UWA+ STARTER

From Doctor to Diagnosis

Have you ever wondered what really happens when you're feeling sick and go to the doctor? In this micro-credential, you'll follow the journey from that first doctor's appointment to the final diagnosis, discovering the fascinating steps that doctors and scientists take to determine what's wrong. You'll learn how doctors use questions and quick tests to look for clues, and then how samples—like blood or saliva—are sent to a lab for deeper analysis. We'll explore each step of the pathology testing cycle, showing how these processes lead to answers and effective treatments. Through case studies and real-life examples, you'll get an inside look at how science and medicine work together to keep us healthy.

Upon successful completion of this micro-credential, you'll receive:

  • Two PD Points
  • A Certificate of Achievement
  • A UWA Professional Development Transcript, listing all successfully completed micro-credentials

Course dates

07 April 2026 - 17 April 2026 [MC-2Q]
06 July 2026 - 17 July 2026 [MC-3Q]

Applications: 

Applications will open in November 2025 

Delivery mode: 

TBC
Scheduled sessions: TBC

 

Duration

TBC
Total effort
55 hours
Academic lead:  Dr Bree Foley

Cost

UWA Starter fees for 2025 –

Broadway Schools

$82.50 (inc GST) per micro-credential for students
from participating partner schools (register via your school)

$165 (inc GST) per micro-credential for individual
students  from non-partner schools

Non-Broadway Schools

$247.50 (inc GST) per micro-credential for students
from  participating partner schools (register via your school)

$495 (inc GST) per micro-credential for individual
students from non-partner schools

 

Critical information summary
From Doctor to Diagnosis PATHM101 (PDF 244KB)
Laboratory test-tube 

What you'll learn

Learn how diagnostic laboratory tests work and get a look behind the scenes of the testing process that doctors and scientists use to diagnose diseases

Learn to identify different human body samples such as blood and tissue under the microscope

Learn how to make sense of test results in order to see how doctors and scientists use this information to guide treatment

Learn about how some common human diseases are diagnosed by piecing together the clues that doctors look for when they're deciphering what certain symptoms might mean

two girls reading a document 

Why study this course?

This micro-credential is for anyone with an interest in human health and disease.

  • Prepares you for real-life medical experiences
    Gain confidence for doctor visits and testing by learning what to expect and how to navigate healthcare situations. Understanding the diagnostic process helps you advocate for yourself and others.
  • Connects science to real life
    This course shows how biology, chemistry, and health science are applied in diagnosing illnesses, making science meaningful and relevant to everyday life.
  • Builds critical thinking and problem-solving skills
    Diagnosis is like detective work. Through case studies, you'll develop critical thinking skills by exploring how doctors and scientists collaborate to uncover what's wrong.
  • Prepares you for health or science careers
    This micro-credential offers an introduction to essential diagnostic skills and knowledge, valuable in careers like medicine, nursing, biomedical science, and public health.

How does it work?

This micro-credential is designed to introduce students to pathology testing and build awareness of how doctors and scientists work together to provide patients with a diagnosis. Using real-life case studies explored in online tutorials, students will gain an appreciation of how scientists and clinicians work together to provide accurate and reliable diagnoses. Online quizzes will be utilised to test recall of information and students will prepare a diagnostic report that allows them to apply the skills they have obtained over the course of the unit.

What's next after this course?

Future study
Students who successfully complete this micro-credential will: 
  • Receive a UWA Professional Development Transcript at the end of your studies, listing all completed UWA micro-credentials – great for uni entry and your resume!
  • Earn 2  stackable  PD Points -  complete two more UWA Starter micro-credentials to earn 6 PD Points and gain credit for one unit towards selected UWA bachelor degrees.
  • Gain points that can contribute towards admission to UWA via Experience-based entry.

Students with a continuing interest in human health and disease may consider degrees in biomedical sciences, biomedicine, medicine, nursing, allied health and public health.