2011
MS-1 SARC Manual
Jessica Morton Alex Soriano Caroline Rieser
Class of 2014
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................................... 2
Overview ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 2
General Study Tips .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 2
Lecture Attendance ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 3
Textbooks ................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 4
General Advice .......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 4
FUNDAMENTALS OF BASIC SCIENCE BLOCK .................................................................................................. 6
Medical Anatomy ..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 6
Fuel Metabolism.....................................................................................................................................................................................................11
Human Genetics .....................................................................................................................................................................................................14
Cellular and Pathologic Basis of Disease .....................................................................................................................................................17
Immunology in Health and Disease ...............................................................................................................................................................21
Microbiology............................................................................................................................................................................................................24
ORGAN SYSTEM AND PATHOPHYSIOLOGY BLOCK ...................................................................................... 27
Neuroscience ...........................................................................................................................................................................................................27
Introduction to Psychiatry ................................................................................................................................................................................31
INTRODUCTION TO PATENT CARE BLOCK ................................................................................................... 34
Medical Interviewing ...........................................................................................................................................................................................34
Introduction to Physical Examination ..........................................................................................................................................................36
Advanced Physical Examination .....................................................................................................................................................................39
Clinical Experiences .............................................................................................................................................................................................41
PATIENT PHYSICIAN AND SOCIETY BLOCK .................................................................................................. 42
Introduction to Being a Physician ..................................................................................................................................................................42
Ethics, Law, and Professionalism....................................................................................................................................................................43
Behavioral Medicine.............................................................................................................................................................................................45
SCIENTIFIC REASONING IN MEDICINE BLOCK .............................................................................................. 48
Medical Decision Making....................................................................................................................................................................................48
Methods & Logic in Medicine 1........................................................................................................................................................................50
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .............................................................................................................................. 52
1
INTRODUCTION
Overview
Congratulations and welcome to the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine! All of your hard work has
finally paid off, so enjoy your matriculation to medical school. Studying in medical school will be drastically
different from what you are used to, but there are multiple resources to help ensure that the transition is as
smooth and successful as possible. One of them is this guide, the SARC Manual. We, the Student Academic Resource
Consortium, have compiled feedback from the class of 2014 to provide you with an insight into the first-year
experience. Our goal is to provide you with an idea of the first-year curriculum and to give you advice on what
books to buy, the most important lectures to go to, and how to study.
Your first year will be the school’s seventh iteration of the curriculum since it was most recently
overhauled. Through student and faculty feedback, many adjustments have been made to improve the curriculum.
Much remains the same from last year, with some minor changes that we have addressed.
The manual is organized by block and by course. Contained herein are the opinions of over 70 members of
the 2014 class. While you may be overwhelmed with information now, you can skim the manual at the beginning of
the year to get a sense for what is in store. As you prepare for each course, you can revisit each section for more
detail.
Good luck and have a great year!
General Study Tips
A good recommendation is to start with your current study habits. However, be aware that the volume of
material is greater and coming at a faster pace than in an undergraduate curriculum. Those who have been out of
school for a few years or that are coming from a non‐science background may want to pay more attention to
developing new study habits. Below are outlined the most common strategies employed by PittMed students. It’s
best to experiment and find out what methods seem to work for you.
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Highlighting and rereading the syllabus. At the start of each course, you will receive a syllabus
containing all of the lecture notes. Since tests are for the most part built around these syllabi, this is the
most popular and highest-yield strategy.
Pre-reading the syllabus. Having seen the material once already makes a big difference when you are
listening to the lecture. You get more out of the lecture, do not get lost as easily, and can pay more attention
to the details than just the big picture.
Condensing syllabus notes. Condensing the material into your own words forces you to digest and
understand the material.
Focusing on the learning objectives. The syllabi will have learning objectives for each lecture. The
learning objectives tell you what the instructors expect you to understand. By answering the objectives,
you can focus your studies on the important concepts that are tested and not waste your time on
extraneous details.
Highlighting and rereading the Powerpoint slides. For some courses, the slides are more informative
than the syllabus.
Using flashcards. This is a popular and effective strategy for anatomy and microbiology. Netter’s Anatomy
Flash Cards and Lippincott’s Microcards are popular published sets. It is far more effective to make your
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own, though, if you have the time. You can only include the information you need, and making the card is
part of the memorization process.
Making study groups. Being able to teach a concept means that you know it really well, and you can use
your classmates to shore up the parts where you are weak. Good study groups provide accountability, not
chat time.
Doing practice questions. Practice questions are available in the syllabus or online for most classes, and
are usually similar to exam questions.
Re-listening to podcasts. Some students are aural learners and benefit from listening to lectures again at
faster speeds.
You will figure out the right combination for yourself. Generally students drift into one of the following categories:
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Getting the Most For their Money: Attends lecture religiously, pre-reads, seeks out instructors for help
Married to the Syllabus: pre-reads, post-reads, post-post-reads, highlights with a codified system
Speedy Gonzalez: Chipmunks sound slow to him after he spends all day listening to Dr. Schumann at 2x on
his computer.
Social Butterfly: Not found studying alone. Needs communal suffering for motivation.
Just Confused: Has yet to nail down what works. Likely to change gears between or within courses.
Probably should talk to Rich Levitt.
Lecture Attendance
Attending lecture is largely an individual preference. Some people learn best by reading on their own and
searching for answers, while others need a dynamic environment that can yield immediate responses to questions.
Some favored lecture as a chance to actually hear the information, and thus reinforce what they had previously
read. Many students have commented that attending lectures is only valuable if you take the time to pre-read so
you are not overwhelmed by the lecturer’s pace.
All lectures are recorded with the PowerPoint synced to audio and subsequently posted online. Podcasts of
the lectures are also available, but with audio only. Most people found this to be a great resource to review lectures
or to view information missed due to illness or travels. Some students skip lecture completely, using the recordings
alone. They cite the efficiency of being able to speed up/slow down/pause the lecture.
Yet, overall, students agreed that recordings should not be used as a complete substitute for attendance.
Some lectures are not recorded, either by accident or design, often causing podcast-learners to miss important
information. Rich Levitt, who helps us study for the boards, notes that many second-years with the lowest practice
board scores happened to be regular lecture-skippers. Also, one study found an inverse correlation between
medical school performance and frequency of accessing online video lectures.1 Please remember that lecturers
have many other obligations (mainly clinical and research responsibilities). If they notice that attendance is
minimal they will be less inclined to put together a compelling presentation. We urge you to consider these factors
when deciding whether or not to attend class.
Note for Mac users:
Unless the school has updated the program it uses to stream recorded lectures, by using the link provided
on Navigator (Podcast RSS feed) you will only be able to hear the audio (no synced slides) and only at 1x speed.
However, you can listen at variable speeds by using QuickTime instead of iTunes. Pressing alt while clicking play
will increase speed in increments of .1 (e.g., click give times to achieve a speed of 1.5).
1
McNulty JA et al., An analysis of lecture video utilization in undergraduate medical education: associations with performance in the
courses. BMC Med Educ 2009, 9: 6
3
Textbooks
Perhaps the greatest asset of this manual is to give some guidance on what books to buy and what you
might not want to waste your time on. Some books were universally accepted as essential (i.e. Netters) and others
tended to vary upon personal preference. Books purchased at the health bookstore are nonreturnable. Consult this
guide or check out a copy of the book in the Book Room (M219, immediately on the right after the double doors on
your way to free coffee in the Alumni Office). Other cheap options for acquiring texts include: half.com, SOMADS
email list, and a student organized book sale held intermittently throughout the year.
Below is a list of books that had a consensus verdict from the class of 2014.
“Buy! Buy! Buy!”:
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Netter’s Atlas of Human Anatomy
Abbas’s Basic Immunology
Haines’s Neuroanatomy
Rao’s Rational Medical Decision Making
“Don’t Waste your Money!”:
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Klippel’s Primer on the Rheumatic Diseases
Albert’s Molecular Biology of the Cell
You will have to decide whether you want to buy the others. Use the data from the polls in this manual
(grouped by course) and take a look at your friend’s copy before you put down your money.
General Advice
The first year will be great. We promise. However, that doesn’t mean there won’t be challenges and
obstacles along the way. Real life doesn’t stop just because you are busy for an anatomy test. Thankfully, PittMed
provides numerous resources to help you weather the added stress of being a medical student. Many people
stumble at some point during the year, so don’t be afraid to seek out help. The worst thing to do in this situation is
to do nothing. Rich Levitt (rich@medschool.pitt.edu) is a great contact point. He can review your study techniques,
offer advice, and set you up with tutors, all for free! Also, Rich Levitt can provide access to counseling resources for
those who want more than just academic advice. Finally, remember you are not a studying robot. The school and
the city have many options for being involved beyond medical school. A sane and healthy student is a wellperforming student. Below you will find advice from the current second year class. Please keep in mind that this
advice comes from a variety or individuals and may or may not prove best for you. As with any advice, take what
works for you and don’t get stressed out by the rest.
Advice from 2014:
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Just relax. You're a smart person. You'll do just fine.
Don't get behind on lectures. It's a lot easier to go home and do each day's lectures than be constantly a
week behind.
Don't study on Friday evenings.
Make sure to take time for relaxation. You can't study all hours of the day!
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Don't fall behind. It's easy to get caught up in life and say you will just make up work the next day. Just
spend 2 hours a day, everyday, studying to ensure you keep up with the material. When test time comes
around you will be happy that you don't have to study 6-8 hours a day like your peers.
Set up a schedule that you can adhere to and a pace that you can maintain throughout the year. Don't
procrastinate. Don't obsess about honors. Nobody likes a gunner. Keep up your hobbies because you can't
study all the time and relaxing is always important.
Lecture is not for everyone. Don't feel obligated to go if you feel like you can study more efficiently by
spending your time in the library instead. Realize this early, and you can save yourself a lot of time!
