This online course includes scientific background and practical clinical information aimed at health practitioners involved in the assessment and treatment of people with obesity. Clinical case studies and interactive questions are designed to maximise engagement and learning.

In recent years, advances have been made in our understanding of the biology of obesity, which has led to the development of new treatment approaches. Management of Obesity is an online course developed by physicians specialising in obesity research and clinical practice. The course is designed to provide an evidence-based approach for managing patients who are seeking treatment for obesity.

Designed For

Suitable for all clinicians involved in the management of patients with obesity, including general practitioners, physicians, doctors in training, dietitians, allied health professionals and students.

Learning Outcomes

1. Assess patients with obesity using Edmonton Obesity Staging System (EOSS) and set appropriate system-based treatment goals
2. Explain body weight regulation to patients
3. Construct an evidence-based treatment plan for obesity management
4. Access a patient's suitability for intensive weight management interventions including very-low energy diets, pharmacotherapy and bariatric surgery
5. List the routine monitoring and medication adjustments recommended for patients prescribed a very-low-energy diet

Course Units

• Tutorial 1: Overview of obesity
• Tutorial 2: Why is weight so hard to lose and so easy to regain?
• Tutorial 3: Initial approach to the patient with obesity
• Tutorial 4: Medical management of obesity 1: An introduction to lifestyle interventions
• Tutorial 5: Medical management of obesity 2: Very low energy diets
• Tutorial 6: Medical management of obesity 3: Pharmacotherapy
• Tutorial 7: Surgical management of obesity
• Tutorial 8: Managing weight in specific situations: Older adults, women planning pregnancy and people with T2DM

Assessment

The assessment is submission of 8 self-assessments and 19 case studies. A certificate is provided upon satisfactory completion of the course.

Delivery Mode

Course completion requires approximately 12 hours of eLearning. This course is delivered online and students can study in their own time and location. Course materials can be accessed using a web browser.

Testimonial

"I am a GP and have completed the diabetes and the obesity courses from the university of Melbourne. I have found them to be the most educational courses of any GP training I have done. Written by doctors who work in the field and not a drug company. Plus a lot of case studies that then give you confidence practising the learnt information on your own" 
- from our GP student

Course Director

Dr Priya Sumithran

MBBS (Hons), FRACP, PhD
Dr Priya Sumithran is an endocrinologist at Austin Health, and a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Melbourne, Department of Medicine (Austin), where she completed a PhD in 2012. The focus of her PhD was examining hormonal adaptations to weight loss, and she has an ongoing research interest in the regulation of body weight and its application to the clinical care of people with obesity and its associated complications.

Course Coordinators

Prof Joseph Proietto

MBBS, PhD, FRACP
Joseph Proietto is Professor Emeritus at the University of Melbourne in the Department of Medicine Austin Health and an Endocrinologist specialising in Diabetes and Obesity. He established the first obesity clinic in Victoria at the Royal Melbourne Hospital and is now Head of the Weight control clinic at Austin Health. Professor Proietto was the inaugural Sir Edward Dunlop Medical Research Foundation, Professor of Medicine, and Head of the Metabolic Disorders Research Group in the Department of Medicine, Austin Health. He is currently on the executive of World Obesity and is Chair of the Clinical Care Committee.

Dr Cilla Haywood

MBBS (Hons), FRACP, PhD
Cilla Haywood graduated in medicine with honours from the University of Melbourne in 2002. She trained in medicine at Austin and Northern Health, and subspecialised in Geriatric Medicine. She obtained her Fellowship of the Royal Australian College of Physicians in 2010. Concomitant with working as a consultant, she commenced a PhD looking at managements of obesity in older persons, under the supervision of Prof Joe Proietto and Prof Kwang Lim. This was completed in 2016. Cilla currently works as a geriatrician and general physician at Austin and Northern Health, and as a physician in the Weight Control Clinic at Austin Health. She likes to eat good food and drink good wine, travel and do CrossFit.

Authors

• Prof Joseph Proietto
• Dr Cilla Haywood
• Dr Priya Sumithran
• Dr Fiona Lee
• Dr Sarah Price
• Dr Gowri Somarajah

Application Procedure

Click on the ‘Enrol now’ button to be guided to the application form.

Contact Us

E: mobile-learning@unimelb.edu.au

T: +61 3 8344 5673