Courses

3 Credits
Course Directors: Thomas Sherman, Ph.D., & Jessica Jones, Ph.D.
For SMP Students Only

This medical course focuses on understanding the mechanisms by which cells receive and process extracellular signals, regulate gene expression, control organelle biogenesis, and divide or differentiate. It also explores the fundamentals of cellular metabolism and physiology. The relationship of these processes to human disease is emphasized as an underlying theme throughout the course. This course combines lectures with problem-solving workshops, clinical correlations, student-directed learning, and small group sessions.

2 Credits
Course Directors: Thomas Sherman, Ph.D., & Jessica Jones, Ph.D.
For SMP Students Only

This medical course integrates the biochemical and physiologic aspects of metabolic processes, with a focus on nutritional impact. Lectures center on the function and regulation of major metabolic processes involving hypothalamic-pituitary hormones; the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis; the endocrine pancreas; and calcium-regulating hormones. The course is lecture-based and includes problem-solving workshops, clinical correlations, student-directed learning, and small group sessions.

2 Credits
Course Directors: Thomas Sherman, Ph.D., & Jessica Jones, Ph.D.
For SMP and GEMS Students Only

This medical course introduces students to the anatomical sciences. It includes histology and embryologic development.

2 Credits
Course Director: Marina Castilla, M.D.
For SMP Students Only

This medical course introduces foundational material including cell injury and repair, inflammation, neoplasia, antigens and immunogenicity, t-cell-mediated immunity, autoimmunity and other topics. This provides the basis for spring medical and graduate coursework. This course combines lectures with problem-solving workshops, clinical correlations, student-directed learning and small group sessions.

1 Credit
Course Directors: Jennifer Whitney, Ph.D., & Marina Castilla, M.D.
For SMP Students Only

This graduate course provides foundational material in gross anatomy that will be used going into the systems-based medical curriculum starting in January. Topics include anatomical terminology and respectful treatment of donor bodies. The course will be in a predominantly blended classroom.

2 Credits
Course Director: Thomas Sherman, Ph.D.
For SMP Students Only

This graduate course gives an excellent foundation for the understanding of nutrition in health and disease. The course combines lectures with experiential sessions and reflections.

2 Credits
Course Directors: Marina Castilla, M.D., & Ryan Downey, Ph.D.
For SMP Students Only

This graduate course provides foundational material in the physiologic sciences as well as reinforcement of concepts learned in the medical courses. It also covers the physiologic basis of nutrition in health and disease. The course combines lectures and self-directed study in a predominantly flipped/blended classroom.

1 Credit
Course Directors: Jennifer Whitney, Ph.D., & Ryan Downey, Ph.D.

Biomedical Career Pathways is a seminar-style course taught by Prof. Adam Myers and staff, consisting of presentations on study and survival skills for students pursuing biomedical careers and alternative pathways for careers in medicine. Students attend study skills workshops, interviewing skills workshops, and presentations on military medicine, primary care medicine, osteopathic medicine, and complementary and alternative medicine, as well as presentations on career pathways for specialty and subspecialty medical training. Evaluation of students is based on participation and homework assignments.

3 Credits
Course Directors: Adam Myers, Ph.D., & Marina Castilla, M.D.
For SMP and GEMS Students Only

This medical course provides students with a comprehensive view of cardiovascular physiology, anatomy, histology, embryology, including hemodynamic function, and electrophysiology of the normal cardiovascular system, and in-depth study of the pathophysiology of cardiovascular diseases including cardiomyopathies, valvular heart disease, ischemic heart disease, vascular diseases, and congenital heart disease in addition to an understanding of basic respiratory pathophysiology and its application to patient care. This course combines lectures with problem-solving workshops, clinical correlations, student-directed learning, gross anatomy non-cadaveric labs, and small group sessions.

3 Credits
Course Directors: Jennifer Whitney, Ph.D., & Aviad Haramati, Ph.D.
For SMP and GEMS Students Only

This medical course provides students with a comprehensive view of the physiology, anatomy, histology and embryology of the normal respiratory and renal systems, and study of the pathophysiology of respiratory and renal diseases including obstructive disease, lung cancer, glomerular, interstitial and vascular renal disease, in addition to an understanding of basic respiratory pathophysiology and its application to patient care. This course combines lectures with problem-solving workshops, clinical correlations, student-directed learning, gross anatomy non-cadaveric labs, and small group sessions.