Don't put off studying until the last minute! You can't cram like you did for college! Pre-reading, going to
lecture, post-reading is the best! Make sure to take breaks - you'll go insane if you just study all the time!
Study groups make studying fun!
It's important to do well in school, but only well enough to pass. Don't get hung up on honor-ing courses
and be sure to make time for the other parts of your life that make you happy (relationships, exercise,
whatever is important to you). It will be important for your mental health!
Schedule breaks! Occasionally, your brain will take a break whether you want it to or not. When this
happens, step away from the syllabus and refuse to study for a set amount of time. Otherwise, you'll end up
half-relaxing and half-studying but doing a poor job at both. You need to relax, so think of breaks as a way
of making yourself more productive when you study.
Find what works for you! I had to completely change how I studied upon coming to med school. Your study
style may also be different for each course. Don't be afraid to try new things or to get advice from Rich
Levitt or an MS-2.
Have confidence in yourself. You are here for a reason. You are just as smart and work about as hard as
everyone else here. Do your best and, when it comes to be the night before the exam, let it go--rest easy and
go in with confidence. Anxiety will only hurt you.
Remember the lovely "fire-hose" analogy; you are not going to be able to learn everything like you did in
undergrad. I had to learn to get through the material quickly multiple times rather than getting bogged
down in the volume by going through it slowly.
Try out a few different study methods to find one that works for you.
If you're still in college mode of staying up until 3am studying and then sleeping until 10am, the sooner you
break the habit the better.
Take a deep breath...this is just the beginning.
Take time off and don’t apologize for it!
Find a mentor/project for MLM and DSRP during November/December.
Pre-read. Lecture is a waste without it. Sequester yourself in the library early and often. Once you do this
you realize you can actually get studying done. Facebook is the devil.
Pre-read, seek help early.
Don't worry about what everyone else is doing to study or how much time everyone spends studying.
Everyone develops their own methods.
Set goals for yourself. It can be related to test scores, or as simple as understanding clinical concepts or
finishing a certain amount of study material. Think about what your long-term goals (residency, board
scores, knowledge for 3rd year, etc.) are before you do this and you will find your time much more
productive.
Stay on top of the material! Repetition and discussion are great memory devices.
Don't worry about what everyone else is doing -- do what you feel like YOU need to do to reach your own
personal goals.
Everyone has an individual style of learning, set of interests, and opinions. When anyone tells you a class or
test is easy or hard, remember it’s just that ONE person's opinion. If someone says anatomy is the toughest
(or easiest) class ever, just keep the perspective.
5
FUNDAMENTALS OF BASIC SCIENCE BLOCK
Medical Anatomy
August 22, 2010 – October 10, 2010
Course director: Jack Schumann, Ph.D.
Block: 100% of FBS Section #1
Exams: 2 written examinations (20%), 3 laboratory practicals (30%), and 1 written comprehensive final
(50%)
Overview
Welcome to medical school! Anatomy is many things – the “real” start of medical school, a traditional rite of
passage, a seven-week whirlwind tour of the body, a staggering list of Latin names to memorize, and your first look
at the insides of a human being. All of your classmates will be as excited and nervous as you are. Fortunately, this
class is extremely well taught and organized. Dr. Schumann is universally loved and respected for his teaching
abilities, and there are countless resources available to help you succeed. Anatomy is indeed intense, but most find
it to be one of the most enjoyable classes.
The course is divided into three sections – the chest and abdomen, the head and neck, and the arms and
legs. After each section there is a laboratory practical, each worth 10% of the final grade, where you must identify
tagged “structures” (body parts) on the cadavers. Thus, you must go to lab throughout the course to familiarize
yourself with the specimens. There are also three multiple-choice exams. The first two cover the first two sections
and are each worth 10%, while the final is cumulative (although it is weighted toward the last section). The final is
worth 50%. There are a good amount of practice questions in the back of the syllabus that can give you a feel for
the exams.
In General
Keep up with the material. It will be difficult, but it is important to start off on the right foot, and cramming
is simply not an option. The best way to memorize the many details and names is to go over them again and again.
One popular strategy is to pre-read and post-read each lecture. You can pre-read the material and familiarize
yourself with it beforehand, so you can really focus in the lecture. Then, you can go over it all again afterward,
paying attention to the minutiae. While lab is not strictly mandatory, the experience of dissecting and the guidance
of the instructors can be invaluable. It is important to visualize structures in 3-D and to understand the spatial
relationships between structures. Build a map of the body in your mind. You can try drawing things out, but
studying directly from the cadaver is really the best for this. Lastly, study in groups. Quizzing one another truly
helps, and you can bond with your classmates while learning the material.
6
Lecture
Lectures usually consist of Dr. Schumann going over the material in the syllabus systematically, pointing
out the structures on blown-up Netter's illustrations. The material is presented in a highly organized fashion, and
Dr. Schumann is a dynamic and enthusiastic teacher, so most people in our class went to all of the lectures, only
using the podcasts for ones that they missed.
Laboratory
It is good to know what to expect in the lab before you get started. Your team of six will be following the
instructions in a book called Grant's Dissector on how to dissect and locate the structures for the day. Some people
love dissection while others get through the course without doing any. As one 2014er said, “don't feel obligated to
do all the dissection. If there are gung-ho dissectors in your group, let them take over and you can use the
dissection time to study.” Most of the learning comes not from the physical dissecting, which mostly involves
carefully removing connective tissue, but from observing the cleaned structures afterwards. Thus, some groups
split themselves into two teams of 3: one team dissects today and tomorrow demonstrates the structures to the
other team. Most often, the dissection will pull directly from the preceding lecture. You can use the time during
dissection to quiz one another or review prior material.
Outside faculty members will be present just to help with the labs. They wander around and assist groups
when needed; it is wise to find the good teachers and go to them for help. As the laboratory exam tests you on all of
the cadavers, it is also good to check out the work of your classmates. Use prior exams to identify key structures;
then make sure you can identify these on several different cadavers.
Textbook and Syllabus
Netter's Atlas of Human Anatomy is the standard text for all medical schools and one that you will use
throughout your medical education. This and the syllabus, which is better organized than possibly any other you
will experience in your first year, are the essentials for this course. Many students also bought Grant's Dissector,
which guides you in the lab. However there are many copies available in the laboratory and you could probably get
away with sharing with a friend or using a copy from the book room. Some people found Rohen's Color Atlas useful
– it consists of labeled photographs of dissected specimens.
Other Resources
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Anatomy videos. These highly-useful videos should be available on the course website. They consist of Dr.
Schumann presenting a difficult section of the body in the lab.
University of Michigan medical school website. Has practice questions, lab images, and dissection videos.
http://anatomy.med.umich.edu
Pretest Anatomy. This book has a lot of clinically-oriented practice questions
Models in the anatomy lab. The plastic models and preserved dissections are excellent and sometimes used
on the practicals, so make sure to get acquainted with them too.
Advice from 2014
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Great course! Drawing things out helps. Spend a lot of time in lab.
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Study groups work great after you've gone through the material once. They syllabus is the bible, know
every word. Quiz each other early and often. Draw out structures on the boards inPBL rooms.
If not done so already, reprogram your brain now to memorization mode and eliminate all intellectual
thought processes. Except those mediating the creation of clever pneumonics.
Attend lectures and print out the slides beforehand. I found it very helpful to take notes directly on slides
because the class is very visual. Also, break up lab amongst your group members so that you only have to
dissect for 1/2 of the sections. Spend one night the weekend before the exam looking at all of the different
bodies.
You need to know everything in the syllabus. That's actually good news because you pretty much also don't
need to anything NOT in the syllabus.
This is tons of fun if you relax and don't get caught up in trying to beat all of your classmates to get Honors!
You are just meeting your classmates and getting to know everyone and there are lots of fun nights out as a
class. If you go to lab (whenever - doesn't have to be when designated) and make an effort to learn
everything, you will do well. The syllabus is gold - all you need is that and an Anatomy Atlas to guide your
studying. Also, practice questions and Rohen's are useful.
Unless you absorb information super fast in class, pre-reading is really helpful. What you learn in the
morning you will be dissecting in the afternoon, so pre-reading will make sure you get the most out of lab.
Review the anatomy practical material with different people. Everyone will have different strengths and
you can help quiz each other.
Anatomy is a subject that clicks for some people and doesn't for others. Do not get discouraged if it is
challenging, I promise it is the hardest course of the year and things will get better! It is really a time when
you need to find the study strategies that work for you.
Don't go to every lab, it is not worth the time. Do go to lab once in a while to learn the material in
conjunction with lecture notes, ask questions, and review in the lab before the exam. If you are not a strong
lab student, pair up with facilitators and more competent students to learn from them.
Lab is useful, fun and will help cement what you learned in lecture. However, it is very time consuming. Go
often, but don't feel guilty about skipping lab if you really need some more time with the books.
Share the duties when it comes to dissection. Go to lecture. Don't get behind. Review what you learned on a
daily basis.
2014 Class Survey
In comparison to other courses, the
amount of time I spent on this class was:
How often did you attend lecture?
2%
2%
13%
I attended most
lectures
33%
Less
More
85%
I attended every
lecture
65%
About the same
I attended a few
of the lectures
Where's LR4?
8
Regarding the podcasted lectures for this
course, it is best to:
Not use them at all
2%
20%
7%
52%
19%
How useful was Netter's Atlas of Human
Anatomy?
4%
Indespensible
(definitely buy)
Use only for missed
lectures
96%
Use only for review
after attending
lectures
How useful was the course syllabus
Moderate - adequately
4%
organized; I still
needed to rely on the
textbook or slides
How useful was Grant's Dissector
7% 2%
Indispensable
(definitely buy)
41%
Very - highly
organized; l studied
from the syllabus
almost exclusively
96%
No opinion, never
looked at it
How useful was Rohen's Color Atlas of
Anatomy
1-5 hours
39%
15%
19%
>5 hours
11%
Rarely, or only in
preparing for an
exam
37%
How useful was Moore's Clinically Oriented
Anatomy?
