FOUR STEPS METHOD OF INTEGRATIVE TEACHING/LEARNING OF MEDICAL PATHOPHYSIOLOGY IN THE POSTGENOMIC ERA

Both general pathophysiology and special pathophysiology (nosology) use quantitative scientific and qualitative narrative knowledge as foundations for conceptualization of underlying etiology and pathogenesis. We developed a teaching/learning model of problem based pathophysiology which contains four elements. Exposition of problem contains abbreviated presentation (up to two pages) of “raw data” derived from patient records, selected publications with experimental data, etc. Each problem is specifically referred to relevant parts of textbooks and other sources of study. Repetition of relevant knowledge is a multiple choice test, whose statements are related to the exposition and referred teaching materials. Algorhythmic workout of the pathogenesis is task in which students, out of given 25–30 units of etiopathogenesis, build‐up the cause‐consequence sequence of events, with positive and negative feedback loops. Feedback integration of the problem deals with additional relations, systematization and quantitative aspects of the same problem. Four reiterative steps seem to be the efficient way to deal with complexities. It nurtures vertical, horizontal and longitudinal conceptualization of the problem. Both systemic biology visions and ever growing plethora of potentially relevant data are mastered by students during active analysis and integration of the given clinical problem.