Fundamentals of Medical Pharmacology & Therapeutics

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.

Learning Outcomes

Successful completion of this course will prepare students to study pharmacology and therapeutics in the context of translational research and specific human physiologies and pathophysiologies. These students will be able to:

Understand the diversity of small molecule drugs and biologics (e.g., antibodies, peptides, viral-based gene therapies) including their nomenclature.

Understand the major steps in the process where basic scientific discoveries are applied towards solving medical problems in patients and society (T0-T2) and the types of knowledge needed to progress through these different steps.

Describe the process of identifying an unmet medical need and identify how scientific knowledge or discoveries might be used to improve upon existing therapies.

Understand the mechanisms by which drugs and biologics act in the body and at their targets (e.g., pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, affinity, agonism, antagonism).

Demonstrate the ability to apply pharmacological principles of clinical and basic science relevancy by multiple choice examinations, research assignments, and quiz exercises.

Fundamentals of Medical Pharmacology & Therapeutics