Principles of Medical Physiology

(BMS 6500)

February 13 - June 7, 2006

Copyright © 2005, Department of Physiology and Functional Genomics, University of Florida. Please see the College of Medicine's Disclaimer and Permitted Use Statement.

COURSE SYLLABUS

A. Overview

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Principles of Medical Physiology (BMS 6500) is designed for medical students to learn and comprehend functions of the human body that are essential for clinical medicine.

ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE OF DEPARTMENT

Course Director: Pushpa S. Kalra, Ph.D. (392-4169), pkalra@phys.med.ufl.edu

Departmental Chair: Charles E. Wood, Ph.D. (392-4488), cwood@phys.med.ufl.edu

Course office assistant: Kevin Fortin (392-3794) kfortin@phys.med.ufl.edu

Other primary Physiology Faculty responsible for coordinating the different sections of this course are shown below. Additional clinical and basic science faculty will participate in several aspects of the course. Issues within each individual section should be directly addressed to the listed section coordinator. Issues concerning the course as a whole should be addressed to Dr. Kalra.

Cardiovascular Section, Charles Wood, Ph.D. (392-4488), cwood@phys.med.ufl.edu

Endocrine Section, Pushpa Kalra, Ph.D. (392-4169), pkalra@phys.med.ufl.edu

Respiratory Section, Peter Sayeski, Ph.D. (392-1816), psayeski@phys.med.ufl.edu

Renal Section, Chris Baylis, Ph.D. (392-7869),  baylisc@ufl.edu

Gastrointestinal Section, Bruce Stevens, Ph.D. (392-4480), stevens@phys.med.ufl.edu

Students may contact individual faculty outside of class via email, by phone, or in person after arranging a convenient time. If a question arises that may benefit the entire class, students can post questions on the Blackboard website for the course. Please logon with your Blackboard username and password:

http://blackboard.health.ufl.edu

The faculty response may include the contents of the students' original question. When the same general question is posed by several students, a single consensus response will be made. The Q/A web page is not a real-time chat room, so check back at a later date for possible answers to your questions.

COURSE CONTENT

Lecture material covers normal physiology, as well as selected diseases and pathophysiological conditions. Concepts are organized by systems: Cardiovascular, Endocrine, Respiratory, Renal and Acid/Base, and Gastrointestinal. A thread of functional genomics ties much of the information. The course consists of didactic lectures covering basic science and clinical correlations, quiz conferences, small group discussions, student presentations to the class, quantitative and demonstration workshops, laboratory exercises, review sessions, web-based instruction, and exams. Didactic lectures are generally presented daily in room C1-15 or C1-17 of the Communicore building. Sites of other activities are generally in MDL-7, with additional labs and rooms assigned as needed. The course is 6 credits.

The entire course, including weekly schedule, is accessed from the Blackboard web page at:

http://blackboard.health.ufl.edu

This includes up-to-date schedules, which are also posted at

http://medinfo.ufl.edu/cgi-bin/ecal.cgi?dir=c09yr1;mon=060201

The department's home page is

http://www.med.ufl.edu/phys/.

Small groups may meet periodically with the faculty to discuss current issues about the course to give the faculty feedback.

Enjoy it! We hope that this course will be a useful and constructive learning experience for you. We believe that developing a solid background in basic physiology, and integrating it with clinical experiences will serve you well during your medical career.

EDUCATIONAL PHILIOSOPHY OF COURSE

Physiology is the science of how the body functions, and is the basis for understanding modern clinical medicine. It is the responsibility of the student to comprehend physiological facts and principles for subsequent use in advanced learning and practice of medicine. The faculty will guide students in learning individual facts and in integrating the knowledge in order to understand how organ systems work independently and interdepently in the body. We hope that this course will be a useful and constructive learning experience for you. We believe that developing a solid background in basic physiology, and integrating it with clinical experiences will serve you well during your medical career.

B. LEARNING OBJECTIVES

1. COMPETENCY CATEGORIES: Core Discipline Competency; Professional Behavior Competency; Problem Solving Competency.

2. LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

CORE DISCIPLINE COMPETENCY. Demonstrate knowledge of the following physiological systems: (1) Cardiovascular, (2) Endocrinology, (3) Respiration, (4) Renal, (5) Gastrointestinal.

PROFESSIONAL BEHAVIOR COMPETENCY. In accordance with the policy of the Office of Medical Education, appropriate professional behavior (attendance, participation, appropriate interactions, especially in small group settings) will be expected and noted by the faculty. Students are required to attend and participate in the workshops, quiz conferences, and the other activities that supplement the lectures. Lecture attendance is not mandatory, but is highly encouraged.

