Fundamentals of Medical Physiology | UF Medical Physiology Online

Course Description

Fundamentals of Medical Physiology (GMS6440) teaches the basic functions of the human body at a level required for clinical medicine and basic research in medical physiology. This is an introductory course to be taken before or simultaneously with courses on specific organ systems physiology. The course covers normal physiology, as well as selected diseases. Concepts are taught using a combination of lectures, online workshops and online problem sets. The workshops are designed to help the student understand the integration of physiology with genetics, genomics, molecular biology and cellular physiology as a basis for a better understanding of human disease. The ultimate goal is for students to develop an understanding of the integrated functions of the normal body and “problem solving” and “critical thinking” skills in evaluating clinical situations.

Each recorded lecture lasts between 20 and 30 min.

Target Audience

This course is designed to meet the needs of individuals wanting to pursue a career in medicine, biomedical research or in teaching topics related to physiology and medicine. For example, this course is designed to provide critical knowledge for individuals who wish to teach physiology at the secondary and post-secondary levels. However, this course will also provide a foundation for students who wish to take one or more of the following courses: GMS 6401, GMS 6402, GMS 6419, GMS 6474 and GMS 6479.

Prerequisites

This course requires a BA or BS and a strong science foundation with at least 5 full semester courses related to biology, chemistry and/or physics. A minimum undergraduate GPA = 2.0 is required for admission.

Contact

Tanja Taivassalo, Ph.D, Associate Professor of Physiology and Functional Genomics, ttaivassalo@ufl.edu; Tel: 352-294-8748.

Schedule

This is a self-paced course that is offered in the spring, fall and summer.

Course Goals

Physiology is the science of how the body functions and is the basis for understanding modern clinical medicine and the biomedical sciences. This course will provide: 1) a foundational understanding of basic physiological processes; 2) integration of individual facts in order to understand how organ systems work independently and interdependently in the body. One example of this integration is in the understanding of the role of the autonomic nervous system in physiological control mechanisms.