2% 9%
17%
72%
Occasionally useful
(use the library copy)
Not worth the time or
money
50%
How much time, outside of the scheduled
lab, did you spend in lab per week?
46%
Occasionally
useful (use the
library copy)
Indispensable
(definitely buy)
Occasionally useful
(use the library copy)
Not worth the time or
money
No opinion, never
looked at it
9
33%
Indispensable
(definitely buy)
Occasionally useful
(use the library copy)
Not worth the time or
money
No opinion, never
looked at it
Other Anatomy Web Links
AnatLine – http://anatline.nlm.nih.gov/Anatline/index.html
Digital Anatomist ‐ http://www9.biostr.washington.edu/da.html
Gray’s Anatomy ‐ http://www.bartleby.com/107/
Instant Anatomy ‐ http://www.instantanatomy.net/
LUMEN Structure of the Human Body ‐
http://www.meddean.luc.edu/lumen/MedEd/GrossAnatomy/
Mascagni—Images from Anatomia Universa ‐
http://www.lib.uiowa.edu/hardin/mascagni/index.html
Neuroanatomy Lab Resource ‐ http://courses.temple.edu/neuroanatomy/lab/index.htm
University of Michigan ‐ http://anatomy.med.umich.edu/
University of Michigan Visible Human Project ‐ http://vhp.med.umich.edu/
University of Utah Neuroanatomy Atlas ‐
http://library.med.utah.edu/WebPath/HISTHTML/HISTO.html
University of Utah Visible Human ‐
http://library.med.utah.edu/WebPath/HISTHTML/ANATOMY/ANATOMY.html
Cardiac MRI Anatomical Atlas ‐ http://www.scmr.org/education/atlas/intro/index.html
Emory Radiologic Anatomy ‐
http://www.emory.edu/ANATOMY/Radiology/Home.Page.MENU.HTML
LUMEN Cross Section Tutorial ‐
http://www.lumen.luc.edu/lumen/meded/grossanatomy/x_sec/mainx_sec.htm
McGill Radiologic Anatomy ‐ http://sprojects.mmi.mcgill.ca/radiology/
Wayne State Radiologic Anatomy ‐
http://www.med.wayne.edu/diagRadiology/Anatomy_Modules/Page1.html
Whole Brain Atlas ‐ http://www.med.harvard.edu/AANLIB/home.html
10
Fuel Metabolism
October 12, 2011 – October 27, 2011
Course director: Sidney Morris, Ph.D.
Block: 25% of FBS Section # 2
Exams: 1 multiple-choice examination, worth 95%
Overview
After learning the entire human body in seven weeks, get ready to enjoy a semester's worth of
biochemistry in two and a half weeks. This course is organized, well-run, and straightforward, with few frills. The
final written exam counts for 95%, and 5% of your grade comes from a PBL write-up that should be an easy 100.
Fuel Metabolism is mainly about memorizing reaction pathways and cycles, and understanding how they
interact to maintain homeostasis. Again, as in anatomy, you cannot get by just with understanding the big picture –
you really do have to memorize those pathways. You are not required to know molecular structures, so don't spend
too much time on them. Most 2014ers would consider the course to be of average difficulty (in other words, easier
than anatomy).
The recommended strategy is to write out the pathways - again and again and again. Pay attention to the
rate‐limiting enzymes and co‐factors. Do not fall behind. The course will be less intense than anatomy, but there is
still a great deal of information. If you find yourself way behind, don't bother listening to the missed lectures. Just
learn the material from the slides and focus on the learning objectives.
Attending Lecture
Fewer people will be in LR4 for Fuel Metabolism than for anatomy, as many in your class will begin
experimenting with learning from home. This has its pros and cons. You can probably be more efficient and
focused studying independently. On the other hand, it is very tempting to slack off, and you may feel behind or out
of touch with the rest of the class. Dr. Morris, who gives most of the lectures, is clear and organized, and he will
often point out which details you need to focus on for the exam.
Textbook and Syllabus
About 10% of our class recommends buying the Lippincott textbook, which provides an accessible and
clear review. However, most students relied on the syllabus alone for this course.
Advice from 2014
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Very intense. Go to class everyday. One day means missing 8 lectures, and you can't afford that.
It's kind of front-loaded so don't get overwhelmed. It's easy to want a break after anatomy, but make sure
you still keep up with this class. There is a lot of information.
Read the whole syllabus in the first week, so that you can review it in the second week.
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This course is basically a recapitulation of undergraduate biochem that most people have already had. If
you have the extra time and energy familiarize yourself with clinically relevant disorders now, despite the
fact that they are fairly glossed over in the course, they will be important in the future.
This is a hard course to get through.. if you have a really good textbook or notes from a previous biochem
course, you may want to bring them from home.
This will be a lot lighter than anatomy. Know going in that the syllabus and class are not as organized as
anatomy was, and try not to get frustrated. Lectures often covered material that was not in the syllabus, but
that means you probably don't have to know it!
Focus your studying heavily on the learning objectives.
You're going to be burnt out after anatomy but don't take this class lightly!
Lots of info in a short time. Try to get the big concepts before you bury yourself in the details.
I would suggest printing out the slides for this class, a lot of material covered wasn't in the syllabus.
2014 Class Survey
In comparison to other courses, the amount
of time I spent on this class was:
Regarding the podcasted lectures for this
course, it is best to:
Not use them at all
8%
43%
49%
23%
Less
More
16%
About the same
15%
Use only for missed
lectures
42%
4%
How useful was the course syllabus?
How often did you attend lecture?
I attended every
lecture
10%
25%
38%
27%
Use only for review
after attending
lectures
10%
I attended most
lectures
21%
Weak - poorly organized,
irrelevant to tested material; I
needed to rely heavily on the
textbook or slides
Moderate - adequately
organized; I still needed to
rely on the textbook or slides
I attended a few
of the lectures
69%
Where's LR4?
12
Very - highly organized; l
studied from the syllabus
almost exclusively
How useful was Lipincott's Illustrated
Reviews: Biochemistry?
2%
15%
75%
8%
Indispensable
(definitely buy)
Occasionally useful
(use the library copy)
Not worth the time or
money
No opinion, never
looked at it
13
Human Genetics
October 28, 2011 – November 22, 2011
Course director: Paula Monaghan‐Nichols, Ph.D.
Block: 34% of FBS Section #2
Exams: 1
Overview
Welcome to Human Genetics, a course that is pretty unique in the Pitt Med curriculum. The course has
undergone a great deal of revamping over the past few years. It is divided into 5 blocks: Molecular Genetics,
Genetic Disorders, Quantitative Genetics/Complex Inheritance, Developmental Disorders, and Cancer
Genetics/Therapeutics. Much of the course will be in the standard lecture format and there will be one final exam.
There will also be several mandatory sessions: 2-4 patient conferences, 3-5 case presentations and 5 “Team Based
Learning” (TBL) sessions.
TBL is a teaching method that has had great success at many other medical schools. This is the second year
for TBL sessions in Human Genetics course. There will be an in-depth discussion about TBL by Dr.
Monaghan‐Nichols on the first day of the class. The goal of these sessions is to encourage you to learn the material
and cooperatively apply your knowledge in a team setting. A book chapter or a paper will be assigned for you to
read and there will be a short quiz at the beginning of class that counts toward your final grade. You will then
separate into small groups where you will take the same quiz again as a group, discussing the questions and
coming to a consensus. You will then be given a group grade for the quiz as well. Then, your group will be assigned
several medically relevant problems to work through. Open discussion with the faculty member running the
session will follow each quiz. The hope is that everyone will bring different strengths and knowledge bases to the
group that will enhance everyone in the group’s understanding of the material. Material tested during these
sessions will not be tested on the final exam.
While this class may seem more loosely structured than other classes, it can be a great re-energizer for the
clinically oriented students. While the TBL structure may produce some anxiety, overall this course is among the
least stressful test-wise.
Remember
This course is still being refined so don’t be surprised by anything! The best advice for this class: “Relax”,
Dr. Monaghan-Nichols is trying to provide a more interactive learning environment and you can practice your
peer-to-peer communication skills. Many are hesitant to embrace TBL; your enjoyment of this class in particular is
heavily dependent on your approach to the group interaction, so try to make the most of it. One interesting aspect
of the course is cutting edge science presented. Genetics will be a huge impact on the practice of medicine and this
course will provide the base you need during your clinical years. Some of the best patient conferences will occur
during this class, making it more tangibly clinically relevant. This class might help you remember why you are in
medical school in the first place: the patients.
14
Advice from 2014





Don't worry about your grades in TBL. Arguing about points wastes a lot of your time. I would just read the
textbook. Straight up.
As with fuel, most people will have probably already had most of the basic science aspects Don't let your
anger/frustration with TBLs prevent you from studying. The development lectures are the best part of this
course.
TBL may seem rough, but if you read the material beforehand it can give you some easy points toward the final
grade.
Don't get bogged down in the "anti-TBL" mentality; go in with a positive attitude and TBL can be enjoyable and
you might actually learn something. If you go into TBL thinking it is a waste of time, it will be a gruesome 3
hours.
Don't get too hung up on fine details. Lectures can seem complicated but the test is pretty straightforward.
2014 Class Survey
In comparison to other courses, the
amount of time I spent on this class was:
Regarding the podcasted lectures for this
course, it is best to:
2%
2%
35%
22%
Less
More
63%
Not use them at all
14%
About the same
Use only for missed
lectures
60%
Use only for review
after attending
lectures
2%
How useful was the course syllabus?
How often did you attend lecture?