PROBLEM SOLVING COMPETENCY. Demonstrate the ability to apply physiological principles of clinical relevancy by written examination.

3. LEARNING ACTIVITIES.

Lectures, Workshops, Quiz Conferences, Small Group Discussions, Lab Exercises:
For each section of the course, most of the information is delivered in lecture format. Each section will also hold several sessions with students organized in small groups. Students will work with open books in the MDL rooms, patient-simulator labs, or other designated classrooms. Students should consult with each other and the instructors who are present during these sessions. The sessions will help students learn basic concepts through problem solving, and will reinforce and supplement lecture material that will be covered in the Exams. These exercises will not be assigned point values per se, although participation is expected.

Review Sessions:
Faculty have scheduled review sessions before each exam for the entire class to review material covered on each exam.
Integrative Lectures:
Four lectures incorporating and integrating the concepts learned in the five sections of Physiology will be presented at the end of the GI section and before the National Board shelf exam.
Learning Resources:
The text for this course is Medical Physiology by Boron and Boulpaep, Updated Edition (2004, ISBN 1-4160-2328-3). In addition, much of the information conveyed during the course will be provide in the form of handouts. Many sections will incorporate demonstrations by faculty, or hands-on exercises conducted by students, concerning computerized physiological simulators or medical equipment.

4. EVALUATION METHOD.

The Core Competency and Problem Solving Competency are evaluated using multiple choice examinations. The Behavior Competency is not quantified, but is noted by the faculty.

C. EVALUATION OF STUDENT PERFORMANCE

Core Competency Exams will follow the multiple choice format, administered by computer, according to the calendar set by the Office of Medical Education. In addition, the National Board of Medical Examiners Physiology Subject Exam will be administered at the end of the course.

Exam 1 CARDIOVASCULAR
Monday, March 6, 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM
Exam 2 ENDOCRINE
Monday, April 3, 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM
Exam 3 RESPIRATION
Monday, April 24, 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM
Exam 4 RENAL
Monday, May 15, 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Exam 5 GASTROINTESTINAL
Monday, June 5, 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM
Exam 6 National Board of Medical Examiners Physiology Subject Exam
Wednesday, June 7, 8:00 AM

Five Core Competency Exams (collectively): 90%
National Board of Medical Examiners Physiology Subject Exam 10%
Professional Behavior (no score, but faculty will observe professional behavior and forward reports of any unsatisfactory behavior to the Dean) 0%
TOTAL 100%

Formative Evaluation and Feedback

There are three modalities of formative feedback of student learning.

  1. Written exam scores are distributed following each exam.

  2. A "post-exam lookover" will follow each exam. This is an informal one hour online self-assessment session in room CG-28 whereby students may look over their exam responses along with the answer key. These sessions will occur approximately 1 week after each exam. A faculty member and/or TA will attend the sessions.

  3. Mid-term faculty assessment of student performance. At the midpoint in the course, the faculty will collectively review student performances. Individual student appointments will be scheduled to discuss midpoint progress.

Summative Evaluation

Summative evaluations of students' learning will be based on the core competency-based objectives stated above. The final grading scale will be determined after all exams have been completed. The course final grade is based on the total points accrued over all exams. An example grading scale from past years is shown below. The course director will adopt a scale that represents a fair distribution, and the final grading scale break points may shift downward but not upward.

A  =  92 - 100 

B+ =  90 - 91.9 

B  =  85 - 89.9 

C+ =  84 - 84.9 

C  =  75 - 83.9 

D  =  72 - 74.9 

F  =  less than 72

Handouts/Exam Grades

Medical students will receive handout materials in mailboxes. Exam grades will be posted online.

POLICY FOR ACCOMMODATING STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

Students requesting classroom accommodation must first register with the Dean of Students Office. The Dean of Students Office will provide documentation to the student who must then provide this documentation to the Instructor when requesting accommodation.

ACADEMIC HONESTY PLEDGE

The following is a direct quotation from the University of Florida Rules - 6Cl-4.0l72 - Student Honor Code (available online at http://regulations.ufl.edu/chapter4/).

THE HONOR CODE:

We, the members of the University of Florida community, pledge to hold ourselves and our peers to the highest standards of honesty and integrity.

