What Is This Program?
If you’ve ever pictured yourself performing open heart surgery or developing a treatment plan for a patient with chronic kidney disease, earning an online Graduate Certificate in Medical Physiology with a specialization in Cardiovascular/Renal Physiology is the first step toward making that dream possible.
With UF’s online 12-credit graduate certificate, you can complete the program in only two semesters and leave not only with the fundamental knowledge of the main organ systems but a deeper understanding of the cardiovascular and renal systems.
Why a Graduate Certificate?
Our Graduate Certificate in Medical Physiology with a specialization in Cardiovascular/Renal Physiology offers a competitive advantage for students interested in advancing their careers in the medical field. The program is made of four courses divided into two (or more) semesters. During their first semester, students will first complete a 6-credit course titled Principles of Medical Physiology, which covers five body systems:
- Endocrine
- Cardiovascular
- Respiratory
- Renal
- Gastrointestinal
After completing the first course, the remaining three electives are 2 credits each and offer a wealth of insight into the circulation of blood, advanced renal physiology and pathophysiology and advances in hypertension research. These three courses are self-paced, and you can complete them in as little as one semester — or stretch them out as needed.
Who Is This Program For?
This graduate certificate can benefit:
- Medical professionals, such as nurses and physician assistants
- Students preparing for the MCAT or other standardized tests
- Medical school applicants
- Nursing school applicants
- Physician assistant school applicants
- High school biology teachers or community college professors
- Biomedical professionals
- Medical technology professionals
Why Medical Physiology with a specialization in Cardiovascular/Renal Physiology?
Everyone’s careers begin somewhere, and in the field of medicine, they often begin in the classroom. In your case, it could begin in front of a computer screen, where you can complete your work at your own pace while gaining a comprehensive knowledge of human physiology with advanced training in cardiovascular/renal physiology research.
This program differs from others in that you’ll receive extra training in some of the body’s most critical and fascinating systems. If you’re passionate about the cardiovascular or renal system and visualize yourself with a career in this specialty, our program is the first step toward achieving your goal. In addition, healthcare providers that specialize in a chosen field (like cardiology) usually receive a higher salary than physicians that practice general medicine.
Students accepted into the program will learn from UF’s experienced professors in graduate-level courses, allowing them to:
- Increase their knowledge of advanced anatomical and physiological principles.
- Earn an advantage in the competitive world of medicine.
- Expand their professional network.
GMS 6400c Principles of Medical Physiology
This course teaches the functions of the human body at a level required for clinical medicine. Students will gain an understanding of how systems act in an integrated manner to regulate overall body functions and how failure of these normal physiologic functions and interactions are associated with some diseases.
GMS6410 Physiology of Circulation of Blood
This course exposes students to in-depth discussion and understanding of several aspects of cardiovascular function, including control of cardiac development, vascular and microvascular function, baroreflex and chemoreflex control of the circulation, role of the kidney and central nervous systems in cardiovascular regulation, the maternal and fetal circulation in normal pregnancy and the use of gene therapy tools in cardiovascular research.
GMS6414 Advanced Renal Physiology and Pathophysiology
This course exposes students to in-depth discussion and understanding of several aspects of kidney function, including physiological control of glomerular filtration and glomerular function in renal disease, regulation of renal sodium excretion, morphology of renal transporters, renal mechanisms of acid base balance and the renal physiologic responses to normal pregnancy.
GMS6413 Advances in Hypertension Research
This course delves into important, current aspects of hypertension research. It begins with
clinical trials and pharmacogenomics and considers mono- and polygenic forms of hypertension, dietary/environmental influences leading to salt dependent hypertension/metabolic syndrome/type 2 diabetes, neural control of BP and stress-induced hypertension, endothelial dysfunction / inflammation and stem cells in hypertension and hypertension in pregnancy and fetal programming of hypertension.