7%
14%
55%
6%
I attended
every lecture
24%
21%
I attended most
lectures
Weak - poorly organized,
irrelevant to tested material; I
needed to rely heavily on the
textbook or slides
Moderate - adequately
organized; I still needed to rely
on the textbook or slides
I attended a few
of the lectures
73%
Where's LR4?
15
Very - highly organized; l
studied from the syllabus
almost exclusively
How much time did you spend studying for
each TBL?
How useful was Thompson & Thompson's
Genetics in Medicine
4%
18%
12%
<30 min
12%
30-60 min
29%
37%
12%
1-2 hrs
58%
2-4 hrs
>4 hrs
16
18%
Indispensable
(definitely buy)
Occasionally useful
(use the library copy)
Not worth the time or
money
No opinion, never
looked at it
Cellular and Pathologic Basis of Disease
November 28, 2011 – January 12, 2012
Course directors: Donald DeFranco, Ph.D. (Cell)
Cynthia Lance-Jones, Ph.D. (Cell)
Lawrence Nichols, M.D. (Path)
Block: 40% of FBS Section # 2
Exams: 2 (multiple-choice and short-answer items) and a histology practical examination.
Overview
Those with an extensive or recent background in biology will likely find this course less intense than other
courses, as many of the topics will be familiar. However, this course still includes a large volume of new
information no matter your background. This course encompasses cell biology, histology, and pathology. For the
class of 2014, the course was organized thusly:
•
•
•
The first part of the course provided an overview of the basics of cell biology.
The second part of the course included histology and several histology labs/workshops.
The third part of the course focused on pathology, integrating histology and molecular biology into
understanding the basis of disease.
Throughout the course, the lecturers attempt to integrate all of these areas together with a focus on clinical
applications.
Study Tips
While some of you may think this class is a breeze, only 12% of the class of 2014 said they spent less time
on this course than on other courses, so the course is still a lot of work. However, don’t get bogged down by the
interminable alphabet soup of proteins and the army of microscope slides that all look the same. It may seem
irrelevant now, but this course is helping you form a solid base for studying organ systems in the second year.
Lecture
This class includes many lecturers for this class and they all have very different styles, so it’s often hard to
decide which lectures to attend and how to approach them. Most of the 2014ers agree that you should study lots
of images from the lectures, especially in the pathology section of the course. They can be frustrating at first, but
after you look at more and more images, clarity should arise. For your class, Dr. Nichols will be instituting a 50
minute session solely devoted to looking at images. The goal of this new session is to help you learn how to
interpret these images.
17
Lab/Workshops
The histology labs are optional, but the course directors include them for a reason. Everyone seems to have
a different opinion about the usefulness of histology lab, and a lot of it likely depends on your background. A good
idea: Go the first few times. TAs and faculty wander around the lab, available for questions, and (at least some of)
your classmates will also be there, available for group studying. If after one or two sessions you decide that lab is
not your bag, go into lab at another time (some images are even online) or do whatever works best for you.
Many students found the optional workshops especially useful. TAs and faculty walk you through several
histology images and help you to see aspects you may have missed on your own. This is a good way to quiz
yourself, see what you know, and ask questions. The more opportunities for practice, the better.
The course also includes several TBL sessions that focus on material not taught directly in the lectures. You
will be required to do outside reading from Robbin’s or lectures from prior years. See the Genetics section to get
an idea of what you can expect.
Textbook and Syllabus
The vast majority of students thought the syllabus was very or moderately useful and didn’t need much
information from outside sources. Some students expressed the opinion that Albert’s is helpful for some lectures
that aren’t particularly clear or if you haven’t learned a lot of cell bio in the past and need background. It’s best
used for reference—it’s a huge book and there’s no way you’ll be able to read the whole thing during the course.
There are copies in the library and an online version as well. Robbins is extremely thorough and can fill in a lot of
holes in your knowledge about pathology.
Advice from 2014
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Loved this class! Remember to study images right off the bat. They will matter a lot on the test. Practice
identifying objects in images during PBL.
PBL is indispensable. Remember to go over the slides with your facilitator in a quiz fashion.
Dr. Lance-Jones’ lectures are awesome. The pathology images are hard -- Go to Nichols’ review sessions.
This is the most important course of the basic science blocks. Not only will you learn about general
mechanisms of disease, but it will also get you in the mindset of how to approach clinical cases better than
any course before it did.
The first and second exam material have absolutely nothing to do with each other. Just know that and
accept it. Learn the histology before the path lectures begin, as at that point there is not enough time to
catch up on the histo (which is very important!) and still adequately learn the path.
Look at slides whenever possible. Familiarize yourself!
This is a difficult course with a lab component that will be a big part of the exam. Dr. Lance-Jones is great,
very student-friendly, so ask her questions and she will help!
Workshops are VERY helpful - pay close attention. Take advantage of the TAs and other faculty in the histo
lab. You will get more out of it. TBLs completely replace some lectures, so be ready to spend a substantial
amount of time studying.
If this class is split over winter break, make sure you're caught up by the time break starts. When you get
back from break the class moves really quickly and the material is really difficult.
18
2014 Class Survey
In comparison to other courses, the amount
of time I spent on this class was:
How useful was the course syllabus?
6%
12%
30%
Less
28%
60%
64%
I attended every
lecture
26%
Not at all
6%
I attended most
lectures
18%
I attended a few
of the lectures
58%
32%
Moderately
44%
Where's LR4?
How often did you attend the scheduled
labs?
Every time, or most
4%
labs
4%
Not use them at all
Some labs
16%
Use only for missed
lectures
10%
4%
Very
Indispensable
Regarding the podcasted lectures for this
course, it is best to:
2%
Very - highly organized; l
studied from the syllabus
almost exclusively
How useful did you find attending histology
labs?
How often did you attend lecture?
10%
Moderate - adequately
organized; I still needed to
rely on the textbook or slides
More
About the same
6%
Weak - poorly organized,
irrelevant to tested material; I
needed to rely heavily on the
textbook or slides
68%
18%
74%
Use only for review
after attending
lectures
19
I did them on my own
outside of the
scheduled time
There was a histology
lab?
How much time did you spend studying for
each TBL?
How useful was Robbins's Pathologic Basis
of Disease?
4%
20%
6%
12%
<30 min
30-60 min
32%
32%
18%
1-2 hrs
2-4 hrs
70%
>4 hrs
How useful was Alberts's Molecular Biology
of the Cell
2%
12%
8%
78%
6%
Indispensable
(definitely buy)
Occasionally useful
(use the library copy)
Not worth the time or
money
No opinion, never
looked at it
20
Indispensable
(definitely buy)
Occasionally useful
(use the library copy)
Not worth the time or
money
No opinion, never
looked at it
Immunology in Health and Disease
January 13, 2012 – February 8, 2012
Course directors: Christine Milcarek, Ph.D.
Marc Levesque M.D., Ph.D
Block: 48% of FBS Section #3
Exams: 1
Overview
The first week of the course covers the basics of innate and adaptive immunity, specifically focusing on the
components of cell-mediated and humoral immunity—everything you ever wanted to know about B-cells and Tcells. For this part of the course, many students found the Abbas text helpful to fill in gaps and see the big picture.
After setting this foundation, the lecturers provide introductions to immunologic tolerance,
immunodeficiency syndromes, and rheumatic diseases. The class of 2014 had a single graded final exam with one
scheduled study day prior to it. There was a non-graded in-class practice exam approximately half-way through
the course to gauge your own understanding of the material. In addition, the course directors provide additional
practice exams online.
Lecture
One point of difference in our class survey for most courses, including this one, is the importance of
attending lecture. Some people go to lecture, and some don’t. By the time you reach this course, you will know to
which group you belong. Some of the survey participants thought that the combination of the Abbas textbook,
adequate syllabus notes, and access to lecture recordings on the class website made attendance of lectures an
optional activity. Some people feel that lectures keep students involved in the course, motivate them to keep up
with studies, and at times the instructors will point blank tell you what material they will test you on.
Unfortunately, the useful Abbas text doesn’t include much information on the rheumatology portion of this
course, which makes skipping lectures a less viable option once the second half rolls around.
Textbooks/Syllabus
The core text for the first part of this course is Basic Immunology, 3rd edition, 2006–7, by Abbas and
Lichtman. This is one of the few texts in the MS-1 year where you can see a consensus as to its usefulness. The
majority of the class found this text to be clearly written and illustrated, easy to read, and a good tool for enhancing
your understanding of the material presented in the lectures and syllabus. In fact, many of the lecturers will use
figures from this text in their Powerpoint presentations, or refer to specific sections in the syllabus.
The rheumatology section of the course claimed Klippel’s Primer on Rheumatic Diseases as its text.
However, the majority of the class of 2014 didn’t use it.
21
Study Tips
One of the challenges in the first part of the course is to note the different surface markers on important
cells and remember which cytokines are involved in each response—making tables seemed to be a popular
approach to this end. Many 2014ers read Abbas cover to cover during this time, and many found material outside
the syllabus helpful.
For the rheumatology portion: It is important to fully grasp the differences between the different rheumatic
diseases, as some found this to be a large concept on the exam. Many in our class, again, found it useful to devise
tables comparing the different rheumatic diseases causes, epidemiology, symptoms, etc. The exam included many
details from the syllabus that were not emphasized in class.
Advice from 2014
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
I don't know if it is always like it was for us, but the exam focused very heavily on the Rheumatological
diseases we learned in the latter 1/3 of the course rather than the basic science of immunology. Make sure
you know your autoimmunity!
Every time you come across an important molecule, try to commit its function to memory (or make an
Excel sheet) or you'll be swimming in a sea of ILs and CDs by the end of the class.
I found the powerpoints more helpful than the syllabus in many instances. The Abbas textbook is a great
starting point and worth skimming, especially on sections that you find weaker.
Abbas is a GREAT book, and reading that was the equivalent of the first half or so of the course material.
Immuno is a long course- try not to procrastinate even if the exam seems like it's not for a long time!!
