10162: ace the component, not just read the notes
Your complete guide to University of Canberra's obstetric ultrasound pg unit. See where the marks are, work real practice questions, and study with an AI tutor that knows 10162.
Sia generates 10162 practice questions, walks through first trimester ultrasound and second trimester ultrasound step by step, and quizzes you on the material the component that weights most heavily.
Worked example
On a transvaginal first trimester scan you measure a crown rump length (CRL) of 6 mm and document fetal cardiac activity at 88 beats per minute. Using the unit's first trimester thresholds (fetal heart motion is routinely expected once CRL exceeds 5 mm, and a fetal heart rate below 90 bpm is associated with a poor outcome), how should this finding be classified and actioned?
Check whether cardiac activity should be expected: the source states fetal heart motion is routinely seen once CRL is greater than 5 mm. Here CRL = 6 mm, so a heartbeat is expected and 'too small to expect' (option index 3) is wrong.
Apply the rate threshold: the source states a fetal heart rate below 90 bpm is associated with a poor outcome. 88 bpm is below 90, so the finding is not simply reassuring (option index 0 is wrong).
The correct reading is option index 1: a heartbeat is present but the rate sits below the 90 bpm poor-outcome threshold, so it must be documented and flagged for clinical correlation and follow-up rather than dismissed.
The trap: Treating 'a heartbeat is present' as automatically reassuring. The presence of cardiac activity is necessary but not sufficient: the rate matters, and a fetal heart rate below 90 bpm at this stage is associated with a poor outcome, so it needs documentation and follow-up, not reassurance. classic slip!
One component decides 40% of your grade. The practical is a satisfactory or unsatisfactory competency gate; the viva voce carries the 40% mark. This whole page is built around that.
Overview
What 10162 is, and where it sits
Obstetric Ultrasound PG (10162) is a postgraduate medical sonography unit in the University of Canberra Faculty of Health. It builds the obstetric scanning toolkit across the three trimesters: assessment of gestational age and fetal growth, the sonographic appearance of normal fetal anatomy, and the use of ultrasound in the prenatal diagnosis of congenital anomalies. The unit convenor frames it as developing and demonstrating appropriate scanning techniques while using a critical, analytic approach to optimise image quality, with interpretation of findings underpinned by relevant anatomy, physiology and pathology.
The content runs in five modules. Module 1 covers advanced gynaecological topics, Module 2 reviews embryology (the developmental foundation for reading early scans), Module 3 covers first trimester ultrasound (the gestational sac, yolk sac, embryo, crown rump length, fetal heart motion and the nuchal translucency screening pathway), Module 4 (the largest, spanning roughly Weeks 4 to 10) covers second trimester ultrasound (the placenta, fetal biometry, the anatomy survey and anomaly detection), and Module 5 covers third trimester ultrasound, obstetric Doppler and cervical assessment. Throughout, the unit leans on the ASUM and ISUOG practice guidelines and on the prescribed text, Rumack and Levine's Diagnostic Ultrasound.
It is a clinical, placement-linked unit rather than a lecture-and-final unit: most of the grade sits in observed competency. The assessment is built from a formative professional conversation, a case study with an oral presentation, a two-part Clinical Skills Assessment (a satisfactory or unsatisfactory practical plus a 40% viva voce), and a 35% remotely proctored final exam. The unit assumes you are scanning real obstetric patients in a workplace and meeting the relevant ASUM standards of practice.
Difficulty & time commitment
Is 10162 hard, and how much time does it take?
10162 is manageable if you keep a weekly rhythm and treat the back half as the main event. Across student reviews the pattern is consistent: it starts gently and steepens, and the heaviest assessment is the part that separates grades.
The difficulty curve and the assessment weighting point the same way: the back half is harder and worth more. Front-loading effort there is the highest-return decision in the unit.
Is this unit for you
Who tends to do well, and who tends to struggle
You will likely do well if
- You are actively scanning obstetric patients on placement and can practise the real biometry (CRL, mean sac diameter, BPD, HC, AC, FL) and the systematic anatomy survey on live cases, not just from slides.
- You read against the prescribed Rumack and Levine chapters and the ASUM and ISUOG guidelines rather than relying only on the Canvas notes, which the unit explicitly tells you to go beyond.
- You can articulate your reasoning out loud, because the viva voce (40%) and the case study oral presentation reward defending your image optimisation, measurements and findings, not just producing them.
- You keep a running log of normal versus abnormal appearances per trimester so anomaly detection and soft-marker interpretation become pattern recognition by the time of the assessments.
You may struggle if
- You treat it as a read-and-sit-an-exam unit; most of the grade is observed competency (the SY/US practical, the 40% viva voce and the case study) that you cannot cram the night before.
- You under-prepare for the oral components, because explaining why a measurement or a finding matters under questioning is a different skill from taking the image.
- You skip embryology and the gynaecological foundation (Modules 1 to 2), then cannot interpret early scans or recognise developmental abnormalities in the trimester modules.
