Department of
Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine

CCMD 730 Syllabus

HUMAN FUNCTION - 2019 Syllabus

Course Description

The Human Function Course uses an integrated approach to teaching first year medical students. It combines the traditional subjects of biochemistry, human genetics and physiology in one course. Information is conveyed to students in several modes: lectures, problem solving exercises, clinical correlations and computer-aided instruction. In addition, problem based learning (PBL) is integrated with Human Function, such that clinical cases are covered that are related to the subject matter being presented in lectures. Hence, a considerable amount of instructional time will be devoted to self-learning activities. The overall goal of the Human Function Module is not only to teach medical students basic science information, but further, to allow them to develop the problem-solving skills needed for the practice of medicine.

Required Textbooks

"Board Review Series: Biochemistry, Molecular Biology & Genetics", Sixth Edition, by Michael A. Lieberman and Rick Ricer, Lippincot, Williams & Wilkins, Publ., Baltimore, MD (2014)

“Genetics in Medicine”, 7th Edition. Thompson and Thompson, editors, Saunders (2007)

“Lippincott's Illustrated Reviews: Physiology”, Thirteenth edition, by Robin R. Preston and Thad Wilson, Lippincot, Williams & Wilkins, Publishers, Baltimore, MD (2012)

Recommended Text

"Medical Physiology, 3rd Edition", Walter Boron and Emile Boulpaep, Elsevier (2016).

"Textbook of Biochemistry with Clinical Correlations", Seventh Edition, Thomas M. Devlin, Editor, Wiley-Liss, Publ., NY (2011)

The Human Function faculty post material on the course website that is sufficient for their portions of the course.

The faculty recommend the above texts to students as a reference tool and to augment and extend course materials.

Grading Policy

The grade in Human Function is based on performance on block examinations, which are given at 3-week intervals, and will be composed of multiple-choice questions. In addition, a National Board (NBME) Subject Examination in Biochemistry and a NBME Subject Examination in Physiology will be given as final comprehensive examinations.

The overall grade in Human Function will be calculated as follows:

Block Examinations 1 through 5 = 80%
NBME Subject Exam in Biochemistry = 10%
NBME Subject Exam in Physiology = 10%

Separate grades will be determined for both the Physiology component and the Biochemistry/Genetics component of Human Function and students are required to pass both components (score of greater than 75.0%) in order to pass Human Function. The separate component scores will be based on the questions from each component on the five block exams (85%) and the score on the NBME Subject exam (15%).

The grading scale is as follows:

Honors (H): Not more than the top 15% of class
Pass (P): 75.0% or greater overall AND 75.0% or greater in both the Physiology component and the Biochemistry/Genetics component
Fail (F): Less than 75.0% overall, OR less than 75.0% in either the Physiology component or the Biochemistry/Genetics component

The Course Director reports the overall performance of each student to the Committee on Academic and Professional Standards (CAPS), including overall grade, performance in the Biochemistry/Genetics and Physiology components of the course, NBME subject exam results, comments on overall performance and small-group effort, and any other relevant descriptors of performance. Remediation of a failing score on any component of Human Function will be at the discretion of the Committee on Academic and Professional Standards.

Students are NOT required to pass the NBME subject exams in order to pass the course, but failing scores will be reported to the Committee on Academic and Professional Standards at the end of the semester. Passing scores on the NBME subject exams will be at the 12th percentile or greater. In order to average the subject exam score with the Human Function block exams, an “adjusted score” is calculated by equating the 12th percentile score to a 75% and equating the 99th percentile score to a 100%. A linear equation is used to calculate how scores between the 12th and 99th percentile equate to scores between 75% and 100%. The equation to calculate the adjusted subject exam score is shown below:

Adj Score = 75% + ((S – S12) *(100% - 75%))/(S99 – S12)

Where: S = students score

S12 = score for the 12th percentile

S99 = score for the 99th percentile

Please note that in rare instances questions may be mis-keyed or errors may occur in our examinations. In such cases, the Course Director will make the appropriate grading corrections.