Just read abbas, go to rheumatology lectures.
If you don't have immuno background, buy the Abbas book and read it as early in the course as possible.
Definitely put in the time to read the text book! It summarizes lots of confusing lectures into elementary
level understanding. Read textbook in the beginning for a foundation for the rest of the course.
Make diagrams especially on the maturation of certain cells.
At the start of the course make lists of 1) the different receptors outside of cells, and 2) cytokines!!! VERY
IMPORTANT to do this if you want to make things easier on yourself later on.
Don’t skimp on the Rheumatology! It is a large part of the exam.
2014 Class Survey
In comparison to other courses, the amount
of time I spent on this class was:
12% 16%
How often did you attend lecture?
10% 16%
Less
29%
More
72%
About the same
45%
I attended every
lecture
I attended most
lectures
I attended a few
of the lectures
Where's LR4?
22
Regarding the podcasted lectures for this
course, it is best to:
Not use them at all
6%
2%
53%
2%
Use only for review
after attending
lectures
Use instead of the live
lectures
98%
How useful was the course syllabus?
How useful was Abbas's Basic Immunology?
Weak - poorly organized,
irrelevant to tested material; I
needed to rely heavily on the
textbook or slides
10%
35%
Indispensable
(definitely buy)
Occasionally useful
(use the library copy)
Not worth the time or
money
No opinion, never
looked at it
Use only for missed
lectures
21%
18%
How useful was the Primer on Rheumatic
Diseases
55%
2%
Moderate - adequately
organized; I still needed to
rely on the textbook or slides
16%
18%
64%
Very - highly organized; l
studied from the syllabus
almost exclusively
23
Indispensable
(definitely buy)
Occasionally useful
(use the library copy)
Not worth the time or
money
No opinion, never
looked at it
Microbiology
February 9, 2012 – March 8, 2012
Course directors: Peter Veldcamp, MD
Bruce McClane, Ph.D.
Block: 52% of FBS Section #3
Exams: 1
Overview
Micro is, undoubtedly, one of the most difficult courses of the first year. For many it is at least on par with
Anatomy for volume and difficulty of material. While the material may seem overwhelming, maintaining a strict
daily study schedule makes the class manageable. Many students find this to be one of their favorite first year
courses. Micro obviously has a very strong clinical focus and wide utility for any specialty of medicine and is pretty
high yield for the boards, so hard work in this course will likely pay off in the future. The course is divided up by
concept (pathogen biology, infectious cycle, etc.) and not by individual pathogen, so it might be worthwhile to use a
textbook that organizes it by pathogens, or many students created charts to keep the material organized. Ours and
previous classes really liked “Clinical Microbiology Made Ridiculously Simple”, which provided great mnemonics
and memory aids for the multiple drugs and bugs. Other students opted for the flashcard approach (homemade or
buying MicroCards) and found that to be useful for conquering the material. Whatever method(s) you choose, it’s
crucial to get organized from the start and keep on top of things. The course is front‐loaded with information (i.e.
the antibiotic lectures). Don’t fret, this eases up as the course moves on and is designed to give you ample time to
commit the harder material to memory. Take advantage of this and do your best to keep up!
Lecture
After anatomy, lecture attendance tends to drop off in the following classes, but we saw a large resurgence
during micro. Most of us felt the lectures were quality and worth attending. Some of the lecturers are among the
most inspiring during the first year. Also, the returning course directors are great and are very present throughout
the course. In addition, there are weekly, optional quizzes that are not podcasted or posted online. Many students
felt this was a good way to test their knowledge and get a feel for what the exam might be like.
Textbooks/Syllabus
Most of us didn’t use the recommended textbooks. The syllabus is well organized and contains everything
you need to know. Many people found “Clinical Microbiology Made Ridiculously Simple” to be a good investment. It
organizes the material by pathogen (different approach from the syllabus) and contains lots of cheesy memory
aids.
Lab
There is a required lab portion which links with what you do in PBL. In the lab you will learn some common
microbiology techniques with the help of your TAs (who will be current micro grad. students). You’ll be required to
24
wear a lab coat, so make sure you are prepared. Overall, the lab is well-run with clear instructions and competent
TAs. The material from lab and PBL will be on the exam, so you should have an idea on how to perform and
interpret the different tests.
Study tips
You will be expected to know the defining characteristics of pathogens and other details covered in the
syllabus. Everything you need to know is in the syllabus, so you shouldn’t need to rely heavily on any outside
materials, aside from clarification. Know lab stuff, as there are always a couple questions that should be easy points
provided you paid attention. There are lots of practice questions online and in the syllabus, plus the weekly
quizzes, if you went.
Advice from Class of 2014:















The introduction to antibiotics at the beginning of the course makes more sense once you review it at the
end of course. It may seem very confusing at first, but with time, the drugs will become more familiar and
make more sense!
This class is amazing, but PACKED with information. Most of the lectures are pretty entertaining, which
helps when it comes to studying. Just get ready to memorize.
Great class! Table/Chart-o-mania! Start memorizing the tables early.
Awesome class. A TON of work, but important and very interesting. Lecturers are wonderful for this class.
Learn the different antibiotics early on! It will make the course much easier as you progress.
Definitely the one course NOT to fall behind on. The good thing about this course is that they give you the
antibiotics table early (and well-formatted!). Carry this chart around to peek at it during down times - on
the bus... in PBL - do this starting from when you get it, and it won't be so overwhelming come exam time.
Despite being heavy on memorization, this course is very well-organized!
Make sure you keep up with micro because it's very fast-paced and easy to fall behind. Know the syllabus
well and you'll be fine.
The course is extremely dense and requires a great deal of work. The practice quizzes were helpful and a
good representation of test questions.
Lots of memorizing of bugs and drugs! But put in the time and you will be fine. Good teaching faculty for
this course so try going to lectures.
A very challenging course, but don't let all the rumors about how hard it is psych you out. There's a bit
more material than in other courses, and I spent more time on this course than I had on others, but I think I
would have been just fine if I'd just kept up my previous study skills, plus I would have been far less
stressed out.
Find some way of organizing the material for yourself from Day 1 (flashcards, spreadsheets, etc.). There is a
lot of material you'll need to memorize cold.
Front loaded. Really important to keep up in this course. Lots of new material and new words are going to
be thrown at you every day.
This course is every bit as intense as you've heard. Stay on your game and you'll be fine, though. Do
yourself a favor and learn the drugs early. Also help yourself out by cold-memorizing the Gram + / - early.
This will make the rest of the course easier.
Awesome class. Start memorizing tables early. Make notecards. Get people to quiz you.
I found this class very interesting, but very challenging. The pace is much faster than other classes. I bought
MicroCards and found them extremely helpful. Each time a disease was covered in class, I went through its
MicroCard.
25

Make sure you have the basics covered in the first couple of weeks so you have plenty of time to memorize.
Start memorizing the bugs early.
2014 Class Survey
In comparison to other courses, the amount
of time I spent on this class was:
How useful was the course syllabus?
2%
10%
8%
Less
Moderate - adequately
organized; I still needed to
rely on the textbook or slides
More
About the same
88%
92%
Very - highly organized; l
studied from the syllabus
almost exclusively
How useful was Clinical Microbiology Made
Ridiculously Simple?
How often did you attend lecture?
I attended every
lecture
12%
34%
14%
I attended most
lectures
38%
I attended a few
of the lectures
40%
6%
Regarding the podcasted lectures for this
course, it is best to:
Not use them at all
14%
Use only for missed
lectures
16%
66%
24%
32%
Where's LR4?
4%
Weak - poorly organized,
irrelevant to tested material; I
needed to rely heavily on the
textbook or slides
Use only for review
after attending
lectures
Use instead of the live
lectures
26
Indispensable
(definitely buy)
Occasionally useful
(use the library copy)
Not worth the time or
money
No opinion, never
looked at it
ORGAN SYSTEM AND PATHOPHYSIOLOGY BLOCK
Neuroscience
March 19, 2012 – May 4, 2012
Course director: Allen Humphrey, Ph.D.
Block: 80% of OPS Section #1
Exams: 2
Overview
You are (hopefully) relaxed and refreshed from spring break, and ready to start the Organ Systems block.
Neuroscience is a challenging but enjoyable course; dense but fair. Dr. Humphrey is easygoing and accessible. The
course is divided into two sections each followed by an exam, with the second exam being cumulative. The first
section has by far the most material, covering neuroanatomy and sensory perception. The second section focuses
on motor pathways, pathology, and related pharmacology.
The course uses the familiar lecture format, with a variety of useful extras: labs, clinical conferences, PBLs,
and self-study exercises. The labs allow you to experience neuroanatomy in 3D by using gross specimens (the
brains from your Anatomy cadavers) and models. The clinical conferences bring together about sixteen students
with a faculty member who guides them through several clinical cases, with plenty of time for questions and
clarification.
For the class of 2014, the exams had three parts: multiple-choice, short-answer, and structure
identification. The structure identification part is like a digital laboratory practical: Dr. Humphrey will bring up CT
scans, MRIs, pictures of gross specimens, or pictures from Haines, and you will be asked to identify something that
is labeled on the picture. For the short-answer questions, one student notes, “Be prepared to synthesize,
integrate, and justify answers on exams more than the other classes.” These questions may be similar
to your clinical conference cases; they were for our class.
Attending Lecture
For Neuroscience, it is worthwhile to go to class. As one student pointed out, “If you have become
accustomed to not attending lectures at this point - beware. Dr. Humphrey does not like the lecture recordings and
will occasionally find excuses not to record the lectures to encourage attendance. For many lectures that feature
videos of patients, the lecture recordings really don't allow you to appreciate the neurological findings anyway.”
Dr. Humphrey really does seem to want you in class. Although the recordings are (usually) there, he does
not facilitate podcast-learning. He, and other lecturers, like to use the laser pointer instead of the mouse, making
the neuroanatomy lectures difficult to follow on podcast.