3 Credits
Course Director: Susan Mulroney, Ph.D.
For SMP and GEMS Students Only

This medical course helps students identify how GI structure (embryology, microscopic anatomy and gross anatomy) integrates with function (physiologic mechanisms of GI motility, digestion and absorption, and liver and pancreatic function). Students will describe the mechanisms contributing to absorption of nutrients into the body and apply their basic medical science knowledge to clinical problem-solving. This course combines lectures with problem-solving workshops, clinical correlations, student-directed learning, and gross anatomy non-cadaveric labs.

3 Credits
Course Directors: Jennifer Whitney, Ph.D., & G. Ian Gallicano, Ph.D.
For SMP Students Only

This medical course educates students on the endocrine system, including the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and associated hormones, thyroid and parathyroid hormones, reproductive hormones, hormonal signaling and physiologic actions. The cellular and anatomical components of reproduction and early development as well as hormone production, regulation and action will also be covered. The embryologic components include the development of the reproductive tract, development of gametes, fertilization, and formation of the germ layers. Students will also critically evaluate basic and clinical research in the field and work in groups to produce a literature review on a topic in reproduction. This course combines lectures with problem-solving workshops, clinical correlations, student-directed learning, gross anatomy non-cadaveric labs, small group sessions, and a paper.

2 Credits
Course Director: Jennifer Whitney, Ph.D.
For SMP and GEMS Students Only

This graduate course covers the fundamental mechanisms of disease and the pathophysiologic basis of major human diseases. This course complements the basic physiological principles covered in medical blocks 3 and 4.

2 Credits
Course Director: John Partridge, Ph.D.
For SMP Students Only

This graduate course uses lecture captures of medical pharmacology sessions for self-study, so students will come to class prepared for active learning (flipped) sessions to reinforce the material. The material will include learning about drugs that are used to treat cardiac, cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, GI, endocrine and reproductive conditions and diseases. Students will also learn the role of herbs and dietary supplements in health and disease.

3 Credits
Course Directors: Thomas Sherman, Ph.D., & Jessica Jones, Ph.D.
For SMP Students Only

This medical course focuses on understanding the mechanisms by which cells receive and process extracellular signals, regulate gene expression, control organelle biogenesis, and divide or differentiate. It also explores the fundamentals of cellular metabolism and physiology. The relationship of these processes to human disease is emphasized as an underlying theme throughout the course. This course combines lectures with problem-solving workshops, clinical correlations, student-directed learning, and small group sessions.

2 Credits
Course Directors: Thomas Sherman, Ph.D., & Jessica Jones, Ph.D.
For SMP Students Only

This medical course integrates the biochemical and physiologic aspects of metabolic processes, with a focus on nutritional impact. Lectures center on the function and regulation of major metabolic processes involving hypothalamic-pituitary hormones; the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis; the endocrine pancreas; and calcium-regulating hormones. The course is lecture-based, and includes problem-solving workshops, clinical correlations, student-directed learning, and small group sessions.

2 Credits
Course Directors: Thomas Sherman, Ph.D., & Jessica Jones, Ph.D.
For SMP and GEMS Students Only

This medical course introduces students to the anatomical sciences. It includes histology and embryologic development.

2 Credits
Course Director: Marina Castilla, M.D.
For SMP Students Only

This medical course introduces foundational material including cell injury and repair, inflammation, neoplasia, antigens and immunogenicity, t-cell-mediated immunity, autoimmunity and other topics. This provides the basis for spring medical and graduate coursework. This course combines lectures with problem-solving workshops, clinical correlations, student-directed learning and small group sessions.

1 Credit
Course Directors: Jennifer Whitney, Ph.D., & Marina Castilla, M.D.
For SMP Students Only

This graduate course provides foundational material in gross anatomy that will be used going into the systems-based medical curriculum starting in January. Topics include anatomical terminology and respectful treatment of donor bodies. The course is in a predominantly blended classroom.

2 Credits
Course Director: Thomas Sherman, Ph.D.
For SMP Students Only

This graduate course provides an excellent foundation for the understanding of nutrition in health and disease. The course combines lectures and experiential sessions and reflections.

