Health Sciences

Welcome

Congratulations on being accepted into your course! I know how hard you have worked to get here and so it is with great pleasure that I welcome you to the Faculty of Health Sciences here at La Trobe.

For many of you this will be your first university experience. You might be pursuing a second or even third degree. For some of you, this year marks a change of direction having started another degree last year. Regardless of your circumstances, I implore you to make the most of the opportunities that La Trobe has to offer.

As you make the transition to university from secondary school, or if you are returning to study after a long break, you may experience feelings of nervousness and trepidation. These feelings are perfectly normal. Hopefully, you are also feeling excited as you anticipate the beginning of your first year at university.

It is not uncommon for first year students to find learning at university quite different to their learning at secondary school. At the heart of tertiary education is the hope of creating independent life-long learners able to think for themselves and to solve problems. The American educator, Robert M. Hutchins said, “The object of education is to prepare the young to educate themselves throughout their lives.” This is the challenge for you, a student of La Trobe University, and it is a challenge for the academic staff as we guide you along your educational journey.

I commend the academic and administrative staff of La Trobe’s Faculty of Health Sciences to you. The academic staff are committed to ensuring a positive learning experience for our students. The administrative staff are very friendly and only too eager to assist you with any administrative queries you may have. Please make use of the staff. They are here to support you.

Spend some time exploring the other resources available to support you. The Faculty’s Survival Guide that you will receive more information about at orientation contains useful information, as do the Faculty and University websites. I know how tempting it can be to avoid reading the numerous student manuals you will be provided. However, I would encourage you to at least dedicate some time to reading through this Survival Guide as it provides useful and important information to support your learning this year.

During the year, I regularly disseminate important information to you through my e-Newsletter that will be sent to your La Trobe email account. Please ensure that you check your LTU email inbox regularly as this is main mechanism by which we communicate important information to students.

For further information about the Faculty of Health Sciences, including its Schools/Departments please refer to the Faculty’s website.

On behalf of all the staff in the Faculty, I hope you enjoy your first year experience and I wish you every success with your first year studies this year.

Dr Suzane Vassallo

First Year Coordinator, Faculty of Health Sciences

Timetabling

Most of the Faculty’s courses share a core first year (courses that do not are listed below*).

Students undertaking the core first year (CFY) will be automatically allocated to groups. DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS OUTLINING THE PROCESS FOR FINDING OUT YOUR GROUP & TEAM ALLOCATIONS FOR YOUR SUBJECTS AND FOR WORKING OUT YOUR WEEKLY TIMETABLE WILL BE SENT TO YOUR LA TROBE EMAIL ON OR AROUND 15/02/2013, so please ensure you check your university email regularly (you will be able to access your La Trobe email after you have enrolled and have been mailed a username and password). You will not be able to work out when your workshops for each of your subjects is scheduled until you know your group allocation for each of your subjects.

It is possible, and please don’t be alarmed if this is the case, that you may be unsure of how your timetable comes together once you receive notification of your group allocations and instructions for determining your timetable. Please attend one of the timetabling information sessions during orientation week as detailed below:

Melbourne (Bundoora) campus

When: Wednesday 27 February, 2013

Time: 2.00 to 2.30 pm

Location: East Lecture Theatre 1

Staff will explain to students how to organise their timetable. This will be followed by a drop in session from 2.30 to 4.30 pm in Room 226, Health Sciences Building 2, where students can seek individual assistance in understanding the timetable.

The above session will be repeated on Thursday, 28 February, 2013 at 2.00 pm in West Lecture Theatre 2, followed by a drop in session from 2.30 am to 4.30 pm in Room 226, Health Sciences Building 2.

Regional Campuses

Timetabling information for courses sharing the core first year at the Regional campuses will be provided during orientation week at your course welcome sessions, via the University’s Learning Management System (LMS) site and via your University email account.

*Courses that do not share the core first year are listed below.

Timetabling information for these courses will be provided during orientation week at your course welcome sessions, via the University’s Learning Management System (LMS) site and via your University email account .