27
Study tips
This course is heavily front-loaded, and the material at the beginning (anatomy) is foundational for the
remainder. So study hard the first two weeks. The neuroanatomy can be challenging, especially for those who have
not taken a neuroscience course before. You will eventually get a feel for looking at sections and CT scans. Test
yourself repetitively on the images provided online and those in Haines. There will be videos presented during the
lectures and posted online that can help you with a 3D understanding.
After the first two weeks, the course becomes much more manageable. “Find the lesion” questions will
certainly appear on your exams, so quiz one another on the sensory/motor pathways.
Laboratory
There are four laboratory sessions. These sessions involve following a text to locate different structures,
and you are free to proceed at your own pace, or not to come at all. While most students attended the first lab, the
later sessions become more optional because they refer to Haines or online material instead of the gross
specimens. You can complete these independently, but make sure you understand them well. The material from
the labs and self-study exercises is not necessarily covered in the lectures, but is represented on the exams.
Textbook and Syllabus
The syllabus is fairly well-organized. Dr. Humphrey's lecture notes are high-quality, but the same cannot be
said of some of the other lectures. There are three textbooks for this course. Netter's you already have. Haines is
indispensable, as the laboratory exercises refer to it constantly, and its images are part of the pool for exam
questions. Blumenfeld is much more of a traditional textbook. It has illustrations and CT/MR images with a clear
narration. In addition, it has sample cases that can be useful for lesion practice. Still, most 2014ers recommend that
you stick with the library copy.
Advice from 2014
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Attend all the lectures!
This class is awesome -- lectures are great.
Fast to start, slow on the back end.
The syllabus and the Blumenfeld text complement each other very nicely. Also the clinical conferences were very
informative.
Especially in the beginning, neuro can be a confusing course for those who are not anatomy-oriented. But the
second half is more clinically applicable and enjoyable.
You need to have a solid understanding of neuroanatomy to do well, especially the spinal cord tracts. DO NOT
blow off the labs - they form the foundation of most of the course.
This course was organized in a bit of a confusing way. I'm not sure I have great advice about how to make it less
confusing. I'd start by mastering a physical representation of the 4 main tracts and the cranial nerves/nuclei
28
•
•
•
•
•
•
using the syllabus, the lab manual, and the online "videos" as well as some outside medical schools' websites.
This may seem a bit backwards, but mastering these tracts will make everything else much easier to understand.
Great class, but very difficult. Neuro is an interesting subject with a lot of material to learn. Do your best to stay
on top of it especially for the first exam; the second exam is WAY easier to catch up on material. Haines is filled
with useful images and has practice questions, some of which are used for the test directly.
Learn the anatomy!! especially brain stem anatomy
Only go to the first lab, the others can be done online. Study images for both exams! Also, know that the tests
have some short (i.e. one word- one sentence) answer questions. Lectures often aren't recorded due to patient
videos, so be sure to go as much as possible.
Well organized. I would recommend High-Yield Neuroanatomy if you have never done Neuro before in college. It
was a lifesaver in helping me to understand and it has diagrams that had just the right amount of detail. Also,
make use of the plethora or resources on the course website - it is especially helpful to go over the images a few
days before the test.
This class is pretty awesome. Labs are COMPLETELY useless. Learn the neuroanatomy in a clinical way (learn it in
association with a particular lesion).
Dr. Humphrey is great at answering your individual questions. He's on the M floor and is very willing to help you
if you're having difficulty.
2014 Class Survey
In comparison to other courses, the
amount of time I spent on this class was:
How often did you attend lecture?
I attended every
lecture
18% 12%
14%
Less
20%
About the same
70%
32%
More
34%
Regarding the podcasted lectures, for this
course it is best to:
14%
2%
62%
I attended a few
of the lectures
Where's LR4?
How useful was the course syllabus?
Not use the recordings at all.
16%6%
I attended most
lectures
20%
Use the recordings only for
missed lectures.
Use the recordings only for
review after attending
lectures.
Use the recordings instead of
the live lectures.
80%
29
Weak - poorly organized,
irrelevant to tested
material; I needed to rely
heavily on the textbook or
slides
Moderate - adequately
organized; I still needed to
rely on the textbook or
slides
How useful was Haines's Neuroanatomy?
How useful was Blumenfeld's
Neuroanatomy through Clinical Cases?
Indispensable
(definitely buy)
2%
Indispensable
(definitely buy)
Occasionally useful
(use the library copy)
28%
70%
10%
Not worth the time or
money
58%
24%
8%
No opinion, I never
looked at it
Occasionally useful
(use the library copy)
Not worth the time or
money
No opinion, I never
looked at it
30
Introduction to Psychiatry
May 7, 2012 – May 18, 2012
Course director: Jason Rosenstock, M.D.
Block: 20% of OPS Section #1
Exams: 1 (multiple choice plus a written mental status exam)
Overview
The end is in sight! Intro to Psych is definitely less intense than the previous courses; however, some
students find it easy to slack off and get behind at this time of the year, making the course harder than it should be.
Hang in there and stay on top of the work for the final two weeks before summer “freedom” (Dean’s SRP, anyone?).
The course does have a lot of scheduled class time, with many required small group sessions, patient conferences,
and lectures. You also learn the details of a mental status exam and write-up, and practice one for small group, and
you’ll do another based on a video during the final exam.
Lecture
By now you should certainly know your lecture preferences. Most of our class found the lectures
worthwhile, and Dr. Rosenstock enjoys group discussions and class input. Dr. Tew’s psychopharmacology lectures
also involved chalkboard diagrams and tables, which do not translate to the podcasts. The 2014ers who attended
Dr. Tew’s lectures highly recommend them.
Small Groups
These mandatory sessions usually involve discussing a patient interview that was shown in class. Thus,
make sure you attend the screening in LR4 or you’ll be lost and/or useless for the discussion. Consider using the
mental status exam checklist in the syllabus to take notes while watching these videos. These videos become good
practice for the write-up you’ll turn in before the exam, and the second one you’ll do during the exam. Writing a
MSE is fairly easy once you know what to look for.
Textbook/Syllabus
No need to spend any money on a text for this class. Dr. Rosenstock has clearly put a lot of effort into
making the syllabus well organized and thorough. You shouldn’t need an outside text, and if you find yourself
interested in more information or clarification, the library reserves or online resources should be sufficient.
Advice from 2014
•
Loved this course - the amount of material was bountiful without being overwhelming, and it was pretty
neat to see a human face on illness (finally) after all year of basic science. Sit back and enjoy this basic intro
to Psych.
31
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Pysch is a really awesome class. Lectures are interesting and worth going to. Syllabus is really complete.
I found the syllabus very thorough. You could read it without attending class and be OK for the most part.
Even if you don't have any intention of going into psych, do still go to class. Because WPIC is so
phenomenal, many of the lecturers are literally the world's leading experts in their fields and the insight
they are able to offer far exceeds that seen in psych courses at other medical schools.
Go to class- the lecturers are amazing and there may not be slides for every presentation.
Super informative, engaging, yet pretty stress-free class. Enjoy it!
Try going to class! Lectures are a lot more fun than in other courses. I liked going to class to keep myself
motivated at the end of the school year, but I'm sure reading the syllabus would have been sufficient and
much more time-efficient. My favorite lecturer was Dr. Tew; you should try to go to his because he is an
excellent, engaging, and funny teacher and also because he tends to write on the board rather than use
powerpoint, so listening online may be hard.
This test is harder than the behavioral medicine one, so don't be fooled into thinking you can completely
coast!
Use lectures to supplement the syllabus, not the other way around.
You'll definitely need to know the diagnostic criteria, but the neurobiology was also a significant portion of
the test. So do not take the neurobiology lightly even though neuroscience ended. Also, I stopped attending
lectures since it was more efficient to go over the material by myself than going to lecture.
It's very interesting and has great lecturers. Definitely take advantage of the patient presentations (the one
on Depression is particularly good). Dr. Tew gives really good lectures, but doesn't use powerpoints, so if
you typically don't go to lectures then you might want to go to his because they're somewhat more difficult
to follow online.
Feel free to skip lecture if you don't find it useful, but attend all of the patient interviews and such. It makes
the material a lot easier to remember when you can connect the symptoms/disorder to a real patient.
Make sure to go to Dr. Burton's lectures, he won't let them be recorded.
Great class - a good way to unwind after neuro but before summer vacation starts. Still keep up with the
material though!
Coming to class is really helpful, it really decreased the amount of time I felt I had to "study."
2014 Class Survey
In comparison to other classes, the amount
of time I spent on this class was
Regarding the podcasted lectures, for this
course it is best to:
4%
4%
15%
Not use the recordings at all
7%
Less
26%
About the same
81%
More
43%
Use the recordings only for
missed lectures
Use the recording for review
only after ttending lectures
Use the recordings instead of
live lectures
32
How often did you attend lecture?
10%
19%
How useful was the course syllabus?
I attended every
lecture
26%
45%
2%
I attended most
lectures
I attended a few
of the lectures
98%
Where's LR4?
33
Moderate - adequately
organized; I still needed to
rely on the slides
Very - highly organized; l
studied from the syllabus
almost exclusively
INTRODUCTION TO PATENT CARE BLOCK
Medical Interviewing
August 25, 2011 – October 20, 2011
Course director: Donald Middleton, M.D.
Reed Van Deusen, M.D., MPH
Block: 50% of IPC Section #1
Exams: 0, grade is based on evaluation from facilitator
Overview
Medical Interviewing is your chance to get started with one of the most essential clinical skills. This is a
wonderful opportunity to practice interviewing in a “risk-free” environment, with a standardized patient. Do not
assume that you will be good at interviewing because you are good with people, outgoing, or whatever.