Active Learning & Integration Sessions

There will be two review sessions per week on Thursday and Friday from 11:00 to 11:50. Attendance at these sessions is voluntary. In general, the instructors for the Thursday session will be the instructors who lectured on the previous Friday, Monday & Tuesday. Instructors for the Friday session will be the instructors who lectured on the previous Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Instructors will present students with questions similar to what will appear on exams. Audience response software (TurningPoint) will be used to allow students to respond to the questions. The questions will not be posted beforehand, and the answers will not be posted afterward. Student’s responses will be anonymous and the goal is to provide a venue for students to explore the depth of their knowledge and engage the instructors in discussion. On the Monday after each exam there will be a Clinical Problem Solving sessions led by Dr. Paternostro. The objective for these sessions is to give students instruction and practice in answering the clinical vignette style of questions that are used on the NBME subject exams and the USMLE Board exams. Dr. Paternostro will present clinical-vignette style questions and provide instruction on how to apply the course content of Human Function to answer these questions.

Small Group Review Sessions

There will be mandatory small group review sessions for those students who perform at a failing level (<75%) on either the Biochemistry/Genetics or Physiology component of the first exam. These sessions will meet once a week for Biochemistry review on Tuesdays after the first exam and once a week for Physiology review on Monday’s after the first exam. Dr. Shiemke will lead the Biochemistry/Genetics reviews and Dr. Paternostro will lead the Physiology reviews. Once the student's average grade exceeds 75.0%, attendance at the weekly small-group sessions will be voluntary.

Recording of Lectures

The School of Medicine supports the use of the Panopto system for recording the audio portion of lectures. The lectures in Human Function may be recorded using Panopto, but this will be done only at the discretion of each lecturer. Lectures may also not be recorded due to technical difficulties. Because there is no guarantee that a Panopto recording will be available for each and every lecture, students should use these recordings as a study aid and a convenience to the student, not as a substitute for attendance at the lectures.

Competencies

The School of Medicine has adopted the six core competencies endorsed by the ACGME that all medical students should meet by graduation. The following list has the course objectives grouped according to these competencies.

Patient Care

  1. Evaluate biochemical, physiological, and genetic information from diagnostic tests in order to determine the processes and structures that are responsible for various disease states (PC2).
  2. Reason deductively to prioritize and solve clinical problems in settings of complexity and uncertainty(PC3).
  3. Describe the biochemical, genetic, and physiological basis of prevention strategies, diagnostic tests, treatment options and prescriptions in order to be able to educate patients and their families (PC4).

Medical Knowledge

  1. Know the normal function and structure of the human body, with appreciation of the cellular, molecular, biochemical, and physiological role of the various organ systems and their role in homeostasis (MK1).
  2. Describe molecular, cellular and biochemical mechanisms of homeostasis (MK2).
  3. Know the various causes of disease (pathogenesis) including altered function and structure of the body and major organ systems and the ways in which they operate on the body (pathophysiology) (MK4).
  4. Describe the biochemical and physiological foundations of diagnostic methods, therapeutic interventions, outcomes, and prevention with respect to specific disease processes in individuals and populations (MK5).
  5. Describe the genetic, biochemical, and physiological basis of patient response to drugs (MK6).
  6. Explain the effects of health behaviors and preventative measures on the biochemical and physiological basis of disease (MK8).
  7. Understand the role of the scientific method and critical evaluation of scientific literature in establishing causes of, and therapy for, disease (MK9).

Practice Based Learning and Improvement

  1. Retrieve, manage, and critically appraise sources of medical information and research to stay abreast of advances in medical sciences (PBLI1).
  2. Apply knowledge of biochemistry, genetics, and physiology to appraise the value and validity of scientific studies (PBLI2).
  3. Demonstrate self-directed study, as elicited by integrating the clinical problems discussed in clinical correlation lectures with the information on normal function and structure of the human body presented in the didactic lectures (PBLI4).
  4. Elicit and receive feedback from colleagues and other health professionals to further learning and development (PBLI5).

