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Integrating medical histology and physiology in an organ systems approach
Author(s) -
Heidger Paul M.,
Schmidt Gregory A.,
Schmidt Thomas J.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.23.1_supplement.310.1
Subject(s) - organ system , physiology , curriculum , function (biology) , medical education , relevance (law) , integrated curriculum , gross anatomy , medical physics , medicine , pathology , psychology , biology , disease , pedagogy , evolutionary biology , political science , law
Within the first‐year medical curriculum at Iowa, structure/function concepts formerly treated in separate histology and physiology courses are fully integrated within an organ systems course (Human Organ Systems, HOS). A core of didactic lectures is amplified by a comprehensive virtual and optical histology laboratory, and by selected virtual laboratory demonstrations in physiology. Each organ system bloc is introduced by lectures that provide the structural foundation upon which physiologic and clinical concepts are developed. Faculty are drawn from both basic science and relevant clinical departments. HOS is offered concurrently with other basic science courses, including medical neuroscience, and the semester following medical courses in gross anatomy, cell biology, and biochemistry. This provides ample opportunity for integrating and correlating concepts across several disciplines and levels of biologic organization. Computerized exams cover both structure/function concepts and histologic imaging. The course, as it has evolved over the past twelve years, is enthusiastically received by both students and faculty, with integration of structure/function/clinical relevance being cited annually by students as outstanding.