Interviewing can be difficult for everyone, and takes a lot of practice. The course mostly consists of small-group
sessions discussed below, plus a large-group discussion and demonstration. At the end of the course there will also
be a “clinical interviewing assessment”. You will do a full interview with a standardized patient with only your
facilitator watching, and receive detailed feedback on both your strengths and weaknesses as an interviewer.
The grading for this course is extraordinarily subjective. Don't worry about your grade – you will not fail,
and shooting for honors is probably not worth the anxiety. Just relax, be yourself, and have fun!
Small-group
This course only meets once a week and your group will likely split into two. Each person gets a turn on the
“hot seat”, interviewing the standardized patient, while your peers watch. This can be intimidating, but don't
worry. You will soon realize that everyone makes mistakes, and nobody knows what they are doing at first. You are
given a chance to call “time out” if you feel stuck, and this option is used pretty often! During a “time out” you are
able to collect your thoughts, ask for help, or rewind to start the interview over again. And remember, no matter
what happens, your classmates are required to compliment you afterwards (seriously). All comments are strictly
limited to positive reinforcement which is a great self-esteem booster.
The session will focus on one aspect of the patient's history. Each student will get a turn to talk to the SP,
with the option to pick up where the previous interviewer left off, or to start afresh. It is strongly recommended to
volunteer to go first or second in the hot seat. If you wait until the end, you may feel as if you're just going over
things your peers have already covered. Do not take this as a clinical exercise or try to figure out what your patient
has – this course is just about learning how to do the interview.
Some students expressed annoyance at the political-correctness of the class. For instance, you will be
required to give only positive feedback to your peers. Don't let this get to you. You will definitely get some
constructive criticism from the facilitators. No matter how “touchy-feely” the class gets, you will definitely get a lot
out of it if you participate.
34
Textbook/syllabus
Most members of the class of 2014 did not find it necessary to purchase the textbook for this class, but it
does provided useful incite to the art of interviewing.
Advice from 2014
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Have fun! Read the book if you want honors.
It's really awkward to do the interviews in front of people but you'll get used to it.
Very facilitator dependent. Helps to read ahead of time so you know how to move through an
interview then use the class to pick up subtle points and learn your weaknesses.
Most of the people who complained that there were unclear expectations didn’t do the assigned
reading.
I never prepared for medical interviewing, and I did just fine. Just take it easy and don't be
nervous. It may be a bit of a drag to have MI right after exams, but just consider that it's good to
just get it out of the way.
If you're looking for honors, focus less on trying to get actual information from your standardized
patient that attending to their emotional wellbeing and trying to get them to cry.
It's going to seem awkward but it actually gets better. And in the end you'll realize your interview
skills actually did get better.
Make the most of it. Pitt has a great clinical piece to their curriculum, and while it does add a
significant amount of time to your week, it is a skill that should be practiced early on.
Read the textbook and cite it in class to get Honors. It's online, so there's no reason not to! Plus,
this course will change your life! I talk to people differently now!
2014 Class Survey
How useful was the Medical Interviewing
textbook?
Indispensable
(definitely buy)
6%
47%
39%
8%
Occasionally useful
(use the library
copy)
Not worth the time
or money
No opinion, I never
looked at it
35
Introduction to Physical Examination
October 24, 2011 – December 16, 2011
Course director: Melissa McNeil, M.D., M.P.H.
Block: 50% of IPC Section #1
Exams: 1 practical standardized patient exam
Overview
Now for the fun stuff that drove you to med school! This class introduces you to the technique of physical
exam in a totally relaxed atmosphere. You’ll learn how to use your stethoscope and how to look at retinas without
butting heads/locking lips with your patient. The goal is to master the general flow and mechanics of a physical
exam. No worries—you aren’t going to be reamed if you can’t identify another student’s murmur or get a precise
jugular venous pressure. Your goal should be to learn the basics and feel comfortable with the choreography of the
classic physical exam. However, do not mistake the relaxed nature of this course as an indication that the skills are
unimportant. They are important, and in a short time (i.e., in February) you will perform these techniques in a
hospital with real patients.
The course consists of lectures by faculty and small groups led by MS-4s. At the end of the course you
perform complete physical exams on standardized patients. The first attempt is for practice; you get valuable
feedback from the standardized patient (who is well versed in the aspects of the physical examination). Then you’ll
perform one last physical examination, about a week later, for a grade.
Have fun and practice, practice, practice. These skills don’t come naturally. The more you practice on
classmates, friends, and family, the easier (and less awkward) your physical exam experience will be later on.
Lecture
Lecture is usually once a week, and Dr. McNeil gives almost all of them. Lectures are broken down by organ
system, and they include slides, videos, references to Bates (an important text), and clinical pearls. Again, a lot of
the information may seem like too much to handle, but remember the focus is on the how for now; the what and
why will come later, with additional courses and experience. Many 2014ers found that their small group 4th-years
were able to reinforce these concepts from lecture very well.
Small Group
Small group is typically facilitated by two MS-4s. This is your opportunity to practice examination skills on
each other. Groups are broken down by gender to minimize potential awkwardness (though one of your
standardized patients will be of the opposite sex). You’ll get up close and personal with your classmates, but this is
an excellent chance to gain competency with your examination skills—with input and practical advice from the
4th-years. Use this time to gain insights and tricks of the trade from the 4th year medical students. They are a great
reference and often give the most useful advice on how to easily operate your instruments.
36
One challenge with this course: You learn lots of physical exam techniques, you practice them in small
groups, but you perform only some of them during your final exam. The important parts for the final exam are
clearly laid out in a list—make sure you know that list, and practice physical exams that follow the list. Many
students find it useful to spend time outside of class practicing on friends, roommates, family, or any willing
volunteer. The more you practice, the more confident you will be for your final exam.
Textbook
It is said that by the end of second year you will know Bates from cover to cover. At this point it is not
imperative that you master Bates, but it is a valuable resource to have handy while learning the physical
examination. Most of our class found it to be a worthy investment even at this early stage.
Special Note on Equipment
Dr. McNeil asked that we tell you two important tips about the equipment you will need for physical exam:
1. Buy the necessary equipment before the class starts. You will hit the ground running in this
class and it’s important you come prepared your first day.
2. BUY QUALITY EQUPIMENT. A large portion of the class of 2014 purchased lesser grade
stethoscopes and oto/opthalmascopes online much to the chagrin of our professors and MS-4
instructors. Obviously everyone has a different budget, but it’s a good idea to buy the best
quality equipment you can afford, it will save you money in the long run. Many people ended up
buying the better versions later after their $99 sets started breaking. If you have questions
about what to purchase or what brands, you can contact Dr. McNeil.
Advice from 2014
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Great class. Felt like I was actually learning practical skills.
This is helpful because the fourth years give you practical tips, knowledge, and good lines for
doing the physical exam.
Practice, practice, practice. You'll thank yourself later.
You can find good equipment for cheaper than the school sale. Check out Amazon.
Lots of fun. There is a checklist in your syllabus of the full physical exam you'll need to do with a
Standardized Patient for your final exam. Memorize this! Practice it often until you can run
through it without even thinking and you'll breeze past the final exam.
Pay attention! You need to know this stuff! Also, get a nice stethoscope - you will need it forever
and ever!
The lectures are helpful. You really have to prepare for this class for it to be useful - especially for
the small groups. It truly is what you make of it - if you want to slack off, you can, and vice versa.
The MS4s really want to see you succeed, so don't hesitate to ask them if you need extra help
37
2014 Class Survey
How much did you spend on your equipment
(stethoscope, otoscope, etc.)?
2%
10%
2%
How useful was Bate's Guide to Physical
Examination?
$0-$200
$201-$400
24%
0%
$401-$600
$601-$800
31%
31%
16%
16%
68%
$801-$1000
$1000+
How often did you attend lecture?
Regarding the podcasted lectures, for this
course it is best to:
2%
Not use the recordings at all
33%
22%
33%
6%
6%
Indispensable
(definitely buy)
Occasionally useful (use
the library copy)
Not worth the time or
money
No opinion, I never
looked at it
I attended every
lecture
12%
I attended most
lecutres
Use the recordings only for
missed lectures
Use the recording only for review
after attending lectures
Use the recordings instead of the
live lectures
No comment, I never used the
recordings
29%
57%
I attended a few of
the lectures
Where's LR4?
38
Advanced Physical Examination
January 2011 – May 2011
Course directors: Scott Herrle, M.D.
Orooj Fasiudden, M.D.
Kishore Vellody, M.D.
Block: 43% of IPC Section #2
Exams: 0, grade based on facilitator evaluations
Overview
Advanced Physical Exam 1 (APE1) is your first opportunity to perform the skills you learned from IPE on
real patients! No more classmates or actors. The scheduling may appear complicated for this course, but the fullgroup session on the first day will help clarify the details. Essentially, during a month when you have PE scheduled
you’ll perform physical exams, write H&P’s, and possibly present patients to your fellow group members. You’ll be
in a small group (typically 3 other students) with one faculty A great deal of effort is put in to identifying a patient
for each student, but sometimes a patient will decline, in which case you’ll end up tag-teaming a physical exam.
Some preceptors will migrate in and out of rooms to provide feedback and advice to students. If you think you
found some interesting pathology be sure to tell your facilitator. It’s never too early to start listening for murmurs
or various lung sounds. It’s also helpful to make your own list of what to do/ask for the history and physical. Don’t
feel like you have to do everything from memory (as was the case for your IPE ‘final physical’). Use example H&P’s
as a template, and be willing to accept constructive criticism from classmates and facilitators.
In addition to interviewing and examining patients, you will have two larger sessions pertaining to
Ophthalmology and ENT. Additionally, during the Neuroscience and Psychiatry courses you will have neurological
and psychiatric exam/interviewing sessions pertaining to the current coursework.