On all work submitted for credit by students at the University of Florida, the following pledge is either required or implied:

"On my honor, I have neither given nor received unauthorized aid in doing this assignment."

The following is a direct quotation from the University of Florida Rules - 6C1-4.017 Student Affairs: Academic Honesty Guidelines (available online at http://regulations.ufl.edu/chapter4/).

(1) All students are required to abide by the Academic Honesty Guidelines which have been accepted by the University and are set forth in this rule.

(2) The conduct set forth hereinafter constitutes a violation of the Academic Honesty Guidelines. Those adjudged to have committed such conduct shall be subject to the sanctions provided in 6C1-4.016.

(a) Cheating — The improper taking or tendering of any information or material which shall be used to determine academic credit. Taking of information includes, but is not limited to, copying graded homework assignments from another student; working together with another individual(s) on a take-home test or homework when not specifically permitted by the teacher; looking or attempting to look at another student's paper during an examination; looking or attempting to look at text or notes during an examination when not permitted. Tendering of information includes, but is not limited to, giving your work to another student to be used or copied; giving someone answers to exam questions either when the exam is being given or after having taken an exam; giving or selling a term paper or other written materials to another student; sharing information on a graded assignment.

(b) Plagiarism — The attempt to represent the work of another as the product of one's own thought, whether the other's work is published or unpublished, or simply the work of a fellow student. Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to, quoting oral or written materials without citation on an exam, term paper, homework, or other written materials or oral presentations for an academic requirement; submitting a paper which was purchased from a term paper service as your own work; submitting anyone else's paper as your own work.

(c) Bribery — The offering, giving, receiving or soliciting of any materials, items or services of value to gain academic advantage for yourself or another.

(d) Misrepresentation — Any act or omission with intent to deceive a teacher for academic advantage. Misrepresentation includes using computer programs generated by another and handing it in as your own work unless expressly allowed by the teacher; lying to a teacher to increase your grade; lying or misrepresenting facts when confronted with an allegation of academic dishonesty.

(e) Conspiracy — The planning or acting with one or more persons to commit any form of academic dishonesty to gain academic advantage for yourself or another.

(f) Fabrication — The use of invented or fabricated information, or the falsification of research or other findings with the intent to deceive for academic or professional advantage.

(3) Faculty Determination Process.

(a) When a student is alleged to have violated the Academic Honesty Guidelines, the faculty member involved should meet with the student and attempt to determine if a disciplinary proceeding is warranted. The faculty member can request that the department chair or other appropriate University official attend this meeting as a witness. The faculty member may impose the sanction of Reduced or Failing Grade and an appropriate Educational Requirement specified in Rule 6C1-4.016(2), F.A.C., without a prior recommendation if:

1. The faculty member confirms with the Dean of Students Office that the violation would be a first offense and no circumstances require the imposition of a sanction other than Reduced or Failing Grade and an Educational Requirement specified in Rule 6C1-4.016(2); and

2. The student and faculty member reach agreement as to a sanction.

(b) The student shall not be permitted to drop the class once informed of a suspected academic honesty violation. Any class that is dropped in violation of this restriction shall be reinstated until the charges are resolved.

(c) The student's agreement to a sanction shall constitute a waiver of all other available adjudicatory procedures or appeals.

(d) The faculty member shall forward a copy of the agreement with the student to Student Judicial Affairs.

(e) The faculty member involved shall refer the student to the Director of Student Judicial Affairs or his or her designee, rather than take action, if disciplinary action may be warranted, but it appears that:

1. The violation would not be a first offense;

2. A sanction such as Probation, Suspension, or Expulsion would be warranted; or

3. The student does not agree to the sanction proposed by the faculty member involved.

(f) A student who is charged with an academic honesty violation by a faculty member and who does not agree to accept the faculty member's sanction or for whom the faculty adjudication process is not appropriate, as stated above, shall meet with the Director of Student Judicial Affairs or designee to be advised of the hearing procedures, the hearing options, and student's rights. The student shall indicate his or her choice of a formal hearing before the Student Honor Court, the Student Conduct Committee, or the Director of Student Judicial Affairs or designee. The case will then be referred to the appropriate body or person for investigation and action. Jurisdiction for Health Center students and College of Law students is provided in Rule 6C1-4.013(1)(d) and (e), F.A.C. If the selected hearing body is unable to conduct a hearing within the time provided under Rule 6C1-4.013, F.A.C., the Director of Student Judicial Affairs may reassign the matter to another hearing body ! or person pursuant to Rule 6C1-4.013(4), F.A.C.