Required Course Descriptions
- INDE 201 – Practice of Medicine I
11 units, Aut (C. Braddock, staff). The Practice of Medicine extends throughout the first two years of medical school, interweaving core skills training in history-taking and the physical examination with four major threads addressing computers in the medical environment, nutrition principles, quantitative medicine, and the physician in society. A variety of teaching formats are used, including large group lectures, small group (8-12 learners) discussions, smaller groups (2-3 learners) for clinical demonstrations, clinical problem-based cases, standardized patients, videotaping and feedback about clinical interviews, self-paced learning, and team learning to emphasize both individual accountability and group problem-solving. Throughout the curriculum, clinical correlations map directly back to the basic science content, whether in gross anatomy, molecular foundations of biology, or physiology. In the second year, problem-based learning cases apply the anatomy, biochemistry, pharmacology, and physiology to clinical scenarios.
History-taking and physical examination training begins in the first quarter, using small groups with physician preceptors to teach, serve as role models, and reinforce principles and techniques. Large group sessions cover a range of topics from cross-cultural issues to domestic violence and death and dying. Small group meetings provide an environment for interactive learning. Standardized patients with videotaping coupled with feedback are used to improve student skills.
Computers in the medical environment introduces students to informatics and knowledge management in its practical and theoretical applications. Designed to support research in the Scholarly Concentrations and information needs in clinical experiences, the curriculum includes traditional information retrieval-management instruction, introduction to biomedical informatics, evidence-based medicine searching, and knowledge management. Specific skills to master include Medline searching, bibliographic databases, graphical presentations for results, and clinical decision-support software and databases.
Nutrition principles are acquired through web-based instruction for self-paced learning in parallel to the basic science components over the first year.
Quantitative Medicine focuses on clinical and epidemiological studies. Students learn how to read a journal article and how to recognize and understand the concepts behind different clinical study designs (e.g., case-control, cohort, randomized clinical trial). Topics include bias, confounding, diagnostic testing and screening, and “how statistics can lie.” The emphasis is on concepts. Understanding the reasoning behind calculations and formulas is stressed rather than memorization.
The Physician in Society explores the basic principles of health care policy, covering such topics as health care costs, access to care, the measurement and improvement of quality of care, regulation and health care reform. Course lectures are intermixed with small group discussions. Components include the bioethics of confidentiality, informed consent, constrained resources, rationing of care, cost containment, and patient advocacy. Psychiatry sessions explore psychological illnesses with direct observation of patient interviews, held in various hospitals in the area. The sessions emphasize, “Recognize what is common and what is catastrophic.”
- SURG 201 – Basic Cardiac Life Support
1 unit. (R. Smith-Coggins). Certification must be achieved by all medical students before the end of the first (autumn) quarter. Students who provide documentation of certification received within six months prior to the date of matriculation will be exempted from the requirement. The course teaches one- and two-rescuer CPR, management of an obstructed airway, and CPR for infants and children. Upon completion of the course, students will receive an American Heart Association certificate in BLS.
- SURG 203A – Human Anatomy
YEAR ONE, Q1: Autumn – Weeks 1-411 units, Aut (L. Mathers, staff). Surgery 203A represents an introduction to human structure and function. Information is presented from a medical perspective and is meant to prepare students to move onward in the medical curriculum. The course includes an introduction to the physical examination and information on frequently-used medical imaging techniques. Students are required to attend lectures, actively participate in seminar groups, and engage in dissection of the human body in the anatomy laboratory. Surgery 203A presents structure of the thorax, abdomen, pelvis and limbs.
- BIOC 205 – Molecular Foundations of Medicine
3 units, Aut (P. Brown). Topics include: DNA structure, replication, repair, and recombination; chromosome structure and function; gene expression including mechanisms for regulating transcription and translation; and methods for manipulating DNA, RNA, and proteins. Patient presentations illustrate how molecular biology affects the practice of medicine. (Enrollment limited to MD candidates.)
- INDE 216 – Cells to Tissues
YEAR ONE, Q1: Autumn – Weeks 5-133 units, Aut (J. Theriot, P. Cross, staff). Focuses on the cell biology and structural organization of human tissues as self-renewing systems. Topics include identification and differentiation of stem cells, regulation of the cell cycle and apoptosis in normal and cancerous cells, cell adhesion and polarity in epithelial tissues, intracellular transport, and cell migration. Histology laboratory sessions examine normal and abnormal samples of blood, epithelia, skin, connective tissue, muscle, bone and cartilage. Patient presentations and small group discussions of current medical literature illustrate how cell biology influences medical practice.
