Respiratory medicine is an increasingly important field of medicine, as respiratory disease is a growing cause of morbidity and mortality. This Postgraduate Diploma in Respiratory Medicine course offers you the opportunity to explore and study the major classes of respiratory disease. This taught programme provides you with an overview of common conditions in respiratory medicine, their diagnosis and management, and the balance of public health, community and secondary care input to the overall service delivery in the speciality. It is taught using a mixture of lectures, tutorials,  and workplace based elements. It will provide speciality training for budding respiratory specialists in primary or secondary care, either medical or allied healthcare professional.

This course is aimed at clinicians, but will be open to any applicant who meets the entry requirements. For admission to the programme applicants will need either a good medical degree or degree equivalent from a recognised academic institution or an appropriate professional qualification or experience acceptable to the course director and Research Council of Health, London. If your first language is not English, you must provide evidence of your English language proficiency. You must be IT literate to complete these highly interactive courses online and have access to a computer with a printer and a reliable internet connection. For further information please contact our Admission Team.

Fees : £3999.00
For 12 Months
Details : 12 months (120 Credits) - Full Time - Undertaking this Diploma programme is a serious commitment, requiring weekly contact hours in addition to numerous hours of independent learning and research in order to progress at the required level. When coursework or examination deadlines are approaching independent learning hours may need to increase significantly. FULL TIME (120 Credits ) BLENDED LEARNING FEES £3999.00

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Fees : £7500.00
For 24 Months
Details : 24 months (240 Credits) Full-Time Undertaking this Diploma programme is a serious commitment, requiring weekly contact hours in addition to numerous hours of independent learning and research in order to progress at the required level. When coursework or examination deadlines are approaching independent learning hours may need to increase significantly. FULL TIME 240 Credits) BLENDED LEARNING FEES £7500.00

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Fees : £2200.00

Details : Part Time - £2200.00 Per Year Part-time study options often mean that the number of modules taken is reduced per semester, with the full modules required to complete the programme spread over two academic years. Teaching is generally done during the day and part-time students should contact the course convener to get an idea of when these teaching hours are likely to take place. Timetables are likely to be finalised in September but you may be able to gain an expectation of what will be required. PART TIME BLENDED LEARNING £2200.00 Per Year

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Module 1-Symptoms,Signs and Investigation: Module Aims Establish an understanding of Respiratory Anatomy and Physiology and apply this to the clinical assessment and investigation of common respiratory symptoms. Module Content Impact, burden and epidemiology of Lung diseases Anatomy and Physiology of the Respiratory systems Clinical Assessment and Clinical Examination Breathlessness and Wheeze, Cough and Sputum. Spirometry Other Respiratory Investigations (X-rays, blood tests and more complex lung function tests). Learning Outcomes Recognise the impact of respiratory disease on society and the importance of epidemiology in the diagnosis and management of respiratory conditions. Demonstrate an understanding of anatomy and the physiology of the respiratory system and relevance to the pathophysiology of respiratory disorders. Compare and contrast the range of presenting symptoms in respiratory disease and how they are investigated. Module 2-Asthma and Allergy: Module Aims To develop an in-depth understanding of Asthma and Allergy and its impact on patient life. Module Content Asthma Diagnosis and Investigation Allergy and anaphylaxis Pharmacological management Non-pharmacological / self-management Co-morbidities (obesity, OSA, bronchiectasis, rhinitis, depression) Difficult Asthma Learning Outcomes Identify common causes of allergy and anaphylaxis, their investigation and treatment. Demonstrate an understanding of the diagnosis, treatment and management of Asthma Appreciate the role of co-morbidities and their relationship to difficult asthma Formulate a coherent approach for assessing, investigating and managing patients with difficult asthma Module 3-Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Module Aims Develop a comprehensive understanding of the presentation, diagnosis and management of patients with COPD. Module Content Early and accurate diagnosis Pharmacological management (including oxygen therapy) Non-pharmacological management (smoking cessation, pulmonary rehabilitation and assisted technology) Management of exacerbations (acute and chronic, ICS debate, NIV, ceiling of treatment) Co-morbidities (osteoporosis, heart disease and depression) End of life care, palliative care and advance care planning Learning Outcomes Outline a robust approach to the diagnosis and investigation of patients with COPD Compare and contrast pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions in COPD, focusing on their strengths and limitations Recognise the importance of exacerbations and co-morbidities in COPD and their effects on patient morbidity and mortality Critically evaluate the role of palliative and end of life care in COPD, focusing on strengths and weakness of services in their locality Module 4-Thoracic Oncology and Pleural Disease: Module Aims Develop an in-depth understanding of the presentation, investigation and management of thoracic malignancy and pleural disease Module Content Lung cancer – screening, red flags, solitary pulmonary nodules Lung cancer – diagnosis and staging Lung cancer - treatments Asbestos related pleural disease Pleural effusion and pneumothorax The interface and ethics (MDT, working across boundaries, communicating difficult diagnoses, when to stop treatment) Learning Outcomes Critically evaluate screening programmes, diagnostic investigations and treatments in lung cancer Formulate a robust approach for investigating and treating patients with pleural disease Justify the role of the multidisciplinary team in the management of malignant and non-malignant respiratory disease Module 5-Repiratory Infection-Diagnosis and Management: Module Aims Develop a comprehensive understanding of pulmonary infection, its investigation and management Module Content Tuberculosis and non-tuberculous mycobacterial disease Pneumonia (including community acquired and hospital acquired) Respiratory tract infection (bronchitis, URTI, bronchiolitis) Bronchiectasis and Cystic Fibrosis Infections in the immunocompromised patient (HIV, immunomodulatory drugs, atypical infections) Antibiotic guardianship Learning Outcomes Contrast the presentation, diagnosis and management of different respiratory pathogens Demonstrate an understanding of antimicrobial side effects and resistance, and the importance of antibiotic guardianship Describe the role of more rare pathogens in immunosuppressed patients and develop a robust approach to diagnosing such infections Module 6-Wider Respiratory Horizon: To develop an in-depth knowledge and understanding of interstitial lung disease, pulmonary vascular disease and conditions resulting in respiratory failure Module Content Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Other interstitial lung diseases Venous thromboembolic disease and pulmonary vascular disease Lung disease in my environment (occupational lung disease, children, flying and diving, dysfunctional breathing) Lungs at the extremes (age, obesity, illegal drugs) Sleep disordered breathing and ventilatory failure Learning Outcomes Compare and contrast the presentation, investigation and management of interstitial and pulmonary vascular disease Outline and differentiate conditions that lead to ventilatory failure, including sleep disordered breathing Outline and differentiate respiratory conditions that pertain to a particular environment or country

Assessment will be based on written assignments, posters and oral presentations, multiple choice questions (MCQ) and short-answer question (SAQ) examinations, and a full laboratory project write-up. Dissertation : 10,000 - 15,000 words.

This programme is directly delivered through online learning portal, you will have access to video and audio recordings of all onsite lectures, as well as video tutorials for any lab based elements of the course. All written assignments will be submitted through the portal, while poster and oral presentations will be assessed via Skype. Exams can be sat onsite or you can arrange to sit these at a suitable venue more local to you. You are encouraged to interact with teaching staff and other students in online discussion forums, join group activities and be part of the RCH London's student community.