This module will enable students to develop advanced clinical skills in the context of clinical management of emergency and critical care presentations in the pre-hospital and secondary care settings.

Module Summary

This module is designed to provide an in-depth understanding of the principles and practice of emergency medicine and critical care. It aims to develop advanced knowledge and skills required for the management of critically ill patients across a range of healthcare settings, including emergency departments, intensive care units, and pre-hospital care environments. Students will explore the assessment, diagnosis, and management of acute medical and surgical emergencies, as well as the provision of advanced life support techniques.

Content

This 20-week course will utilise online and in-person lectures and seminars over 10 teaching weeks, featuring workshops and discussion forums to put theory into practice.  A further 10 weeks is allocated for the student to build a portfolio in practice to provide evidence of competence.  

The following topics will be covered:  

• Introduction to Emergency and Critical Care
  • Triage and assessment of acutely ill or injured patients
  • Emergency organisation and management
  • Clinical decision-making in the emergency setting
  • Medicolegal and ethical issues
  • Safeguarding and protection of vulnerable people
  • End-of-life care
  • Managing complex and challenging situations 

• Acute medical and surgical emergencies
  • Cardiac emergencies
  • Respiratory emergencies
  • Neurological emergencies
  • Trauma emergencies
  • Surgical emergencies
  • Toxidromes 
  • Management of sepsis and multi-organ failure
  • Mental health emergencies and acute behavioural disturbance

• Advanced Life Support
  • Basic and advanced life support algorithms
  • Airway management
  • Management of shock and hemodynamic instability
  • Cardiac arrest and traumatic cardiac arrest
  • Emergency procedures
  • Diagnostic imaging
  • Sedation, analgesia and mechanical ventilation

Teaching

This module runs once a week for 10 weeks, and a further 10 weeks for assessment and portfolio:

Start Month: April 2026 (Terms 3 & 4)

Teaching: w/c 13.04.2026 - 11/09/2026 (Thursday)

Student Vacation: 22/06/2026 - 06/07/2026

Start Month: July 2026 (Terms 4 & 1)

Teaching: w/c 06.07.2026 - 12/12/2026 (Thursday)

Student Vacation: TBC

Assessment

20-credit module / Level 7

• OSCE
• Portfolio

Faculty

The module lead is Senior Lecturer Ignacio Fernandez-Lopez (Emergency, PHEM and Acute Medicine ACP)