- You leave the case study image collection and permission statements late, since they depend on having scanned suitable real patients with consent in place.
- Build the case study early: identify a suitable patient, secure the permission statement, capture clean diagnostic images, and rehearse the oral presentation against the marking rubric well before the due date.
- Drill the trimester biometry to ASUM and ISUOG standard so your measurements (CRL and dating in the first trimester, the second trimester anatomy survey, third trimester growth and Doppler) are reproducible and defensible under viva questioning.
- Rehearse the viva out loud: for each key image, practise stating the indication, the optimisation choices, the measurements and what a normal versus abnormal finding would mean.
- Run the remotely proctored exam logistics in advance (sign the online student declaration, test your setup) and revise across all five modules, because the exam covers the whole trimester sequence, not just the practical material.
Syllabus
The 5 topics, module by module
The exam-weight marker on each topic shows where the marks concentrate. The amber topics carry the highest exam weight.
M1 · Gynaecological advanced topics
Rumack & Levine, Diagnostic UltrasoundAdvanced gynaecological scanning: characterising ovarian cysts, abnormal uterine bleeding, infertility assessment, prolapse and the determination of normal versus abnormal findings, with the relevant laboratory tests.
M2 · Embryology
UNSW Embryology; Sadler, Langman's Medical EmbryologyGametogenesis, fertilisation and the developmental stages from the embryonic period, as the foundation for interpreting early obstetric scans and the congenital abnormalities that arise when development is altered.
M3 · First trimester ultrasound
ASUM First Trimester Guidelines; Rumack & Levine Ch. on the First TrimesterIndications and patient preparation, the gestational sac, yolk sac and embryo, mean sac diameter and crown rump length dating, fetal heart motion and viability, and the nuchal translucency screening pathway (NT, free BhCG and PAPP-A).
M4 · Second trimester ultrasound
ISUOG mid-trimester guidelines; Rumack & LevineThe placenta and its role, second trimester fetal biometry (BPD, HC, AC, FL), the systematic anatomy survey, soft markers and the detection of structural fetal anomalies and their association with syndromes. The largest module and the home of the case study.
M5 · Third trimester ultrasound
Rumack & Levine; obstetric Doppler guidelinesThird trimester biometry and growth assessment, fetal wellbeing, colour and spectral Doppler in obstetrics, cervical assessment (length and the placenta to cervix relationship) and complications of multi-fetal gestations.
How it's assessed
Assessment structure
| Component | Weight | Format & timing |
|---|---|---|
| Professional conversation | 0% | Professional conversation submission. Due 6 March 2026, 17:00 (S1 2026 offering; confirm current dates against Canvas). Formative, 0% weighting, designed as early feedback. |
| Case study and oral presentation | 25% | Case study with a permission statement, a submission of examination images and an oral presentation, marked against the obstetric ultrasound marking rubric. Due 5 April 2026, 23:59 (S1 2026 offering). Patient permission statement required; submit your own examination images. |
| Clinical Skills Assessment (practical and viva voce) | 40% | Two parts: a practical component graded satisfactory or unsatisfactory (SY/US) plus a viva voce component worth 40%; an examination permission statement is required. Practical due 8 May 2026 (17:00); viva voce due 15 May 2026 (17:00) (S1 2026 offering). The practical is a satisfactory or unsatisfactory competency gate; the viva voce carries the 40% mark. |
| Final exam (remotely proctored) | 35% | Final online exam, off campus and remotely proctored; requires the final exam online student declaration to be signed first. Held in the formal exam period (the S1 2026 window ran 18 to 29 May; exact date set by the exams office). Confirm against the official exam timetable. Remotely proctored; a deferred final exam pathway with its own declaration exists. |
- The practical Clinical Skills Assessment is graded satisfactory or unsatisfactory and operates as a competency gate alongside the marked components (case study 25%, viva voce 40%, final exam 35%). No single numerical percentage hurdle beyond the SY/US practical gate is asserted in the materials reviewed; confirm the unit-level pass requirement in the official unit outline.
- The 35% final is a remotely proctored online exam covering the trimester modules. It is preceded by a mandatory online student declaration, and a separately declared deferred exam pathway exists for eligible students.
- Calculator policy: Not specified in the materials reviewed. The final exam is remotely proctored online; follow the exam instructions and the student declaration for permitted aids.
This is a coursework unit. Coursework carries 65% of the grade and the clinical skills assessment (practical and viva voce) is the single heaviest piece at 40%, so steady work across the semester decides your result more than any one sitting. The practical is a satisfactory or unsatisfactory competency gate; the viva voce carries the 40% mark.
Final exam timing: approx mid-to-late Nov 2026 (S2 offering, confirm against the official exam timetable). Confirm the exact date and venue on the official exam timetable.
How to actually pass it
A weekly rhythm, two checklists, and the traps to avoid
The unit rewards consistency over cramming, and practice over re-reading. Here is the loop that works, then what to have nailed before each exam.