- DBIO 201 – Development and Disease Mechanisms
4 units, Aut (D. Kingsley, Seung Kim, E. Porzig, J. Crabtree, M. Scott). This course focuses on the mechanisms that direct human development, from conception to birth. Conserved molecular and cellular pathways regulate tissue and organ development in humans and other species. Errors in these pathways result in congenital anomalies, and common human diseases. Topics include: molecules regulating development, cell induction, developmental gene regulation, cell migration, programmed cell death, pattern formation, stem cells, cell lineage, and development of major organ systems. Emphasis is devoted to links between development and clinically significant topics, including infertility, assisted reproductive technologies, contraception, pre-natal diagnosis, multiparity, teratogenesis, inherited birth defects, and fetal therapy. Lectures connect fundamental discoveries in developmental biology to advances in disease diagnosis, therapy, and prevention in clinical medicine. Open to undergraduates, by consent of instructor.
- GENE 202 – Human Genetics
YEAR ONE, Q2: Winter – 9 weeks4 units, Aut (J. Ford, R. Myers). The theoretical and experimental basis for the genetics of human health and disease. Lectures and clinical case discussions in molecular, chromosomal, biochemical, developmental, cancer and medical genetics, emphasizing the latter. Prerequisites: knowledge of biochemistry and basic genetics.
- INDE 202 – Practice of Medicine II
8 units, Win (C. Braddock, staff). History-taking and physical examination, computers in the medical environment, nutrition principles, quantitative medicine, and the physician in society are covered. See INDE 201 for a complete description of the Practice of Medicine course series.
- INDE 220 – Human Health and Disease I
2 units, Win (J. Whitlock, D. Regula). Basic principles of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics are discussed. The principles of neoplasia (tumors) are introduced. This course establishes the foundation for the Human Health and Disease block which spans Q3 (Spring quarter Year One) through Q5 (Winter quarter Year Two). The Human Health and Disease block presents organ system-based histology, pathology, physiology, pharmacology, and microbiology in a sequence of interdisciplinary courses. Each organ-specific integrated course includes a review of the anatomy and related histology, normal function of that organ system, how the organ system is affected by and responds to disease including infection, and how diseases of that organ system are treated (therapeutics). Clinical correlates and clinical skills related to that organ system are presented in special afternoon sessions in the Practice of Medicine block.
- MI 205 – Immunology for Medical Practice
4 units, Win (D. Lewis). The basic concepts of adaptive and innate immunology and the role of the immune system in a variety of diseases, utilizing case presentations of diseases including autoimmune diseases, infectious disease, transplantation, genetic and acquired immunodeficiencies, hypersensitivity reactions, and allergic diseases. Weekly problem sets are mainly based on case reports and publications drawn from the current clinical literature. Emphasis is on application of the fundamental concepts of human immunology. (Same as IMMUNOL 205 and PATH 205 – first-year medical students enroll in MI 205 only.)
- NBIO 206 – The Nervous System
8 units, Win (T. Clandinin, B. Barres, E. Knudsen, T. Moore, W. Newsome, J. Raymond, L. Stryer). Focus is on the principles of neuroanatomy and neurobiology. Course material is covered in five course sections and includes transmission of electrical signals, anatomic organization of the human nervous system, neural systems, and higher brain functions. Human brains are dissected and examined in weekly laboratory sessions. In both lectures and laboratories, the application of the course material to localizing and diagnosing neurological dysfunction is emphasized throughout the course.
- SURG 203B – Human Anatomy
YEAR ONE, Q3: Spring – 9 weeks4 units, Win (L. Mathers, staff). Surgery 203B continues the introduction to human structure and function, focusing on structure of the head, neck and back.
- INDE 203 – Practice of Medicine III
8 units, Spr (C. Braddock, staff). History-taking and physical examination, computers in the medical environment, nutrition principles, quantitative medicine, and the physician in society are covered. See INDE 201 for a complete description of the Practice of Medicine course series.
