ST. GEORGE'S UNIVERSITY • School of Medicine 2010-2011

Doctor of Medicine Course Descriptions
Selectives
Selectives are offered to Basic Sciences students during the
first two years of the four-year medical program. The objective
is to provide a structured learning experience in diverse
clinical and scholarly areas. They give students the opportunity
to integrate Basic Sciences knowledge into clinical areas and
may provide a transition into clinical medicine. Selectives are
offered by various departments and coordinated through the
Office of the Dean of Basic Sciences. There is a cost associated
with some of the following electives.
American Sign Language (ASL)
Robert Hage, MD, PhD, DLO, MBA
This one-credit selective is offered once a semester and will
fall within the start/stop dates of the first term semester. Ten
sessions are scheduled per semester. Students are expected
to attend and actively participate twice a week in a one-hour
session during which a teacher from the School for the Deaf
will teach American Sign Language (ASL). Guest speakers
will cover topics such as speech training, causes of deafness,
prevention of deafness, and hearing aids. This will add to each
session an element of theory and practical information related
to deafness. Students are expected to practice their acquired
sign language skills with each other between sessions and
demonstrate some of their skills during each session. Video
cassettes are available for viewing in the library. Visits to the
School for the Deaf are recommended.
Anatomical Education—Dissection and Multimedia
Marios Loukas, MD, PhD
The key objective of this one-term, two credit-hour selective
is furthering the development and enhancement of online
and offline anatomical sciences education and dissection
of multimedia materials. The primary goal is to expand
the competency of students involved by allowing them to
sharpen both their computing and their anatomy dissection
skills. Participants may produce high-quality prosections
and educational materials for any anatomical sciences
course, including gross anatomy, histology, embryology,
and undergraduate anatomy, or a combination thereof,
and develop a multimedia presentation. The multimedia
presentation includes 3D reconstructions, flash animations,
cadaveric prosected animations, and so forth.
Applied Anatomy Using Ultrasound and Nerve Mapper
Donny Shanahan, PhD
Brian Curry, PhD
This selective improves the anatomical knowledge of students
in the second term of the four-year medical program by using
cadaveric material to revisit the basic anatomy, and then using
an ultrasound machine to view the internal structure on live
volunteers of vital areas such as the neck and femoral triangle,
and a nerve mapper to show the position of nerves and vessels
in the living body in areas such as the neck, cubital fossa, and
femoral triangle. The course uses new technology to show
students the position of vital structures and reinforces the
relevance of clinical anatomy.
Applied Cell Biology and Histology
Jacques Gilloteaux, PhD
Using basic knowledge acquired in Cell Biology and Histology
during the first term of the four-year medical program,
selective students during their second term explore in more
depth some of the topics related to medical applications in
applied cell biology, histology of the human body, as well
as applying advanced morphological and related ancillary
techniques. The Applied Cell Biology and Histology selective
will review six major areas of cell, tissue, and organ system
investigations, as they can be relevant to reinforce cell biology
and histology knowledge. Students are also introduced to
principles of clinical histopathology. Students are given
the opportunity to critically read publications in these
topics to discuss and review the reports or presentations of
morphological data acquired in view of understanding their
clinical implications.
Bioethics Today
Cheryl Macpherson, PhD
The selective is designed for students with an interest in
bioethics who want to further develop their knowledge and
professional competencies. It deals with newsworthy concerns
in medicine, public health, research, environment, and more.
Fifteen contact hours can be spread over several semesters in
Grenada. Five or more hours each term will be led by faculty,
visiting professors, and students. Students in the Keith B.
Taylor Global Scholars Program are encouraged to enroll
and options for written assignments, sonic foundry, and/or
teleconferencing will be developed as needed. Students are
required to lead one seminar or journal club discussion during
their last year in Grenada. Most sessions are held at noon.
Clinical Professionalism in Sweden
Cheryl Macpherson, PhD
This intensive selective is held at Uppsala University in
Sweden over two weeks. It provides an opportunity to develop
professional competencies while learning about medicine,
professionalism, and the Swedish health care system. Students
interact with patients, doctors, and other medical students
in clinical and classroom settings. Students participate in
a briefing and de-briefing on campus before and after the
Uppsala experience. Students must cover their own costs
and arrangements for travel, accommodation, meals, and
incidental expenses. Advice about accommodation will be
provided.
Cardiopulmonary Life Support (ACLS)
Theresa McCann, PhD
During this advanced selective, students will enhance their
skills in the treatment of adult victims of cardiac arrest or other
cardiopulmonary emergencies. Students will learn current
American Heart Association (AHA) algorithmic approaches
to managing patients from both a cognitive and skills-based
approach using didactic video presentations and small
groups. This course emphasizes the importance of basic life
support CPR to patient survival, the integration of effective
basic life support with advanced cardiovascular life support
interventions, and the importance of effective team interaction
and communication during resuscitation. Cardiopulmonary
Life Support (ACLS) is based on simulated clinical scenarios
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