Pathophysiologic Basis of Medicine Unit

In this unit the student is introduced to clinical medicine through a series of lectures, seminars, and physical diagnosis tutorials during the second semester of the Mechanisms of Disease module.

The unit is organized by organ systems, corresponding to the subspecialty sections of internal medicine, and serves as a transition between the basic science courses and the clinical clerkships. Students not only learn the basic pathophysiologic concepts that unite and define groups of disease processes, they also develop a context in which to continue the study of medicine for many years to come.

The sessions generally consist of one-hour lectures for the entire class followed by seminars for eight to 20 students led by a member of the faculty in a given discipline. Most seminars are structured around one or more clinical vignettes designed to introduce and/or reinforce basic pathophysiologic concepts in a clinical context.

Physical Diagnosis Unit

This unit is designed to teach students how to elicit a comprehensive medical history and perform a detailed physical examination on patients. Emphasis is placed on the fundamentals of the anatomic and physiologic basis of normal physical findings and on how pathophysiologic changes alter patients' symptoms and physical signs.

Two students are assigned to an instructor, who meets with them for three hours every week. The students produce write-ups based on these patient encounters, which are then critiqued by their instructor.