Medicine BMedSci and BMBS

This module provides students with further background to anatomy, radiology and imaging, coupled with a basic understanding of clinical measurements (biochemical, physiological, pharmacological and numerical) that will be essential for progress in clinical medicine.

This module contributes to further development of an understanding of the doctor as a professional. Students will be taught the basic knowledge, skills and attitudes required for the assessment and management of patients. Students will be introduced to the patient as a whole person.

They will be asked to consider challenging ethical scenarios and will be taught how to communicate sensitively and empathetically with different patients in various scenarios.

The module will provide students with some basic clinical skills (e.g. taking a patient history, assessing gastrointestinal function) and introduce them to theoretical and statistical approaches to understanding health.

This is delivered by lectures, popular topics, directed reading, private study, workshops, practical classes and hospital and general practice clinical visits to both primary and secondary care.

This module enables development and assessment of the student’s capacity to integrate knowledge across all body systems to assess patient and symptom presentation permitting differential diagnosis.

The module will include understanding of anatomy, physiology, biochemistry and pharmacology as well as clinical testing and patient communication and treatment and will build upon knowledge and skills obtained from the case studies that overarch each week.

This module aims to develop knowledge and understanding of fundamental biochemical, physiological, pharmacological and anatomical concepts and their relation to gastrointestinal disease processes, endocrine physiology, the reproductive system and the kidney.

The module will provide an introduction to the alimentary system, and important aspects of nutrition and metabolism.

In addition, endocrine system teaching will provide the knowledge base for management of disease. This module will include the non-reproductive endocrine system with particular attention on pituitary, adrenal, thyroid and pancreatic function. As the endocrine system is a key system involved in whole body homeostasis, principles of control and integration of metabolism will be re-visited.

The reproductive system will cover the male and female reproductive system and pregnancy with particular attention on function of the ovary and testes, endometrial, cervical epithelial and prostate gland changes, placental physiology, problems in pregnancy and hormonal control of the reproductive system.

Renal teaching will provide descriptions of the intrarenal circulation and its relation to tubular elements, the processes located to the proximal tubule, loop of Henle, distal tubule and collecting duct, and the integration of these systems in the control of extracellular fluid volume and osmolality (including hormonal mechanisms) and in acid-base balance.

Students will be continue their general practice clinical visits. They will also be taught the skills of history taking and examination for patients with abdominal/alimentary conditions and they will be taught how to clearly explain information to patients. They will also focus on patients with an endocrine condition and will be taught diversity in sexuality and how to challenge attitudes of prejudice. Students will examine eyes and ears using an otoscope and ophthalmoscope.

Students will revisit the concept of safety, considering foresight, hazard awareness and risk. Students will also be introduced to measures of disease frequency and its relevance in clinical medicine. Physical and psychological changes and health behaviours that occur during adolescence will be explored. They will also be introduced to the concepts of systems and basic quality improvement approaches in healthcare. Further epidemiological analysis and the basis of evidence-based medicine will be introduced.

Topic specific communication skills will be explored. Having previously considered why errors occur they will explore the steps and role of incident analysis in healthcare, including Duty of Candour. They will also explore the role of nontechnical skills in healthcare with a focus on teamwork, communication, decision making and situation monitoring.

Delivery will predominantly be via lectures, podcasts, workshops, anatomical dissection classes, clinical visits, e-microscope histology and directed private study.

This module provides an introduction to the basic anatomy, physiology, pharmacology and psychology of the central nervous system.

The module aims to develop knowledge of these fundamental principles within the context of relevant weekly themes. The theme-based content will begin with a focus on depression and anxiety.

Students will be provided with a general introduction to the relevant brain anatomy followed by an in depth examination of the system physiology and pharmacology. The depression and anxiety theme will include individual sessions on the limbic system, emotion and mood, and treatment strategies. Ultimately, this will provide the basis for understanding theme based functions and the production of behaviours.

Subsequent weekly themes include:

• pain (including sessions on neuropsychology of pain, the use of anaesthetics, and pain management)
• movement disorders (including sessions on the anatomy and pharmacology of movement, Parkinson’s and Huntington’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and executive function)
• dementia (including sessions on Alzheimer’s disease, neuropsychological assessment, and memory)
• sensory disorders (including sessions on the visual and auditory systems and epilepsy)
• and serious mental illness (including sessions on neurotransmission, attention, language, and schizophrenia).

Content will be delivered through lectures, podcasts, and practical classes on brain dissection, clinical neurological demonstrations and plenary lectures. Furthermore, the module also continues to consider the themes of patient safety and human factors as well as continuing with their primary care visits. Students will be expected to engage in directed reading and private study.

The global health module enables students to examine the social, cultural, and political boundaries placed upon global health and health promotion and the impact on health outcomes. The role of global governing bodies and policy are critically reviewed in the context of current topical public health and wellbeing issues.

The module will cover the following topics:

• The role of governing bodies in global health
• Health inequalities from a global perspective
• Health priorities for improving global health
• Communicable and non-communicable disease in the context of global health
• The influence of health care systems in addressing health needs