1 Credit
Course Director: Holly Frost, M.S.

Biomedical Career Explorations is a two-semester experiential-style course with some seminar-style lectures. There are sessions on study and interview skills as well as presentations by representatives from different medical schools. The main focus of the course is structured weekly clinical and volunteer experiences in the D.C. metro area. Evaluation of students will be based on participation, class discussion and homework assignments, including reflections on their volunteer work.

2 Credits
Course Directors: Marina Castilla, M.D., & Ryan Downey, Ph.D.
For SMP Students Only

This graduate course provides foundational material in the physiologic sciences as well as reinforcement of concepts learned in the medical courses. It will also cover the physiologic basis of nutrition in health and disease. The course combines lectures and self-directed study in a predominantly flipped/blended classroom.

3 Credits
Course Directors: Adam Myers, Ph.D., & Marina Castilla, M.D.
For SMP and GEMS Students Only

This medical course provides students with a comprehensive view of cardiovascular physiology, anatomy, histology, embryology, including hemodynamic function, and electrophysiology of the normal cardiovascular system, and in-depth study of the pathophysiology of cardiovascular diseases including cardiomyopathies, valvular heart disease, ischemic heart disease, vascular diseases, and congenital heart disease, in addition to an understanding of basic respiratory pathophysiology and its application to patient care. This course combines lectures with problem-solving workshops, clinical correlations, student-directed learning, gross anatomy non-cadaveric labs, and small group sessions.

3 Credits
Course Directors: Jennifer Whitney, Ph.D., & Aviad Haramati, Ph.D.
For SMP and GEMS Students Only

This medical course provides students with a comprehensive view of the physiology, anatomy, histology and embryology of the normal respiratory and renal systems, and study of the pathophysiology of respiratory and renal diseases including obstructive disease, lung cancer, glomerular, interstitial and vascular renal disease, in addition to an understanding of basic respiratory pathophysiology and its application to patient care. This course combines lectures with problem-solving workshops, clinical correlations, student-directed learning, gross anatomy non-cadaveric labs, and small group sessions.

3 Credits
Course Director: Susan Mulroney, Ph.D.
For SMP and GEMS Students Only

This medical course helps students identify how GI structure (embryology, microscopic anatomy and gross anatomy) integrates with function (physiologic mechanisms of GI motility, digestion and absorption, and liver and pancreatic function). Students will describe the mechanisms contributing to absorption of nutrients into the body and apply their basic medical science knowledge to clinical problem-solving. This course combines lectures with problem-solving workshops, clinical correlations, student-directed learning, and gross anatomy non-cadaveric labs.

3 Credits
Course Directors: Jennifer Whitney, Ph.D., & G. Ian Gallicano, Ph.D.
For SMP Students Only

This medical course educates students on the endocrine system, including the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and associated hormones, thyroid and parathyroid hormones, reproductive hormones, hormonal signaling and physiologic actions. The cellular and anatomical components of reproduction and early development as well as hormone production, regulation and action will also be covered. The embryologic components include the development of the reproductive tract, development of gametes, fertilization, and formation of the germ layers. Students will also critically evaluate basic and clinical research in the field and work in groups to produce a literature review on a topic in reproduction. This course combines lectures with problem-solving workshops, clinical correlations, student-directed learning, gross anatomy non-cadaveric labs, small group sessions, and a paper.

2 Credits
Course Director: Jennifer Whitney, Ph.D.
For SMP and GEMS Students Only

This graduate course covers the fundamental mechanisms of disease and the pathophysiologic basis of major human diseases. This course complements the basic physiological principles covered in medical blocks 3 and 4.

2 Credits
Course Director: John Partridge, Ph.D.
For SMP Students Only

This graduate course uses lecture captures of medical pharmacology sessions for self-study, so students will come to class prepared for active learning (flipped) sessions to reinforce the material. The material will include learning about drugs that are used to treat cardiac, cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, GI, endocrine and reproductive conditions and diseases. Students will also learn the role of herbs and dietary supplements in health and disease.

1 Credit
Course Director: Holly Frost, M.S.

Biomedical Career Explorations is a two-semester experiential-style course with some seminar-style lectures. There are sessions on study and interview skills as well as presentations by representatives from different medical schools. The main focus of the course is structured weekly clinical and volunteer experiences in the D.C. metro area. Evaluation of students will be based on participation, class discussion and homework assignments, including reflections on their volunteer work.