The weekly loop
Before the mid-semester checklist
- Lock down the first trimester essentials: gestational sac, yolk sac and embryo timing, mean sac diameter and crown rump length dating, fetal heart motion and viability thresholds, and the nuchal translucency screening pathway.
- Complete the case study end to end (permission statement, examination images and oral presentation) and rehearse it against the rubric before the due date.
- Master the second trimester anatomy survey and biometry (BPD, HC, AC, FL) and the common soft markers, since Module 4 is the largest block.
- Take the formative professional conversation and module quizzes seriously as calibration before the high-stakes clinical assessments.
Before the final heaviest topics
- Prepare the Clinical Skills Assessment as a competency event: rehearse a full obstetric examination so the practical is comfortably satisfactory, and prepare to defend every image and measurement in the viva voce (40%).
- Revise all five modules for the 35% remotely proctored exam, not just the trimester you scan most, and sign the final exam online student declaration in advance.
- Practise obstetric Doppler and cervical assessment from Module 5, which are easy to under-prepare relative to the first and second trimester material.
- Test your remote-proctoring setup ahead of time so technical issues do not eat into the exam.
The mistakes that cost marks
Treating a heartbeat as automatically reassuring. Cardiac activity being present is necessary but not sufficient. The rate matters: a fetal heart rate below 90 bpm at this stage is associated with a poor outcome, so it must be documented and followed up, not reported as simply reassuring.
Leaving the case study and consent late. The case study depends on having scanned a suitable real patient with a signed permission statement and clean diagnostic images. Start identifying the case and securing consent early; you cannot manufacture it in the final week.
Under-rehearsing the oral components. The viva voce is 40% and the case study includes an oral presentation. Being able to take the image is not the same as being able to defend your optimisation, measurements and interpretation under questioning. Rehearse out loud.
Skipping the embryology and gynaecological foundation. Modules 1 and 2 look like background, but without the embryology and gynaecological grounding you cannot reliably interpret early scans or recognise the developmental abnormalities that the trimester modules test.
Teaching team
Who teaches 10162
The bios below are factual. The star ratings are not ours: they are impressions from students who have taken the unit, so you can hear from people who sat in the lectures.
Kate Leary
Convenes Obstetric Ultrasound PG (10162) in the University of Canberra Faculty of Health, teaching obstetric sonography across the three trimesters.
Peter Preston
Teaching staff for Obstetric Ultrasound PG (10162) in the University of Canberra Faculty of Health.
Teaching team as listed in the unit materials reviewed. AskSia does not rate lecturers; star ratings are submitted by students who have taken 10162.
Where it fits
Prerequisites, related units & why it matters
A postgraduate medical sonography unit assuming prior anatomy, physiology and general sonography knowledge and an active clinical placement scanning obstetric patients. Check the official unit outline for the formal prerequisite and program rules, which are not fully exposed in the materials reviewed.
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FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Is 10162 hard?
It is a demanding postgraduate clinical unit. The content itself (trimester biometry, fetal anatomy and anomaly detection) is detailed but not heavily mathematical; the difficulty comes from the assessment, which is built around observed competency: a marked case study with an oral presentation, a satisfactory or unsatisfactory practical plus a 40% viva voce, and a 35% remotely proctored exam. You are also expected to be scanning real obstetric patients, and the unit cites a 150 hour commitment of roughly 10 to 15 hours per week.
How is 10162 assessed?
By a 0% formative professional conversation, a 25% case study with an oral presentation, a 40% Clinical Skills Assessment (a satisfactory or unsatisfactory practical component plus a viva voce), and a 35% remotely proctored final exam. The practical component acts as a competency gate. These weights and dates are from the S1 2026 offering; confirm the current ones in Canvas and the unit outline.
What does the Clinical Skills Assessment involve?
It has two parts. The practical component is graded satisfactory or unsatisfactory and assesses your scanning competency on a real obstetric examination. The viva voce component is an oral examination, worth 40%, where you discuss and defend your imaging, measurements and clinical reasoning. An examination permission statement is required before submission.
What modules does the unit cover?
Five: Module 1 on advanced gynaecological topics, Module 2 on embryology, Module 3 on first trimester ultrasound, Module 4 on second trimester ultrasound (the largest block, where the case study sits), and Module 5 on third trimester ultrasound, obstetric Doppler and cervical assessment.
What is the prescribed textbook?
The unit reads against Rumack and Levine's Diagnostic Ultrasound (the 5th 2018 and 6th 2024 editions are both referenced with chapter and page pointers), supplemented by the ASUM first trimester guidelines, the ISUOG practice guidelines, and embryology resources including the UNSW Embryology site and Sadler's Langman's Medical Embryology. The unit expects you to read more widely than the Canvas notes.
Is the final exam in person or online?
Online. The final is an off-campus, remotely proctored exam held in the formal exam period, and you must sign a final exam online student declaration before sitting it. A separately declared deferred exam pathway exists for eligible students. The exact date is set by the exams office, so confirm it against the official exam timetable.
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