SCHOOL OF 2012-2013 - St. George's University

School of Medicine
Course Descriptions
of damage to the nervous system as seen in general
clinical medicine and in specialties such as Neurology,
Neurosurgery, Psychiatry and Ophthalmology and clinical
correlations complement the basic science components
of every course section. The course further aims to
facilitate the development of professional competencies,
which include clinical reasoning, components of practical
clinical skills used in neurological examinations, basic
interpretation of modern imaging techniques, and teambased
inter-personal skills, in particular through small
group practical sessions and interactive settings.
• Buzz Group Discussions of Clinical Cases
Buzz group discussions of clinical cases facilitate the
application of clinically relevant knowledge gained
during the preceding lectures. Participation in the case
discussions will enable students to develop their skills in
critical clinical thinking and reasoning. The discussions
are guided by faculty, while the class will split up into
small groups of 3 to 5 students each to discuss history and
examination, and to rationalize the diagnosis.
• Small Group Practical Sessions
Small group practical sessions of no more than six
students per group are targeted toward facilitating
the awareness and development of professional
competencies, which include clinical reasoning,
components of practical clinical skills used in neurological
examinations, basic interpretation of modern imaging
techniques, and team-based interpersonal skills.
Hands-on small group sessions on structure and
function before midterm help students to match the
three-dimensional structures of the central nervous
system with sections produced by modern imaging
techniques, such as CT scans and MRIs. After the
midterm, students are taking their first steps to perform
neurological examinations, while reviewing the underlying
mechanisms and discussing the expected outcomes under
physiological and pathological conditions.
Each of the small group sessions includes a clinical case
discussion related to the core material presented in these
sessions.
• Online Activities
The Neuroscience course website contains essential
course information, including lecture and small group
materials, announcements, calendar entries, gradebook,
and online activities. This allows students to review online
presentations for difficult concepts, study supplemental
material, complete online assignments or assessments,
take practice quizzes and communicate with faculty and
peers in discussion forums.
PHYS 560
Physiology
The aim of this course is to provide students with a clear
understanding of the most important concepts and
principles of medical physiology. The lectures provide the
information base while the laboratories and case studies
provide the student with an opportunity to assimilate and
integrate the material within a small group setting. The
first half covers cardiovascular, cellular, muscle physiology,
and an introduction to pharmacology. The second half
covers gastrointestinal, renal, pulmonary, and endocrine
physiology. Appropriate clinical perspectives are presented
throughout the course. Review sessions are scheduled on a
regular basis.
• Laboratory
Two human laboratory exercises pertaining to
cardiovascular and respiratory physiology are included in
the course. In addition, computer-assisted applications
are used to present real clinical cases. These cases are the
latest in multimedia presentation and include historical
clinical data, clinical imaging e.g. MRI and X-ray, and
patient interviews from real patient cases. For each of the
laboratories, students work in groups of five to six; groups
are assisted by a faculty member.
• Clinical Case Studies
Six clinical case studies pertaining to pharmacology,
autonomic function, cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, and
acid-base regulation are included in the course. For this
portion of the program, classes are broken up into small
discussion groups of five to six students.
Public Health and Preventive Medicine
Omur Cinar Elci, MD, PhD, FRSPH, Chair
PUBH 501
Topics in Community and Preventive Medicine:
Medicine in Society II
This course focuses on disease prevention, health
promotion, and population health, as well as on the
64 | St. George’s University