised by the questions with the rest of their group, facilitated by their tutor. This accounts for 40% of the module marks.

Group activity

The group activity is designed to encourage group dynamics catering to the multi-disciplinary nature of diabetic care. This accounts for 20% of the module marks and is split into individual submission, group submission and contribution to group submission. The group is given a specific task to accomplish over the module e.g. Develop an appropriate screening method for your clinic. Or Develop a poster/patient information leaflet for diabetes for your practice.

Portfolio

This accounts for 10% of assessment and is a reflective learning journal designed to register the initial learning points the student may wish to obtain during the module and then to note these milestones as the module progresses. It is also a log of the incorporation of the activities of the student into their work.

Case Based examination

This accounts for 30% of the marks for the module and is composed of an exam of 30 single best answer(SBA) questions. This assessment is undertaken at the end of each module and questions are designed around the clinical aspects of the module and their discussion topics.