- INDE 221 – Human Health and Disease II
YEAR TWO, Q4: Autumn – 13 weeks12 units, Aut (B. Kobilka, P. Kao, P. Cross, D. Regula, J. Whitlock). Structure, function, disease, and therapeutics of the Cardiovascular and Respiratory Systems.
- INDE 204 – Practice of Medicine IV
10 units, Aut (C. Braddock, staff). History-taking and physical examination, computers in the medical environment, nutrition principles, quantitative medicine, and the physician in society are covered. See INDE 201 for a complete description of the Practice of Medicine course series.
- INDE 222 – Human Health and Disease III
YEAR TWO, Q5: Winter – 9 weeks15 units, Aut (A. Lowe, T. Meyer, N. Gesundheit, P. Cross, D. Regula, R. Siegel, J. Whitlock). Structure, function, disease, and therapeutics of the Respiratory System (Part II). Structure, function, disease, and therapeutics of the Renal/Genito-urinary System, the Gastrointestinal system, and the Endocrine/Reproductive system.
- INDE 205 – Practice of Medicine V
8 units, Win (C. Braddock, staff). History-taking and physical examination, computers in the medical environment, nutrition principles, quantitative medicine, and the physician in society are covered. See INDE 201 for a complete description of the Practice of Medicine course series.
- INDE 223 – Human Health and Disease IV
YEAR TWO, Q6: Spring – 4 weeks12 units, Win (B. Glader, P. Cross, D. Regula, R. Siegel, J. Whitlock). Structure, function, disease, and therapeutics of the hematologic system, multisystem problems, brain and behavior.
- INDE 206 – Practice of Medicine VI
9 units, Win (C. Braddock, staff). This is the last segment of the Practice of Medicine series. Students spend seven hours per day, four days a week, in an intensive, one-month learning experience. Complex problem-based cases are developed and standardized patient simulation experiences are provided to maximize student opportunity to incorporate previous instruction in the basic sciences and clinical components in a dynamic setting prior to beginning clinical clerkship experiences.
Student Pathways through Human Health and Disease (HHD) and Practice of Medicine (POM)
- All quarters of HHD and POM must be done in the established curricular sequence:
HHD (Human Health and Disease)Q2 – INDE 220
Q3 – INDE 221
Q4 – INDE 222
Q5 – INDE 223
POM (Practice of Medicine)
Q1 – INDE 201
Q2 – INDE 202
Q3 – INDE 203
Q4 – INDE 204
Q5 – INDE 205
Q6 – INDE 206 (four weeks)
- Students wishing to take a quarter (or more) off will be expected to reenter the curriculum sequence one year later where he/she left off.
- Students with compelling reasons for taking courses out of order may submit a petition to the Committee on Courses and Curriculum.
- Students should understand that such approval will be rare and granted only under very unusual circumstances.
- Taking a year (or more) out for full-time research
- Students can step out of the curriculum following any quarter to do full-time research, picking up the curriculum at the point they left off except after Q6, as stipulated below.
- Students wishing to take a year out after completing the entire basic science curriculum and before beginning clerkships will do so by completing Q1 – Q5, re-entering to complete Q6 (one month of POM) prior to beginning clerkships.
- Splitting the two-year curriculum over three years
- The course directors support the principle that splitting the two-year curriculum over three years may be desirable for some students, such as for Scholarly Concentrations that would lend themselves better to part-time research over two years rather than full-time research for one year.
- Students wishing to split the two-year curriculum over three years must do so by splitting the morning HHD and the afternoon POM curriculum in one of two ways:
Option #1 – Split curriculum begins following Q2:
HHD (mornings) only: Q3 (Spr) --> Q4 (Aut) --> Q5 (Win)
followed by
POM (afternoons) only: Q3 (Spr) --> Q4 (Aut) --> Q5 (Win) --> Q6 (Spr)
Option #2 – Split curriculum begins following completion of Q3:
HHD (mornings) only: Q4 (Aut) --> Q5 (Win) --> [Q3 Spring quarter no classes]
followed by
POM (afternoons) only: Q4 (Aut) --> Q5 (Win) --> Q6 (Spr)
- Afternoon integrative Clinical Correlates exercises
- Weekly afternoon clinical correlates exercises have been designed to integrate the basic science knowledge of the HHD course with the clinical skills of the POM course. Students splitting the curriculum participate in these exercises as part of the POM course (with POM taking responsibility for the assessment of student learning in these exercises).