• Bachelor of Nursing (Division 2 Conversion) - Albury-Wodonga , Bendigo, Melbourne, Mildura, Shepparton;
• Bachelor of Nursing (Graduate Entry) - Albury- Wodonga, Bendigo, Melbourne
• Bachelor of Health Sciences in Dentistry/Master of Dentistry – Bendigo
• Bachelor of Oral Health Science - Bendigo

Support

Student Reception

Student Reception areas at each campus are a good starting point for questions you may have so please ensure you familiarise yourself with their locations as follows:

Albury Wodonga

Health Sciences Building

Bendigo

Health Sciences Building, Level 2

Melbourne

Health Sciences Building 2, Level 2

Mildura

Main Campus Building, 471 Benetook Avenue, Mildura

Shepparton

Level 1, Room 1, 210 Fryers Street, Shepparton

Academic Language and Learning Unit (ALLU)

ALLU works closely with students on all campuses to ensure that Health Science students - including those from non-English-speaking backgrounds - develop high-level academic speaking, writing, reading, and numeracy skills required for successful learning in their courses. For information on how to access these staff please visit the Academic Language and Learning Unit.

FAQs

Who can I see about getting help with my timetable?

Please see section under “Timetabling” heading above.

Where is the Faculty reception?

Please see information above under “What support does the Faculty provide?”

Roughly how many contact hours will I have per week?

In Semester 1 of a core first year course, students will have approximately 13 hours of contact per week and depending on the elective choice for semester 2, students may have up to 15 hours of contact per week.

How much study is expected of me outside of class?

Each of your subjects is worth 15 credit points. For each credit point of study, students would undertake 10 hours of effort, which includes contact time (e.g. attending lectures, workshops, lab classes, etc.) and non-contact time (i.e. your own personal study time). Therefore, for a 15 credit point subject, this would equate to 150 hours across semester or 11 hours per week. As most theoretical subjects have 3 hours per week of on-campus or contact activity (lectures, workshops), you would be expected to complete around 8 hours of individual study related to your subject each week.

What is the role of the First Year Coordinator?

The First Year Coordinator is responsible for the overall management of First Year across all campuses of the University. The Coordinator is also responsible for ensuring that all students are supported while studying in first year. If you have any concerns relating to your experience in first year it is important to relay these concerns to the First Year Coordinator. The First Year Coordinator can also be a useful contact if you are experiencing difficulties or problems which might be impacting on your academic work and can help coordinate support across your first year subjects and refer you to University services that might be able to provide additional or more specialised support. The First Year Coordinator will also liaise with your Senior Discipline Mentor/Course Coordinator as required.

When do I get my textbook lists?

Unlike secondary school when you obtain your textbook lists prior to the start of the school year, your textbook lists will be provided to you normally in the first week of semester. Please regularly check your University email account or the Learning Management System (LMS) site for updates on textbooks.

Safety

Occupational Health & Safety Induction Notes for Students using Laboratories

Practical classes will be conducted in The Faculty of Health Sciences. Specific Laboratories are managed by qualified staff from each School and their contact details should be known.

Any risk inherent in a practical class has been minimised by appropriate means, including having qualified and experienced staff members in charge of the practical. Risk Assessments have been completed by the Staff for all Practical Classes and Hazards identified and their impact minimised.

There are some Occupational Health and Safety rules regarding practical classes:

1. Eating and drinking are prohibited in the laboratories, unless this is a part of the practical class procedure. Please do not bring food or drink into the laboratories.
2. Closed shoes must be worn whilst in the laboratories unless stated otherwise by demonstrator. This means that bare feet, sandals and thongs are not permitted. Students may wear a laboratory coat to practical classes; however, the wearing of a laboratory coat is not compulsory.
3. Bags are to be placed in designated areas and not left on the floor as this may obstruct and result in a trip hazard.

Please note:
Each practical class commences with a brief talk designed to instruct on correct use of equipment, and to outline any Occupational Health and Safety issues relating to the practical. Please note that if you arrive more than 15 mins after the class has commenced, or after the pre-lab talk, you will not be allowed to stay.

Staff and students alike have a duty of care to make practical classes a safe and enjoyable experience and to help to create an environment which facilitates learning and teaching. Should any student require clarification regarding the aims, procedures, safety precautions and advice regarding participation as a subject, there will be an opportunity to obtain this in class discussion. Students are normally required to participate in the practical class program unless they have a medical condition that adversely affects their participation or have ethical objection to the class. Note however, that a student may choose, without prejudice, to not act as a subject for a particular class.

Contacts

First Year Coordinator

Suzane Vassallo
Ph: (03) 9479 3611
Email: s.vassallo@latrobe.edu.au

Emergency Contact Numbers

The Emergency Information web site provides access to information, resources and procedures to help you respond quickly in the event of an emergency situation.

Regional Campus First Year Coordinators

Melbourne Campus Undergraduate Student Services Officers

Located in Health Sciences 2, level 2

La Trobe Rural Health School (LRHS)/Regional Campuses Student Services Officers

Faculty of Health Sciences - Receptions