Interpersonal and Communication Skills

  1. Demonstrate effective listening skills (ICS4).
  2. Demonstrate effective verbal, non-verbal and written communication and reading skills (ICS4).

Professionalism

  1. Demonstrate professionalism, as evidenced by attending all clinical correlation sessions and provide a respectful and courteous atmosphere for the visiting clinicians and patients (PROF5).

Academic Integrity

Medical students sign an oath upon entering WVU that signifies that they will conduct themselves in an honest and professional manner. With regard to the Human Function Course, this includes honesty during all examinations, the obligation to report others engaged in dishonest behavior, and professional behavior when dealing with faculty and classmates. During examinations, talking or sharing information is not tolerated, nor is reference to notes or books. If a proctor observes such behavior, the involved student(s) will be asked to hand in the examinations and will receive the grade of zero. The proctor will also inform the Course Director of this behavior, which will later be recorded in the narrative evaluation.

Standards of Behavior

The classroom role of the medical student involves demonstrating attitudes, values, and behaviors consistent with professional behavior. In the classroom setting, an environment conducive to learning is fostered through mutual respect among students, staff, and faculty.

To ensure an environment that is conductive to learning, we are asking that personal communication devices (cell phones and pagers) be turned off, or to silent mode, during our learning experiences. Other distracting behaviors such as loud talking between students, playing of computer games, listening to music or reading of newspapers are regarded as nonprofessional behavior.

Days of Special Concern

WVU recognizes the diversity of its students and the needs of those who wish to be absent from class to participate in Days of Special Concern, which are listed in the Schedule of Courses. Students should notify their instructors by the end of the second week of classes or prior to the first Day of Special Concern, whichever is earlier, regarding Days of Special Concern observances that will affect their attendance.

IMPORTANT POLICIES

Common policies, procedures and the Social Justice Statement can be found here. Please review and become familiar with this important information. * Note: All School of Medicine Policies may be located in the WVU Medical Student Handbook and the SOM Course and Clerkship Manual SOLE sites.

Policies That You Should Pay Particular Attention to:

The date and time of all examinations will be listed on the course schedule in SOLE. Examinees should check email on the day before and early on the day of the examination for last minute instructor notices or changes that result from a weather or facility emergency.

Students shall not do the following in an examination:

  • Communicate with others, except proctors
  • Obtain unauthorized help from another person
  • Give help to another student
  • Take an examination in place of another student
  • Gain access to unauthorized material in connection with an examination
  • Make use of unauthorized material in connection with an examination
  • Obtain impermissible advance knowledge of the contents of examination

Students must bring their computers, Ethernet cables, and power supply/cable to the examination room, along with a pencil. Students may not bring backpacks, briefcases, luggage, reference materials (books, notes, papers), mobile telephones, personal digital assistants, paging devices, radios, calculators, recording/filming devices, and/or watches with alarms, computer, or memory capability into the testing room.

All examinees are to arrive on time for the examination. Examinees are expected to start promptly at the examination start time. Examinees may enter the examination room up to 30 minutes prior to the exam start time, ensuring that they can login to the examination. Admission to the exam for late arrivals will be at the discretion of the Dean-on-Call. “Late” is defined as arriving at the classroom any time after the published exam start time.

A student who arrives late for an examination will not be admitted to the exam and must report to the Dean-on-Call at the Office of Student Services. The Dean-on-Call will determine whether the student will be allowed admission to the exam and will determine the conditions under which the exam can be taken. The student must present written documentation of this decision to the course director or chief proctor in order to be admitted to the exam.

It is an expectation that students will take examinations when they are offered. However, it is recognized that occasionally a student may experience a substantial reason (e.g. illness or death in the family) to be absent. If an examination is missed, students must request and obtain permission from the Dean-on-Call at the Office of Student Services to take a make-up examination. Once this approval has been obtained, arrangements will be made to administer the examination as soon as possible.

NBME Subject examinations have their own distinct schedules regarding absence from an examination and course directors will follow NBME guidelines for those examinations. Students will incur any costs associated with makeup of NBME subject examinations.