Remember
This is the only time when you will have the opportunity to take 1‐2 hours on doing a
complete history and physical. Take your time, ask for help and suggestions from your facilitator,
and try not to feel too embarrassed in front of the patients. Most of them understand you are only a
first-year, and are surprisingly willing to help.
Advice from 2014
•
Don't get frustrated with the lack of consistency among facilitators/groups. Just use every
opportunity to learn from interacting with patients, that's what you came to school for! don't be
worrying about your basic science coursework, enjoy your clinical time!
Textbooks
Many students found Maxwell Quick Medical Reference to be very useful. It’s small enough
39
to fit in your white coat, and inexpensive. As mentioned for IPE, Bates is also a valuable resource
for the History and Physical.
40
Clinical Experiences
January 2012 – May 2012
Course directors: Shanta Zimmer, M.D.
Yaqin Xia, M.D.
Laura Panko, M.D.
Block: 43% of IPC Section #2
Exams: 1
Overview
CE1 and CE2 are similar to APE in that you go out for some real patient contact one afternoon a week. In
general, they are more laid back, with no requirement except that you observe. CE3 requires you to do 4 sessions at
a community site of your choice – they range from a walk-in clinic to a soup kitchen. You will have an introductory
lecture at the beginning of the semester to attempt to explain the confusing logistics of the course. If you feel
confused after the first session, don’t worry, you will receive a personalized schedule in your mailbox that will
outline where you need to be for each of your CE sessions.
Learning Logs
Fill out your learning log right after the session so that you don't forget anything, Learning logs only take a
few minutes to complete so don’t let them pile up. If you do, it will be difficult to remember all your patient
interactions at the end of the semester, so save yourself the headache and complete them as soon as you get home.
Tips
Make the most of this opportunity to interact with patients. Every preceptor is different, and for some
students it may just be a shadowing experience. Even so, ask questions and volunteer to help when you can. The
physicians are very receptive to first year medical students, and your time will be much more enjoyable if you are
inquisitive and remain interested in all the patient cases. For CE1 and CE2, remember to bring the evaluation form
to the last session, and have the preceptor fill it out in front of you and give it back so that you can hand it in. This is
much easier than counting on the preceptor to fax it in on his or her own.
You can fulfill your CE3 requirements at any time, not just in the assigned month. Definitely take advantage
of this – you can do your sessions over the summer or strategically at times of lower workload. This gives you one
month with an extra afternoon off.
The exam is really no sweat. Nobody has ever failed it. Just familiarize yourself with the readings and go to
the review session. You will be adequately prepared.
41
PATIENT PHYSICIAN AND SOCIETY BLOCK
Introduction to Being a Physician
August 15, 2011 – August 19, 2011
Course director: Shanta M. Zimmer, M.D.
Block: 20% of PPS Block Section #1 Exams: 0, grade is based on participation in small group activities
Overview
This is a week-long introductory course that does just what the name suggests – it gives you a taste of what
it means to be a physician, with emphasis on how doctors communicate with a range of patients and interface with
larger public health issues. The course is essentially effortless and, moreover, lots of fun. You just need to show up
to some small groups, attend some panels and patient presentations, and go to a session with a service
organization in an underserved community in the Mon Valley. The course is essentially an extension of orientation,
with no books and no grades. This week serves as an opportunity to just relax before Anatomy gets underway.
Lecture
You will be attending some lectures and panels with physicians and public health people. You’ll also attend
some patient conferences, during which patients with chronic diseases will describe their experiences with their
physicians and the health care system.
Small Groups
You will have some mandatory-attendance small group activities, including a visit to a service organization
in the Mon Valley.
Textbook/Syllabus
There is a small syllabus that will provide readings that complement the lectures and small group sessions.
42
Ethics, Law, and Professionalism
August 26, 2011 – December 7, 2011
Course directors: Charissa Pacella, M.D.
Course directors: Melissa McNeil, M.D., MPH
Block: 100% of PPS Section #1
Exams: 1
Overview
ELP is another important non basic science course, where you discuss the hot legal and ethical issues in
medicine. The course consists of weekly lectures by experts in the field of ethics and law, many of which are
followed by a PBL session. There is a multiple-choice final exam worth 75% and a midterm paper worth 25%. For
the class of 2014, the paper was a detailed explanation of how you would respond to a given ethical dilemma.
This, like MDM, is a class that could be extremely useful for the rest of your career. The legal aspects of
issues such as end-of-life care and abortion are essential for any physician. The ethical discussions in PBL are well
worthwhile – they will be interesting and you will certainly get a deeper appreciation for the subject. If you are
attentive and put effort into this course, you will be sure to get a lot out of the small group discussions.
Textbook/Syllabus
The syllabus contains reading assignments that are supposed to be completed before that week's class.
They are also fair game for the exam. Some of the readings come from the textbook, O'Rourke's Health Care Ethics.
Because content from these readings appear on the exam too, it is one that you should probably buy.
Tips
The course directors are not fans of podcasting, and encourage lecture attendance. Most 2014ers made the
effort to go to all, or at least most of the ELP lectures. Most of the lecturers are knowledgeable and enthusiastic,
particularly Dr. Meisel and Dr. Arnold. They will keep you engaged, so you will learn a lot of important lessons for
the rest of your career just by showing up.
The small group sessions usually involve discussing a hand-out with several ethical dilemmas. These can be
great experiences if the group members speak up and express themselves respectfully. Often, after listening to
others, you will find yourself questioning your own previous values, and refining your stance on the issue. At the
end of the course, you will vote for 2 of your small group members who made the most significant contributions to
your discussion. The two students with the most votes from each group receive 5 bonus points on the exam. You
shouldn’t be worrying about the bonus points during the discussion, instead focus on the discussion and you will
fare much better in the course…it’s only 5 points.
Most 2014ers thought that the exam was ambiguous (for several questions multiple answers could
potentially be correct). Still, it was not overly difficult. It was the sort of exam where it would be hard to do either
well or poorly. Just keep up with readings for the course, go through the slides once more before the exam, and you
will do fine.
43
Advice from 2014
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Go to class every now and then. It's actually pretty entertaining!
It is very tempting to skip this class because of how intense anatomy is. I say give in to your temptations
(but do learn the material at some point).
Go to lectures if you think they're interesting. If not, stay home and read the syllabus.
The exam had a surprising amount of detailed quiz questions. I recommend attending lectures, since they
are fairly interesting, and then just studying right before the exam. No need to study tons during the course.
The readings are worthwhile if you have time.
A lot of it may seem self-explanatory, but there's random information that is actually quite useful that you
may not have known before.
If you want to get Honors, study HARD for the exam
Seems simple and common-sense, but the test is more detailed than the common-sense knowledge.
2014 Class Survey
Regarding the podcasted lectures, for this
course it is best to:
4%
Not use the recordings at all
6%
How often did you attend lectures?
8%
I attended every
lecture
18%
I attended most
lecutres
33%
46%
I attended a few of
the lectures
41%
44%
Where's LR4?
How useful was the course syllabus?
Weak - poorly organized,
irrelevant to tested material; I
need to rely heavily on the
textbook or slides
8%
49%
43%
Moderate - adequately
organized; I still need to rely on
the textbook or slides
Very - highly organized; I
studied from the syllabus
almost exclusively
44
Use the recordings only for
missed lectures
Use the recording only for
review after attending lectures
Use the recordings instead of
the live lectures
Behavioral Medicine
January 4, 2012 – May 9, 2012
Course director: Jason Rosenstock, M.D.
Block: 100% of PPS, Section #2
Exams: 1
Overview
Behavioral Medicine casts a wide net. In contrast to the science courses, it is one of the few courses that
examines non-biological factors that influence a patient’s health. It emphasizes social and psychological
components of health and disease and sets its eye particularly upon subjects that traditionally frustrate doctors:
patient non-adherence, obesity, substance abuse, and the like. If you liked your social science courses in college,
you’ll probably like this course.
Remember
It’s easy to blow off this course (and any other course taught on Wednesday morning), and it’s no secret
that we devote the bulk of our time and energy to the science courses. (Our schedule is set up that way, after all.)
However, courses like Behavioral Medicine put your learning into a larger context and bring up vital issues that
might not surface again until you’re dealing with patients during clinical rotations—and then you’ll be even busier.
If you miss these points now, you may miss out on something important for a long time.
Lecture and Assignments
Dr. Rosenstock gives some of the lectures, and he finds quality guest lecturers for the others. He takes into
account our exam schedule, and the Wednesday before an exam usually does not have class. Experts in relevant
fields lead the small group sessions and the sessions often begin with a pre-written case. In addition to small
groups, this course included two graded assignments:
•
A Behavioral Modification Project, in which you chose to either improve your diet or create a more
productive exercise plan. In past years, students chose from a detailed list of 3 options, but your class will
have a more expanded list of potential modifications to choose from. You then try to make this change for a
month and keep track of your progress. At the end of this time, you present your results to your small
group. This is a great project for future physicians to identify how hard it is to change lifestyle habits. It
gives you the opportunity to put yourself in the patient role as you try to live a healthier lifestyle.
•
A Pain Interview, in which you interview someone who has experienced “clinically significant” pain and
then write a short paper about it. Dr. Rosenstock provides you with detailed instructions on how to
accomplish this project and how it will be graded, as well as example pain interviews, so it should be
straightforward.
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•
A change for the class of 2015: Dr. Rosenstock will require you to do a couple of brief narratives on patients
with lifestyle issues that you’ve encountered in other contexts. These assignments will be required but not
graded.
Syllabus
The syllabus for this course is fairly well organized. However, because lecture styles vary dramatically, the
information in the syllabus ranges from detailed descriptions to copies of Powerpoint presentations. Pre-reading
was not necessary. However, much of the multiple-choice portion of the exam was taken from the syllabus.
Exam
The exam is straightforward; if you study a couple hours for it, you should be fine—especially if you
attended lectures. Make sure to attend Dr. Rosentstock’s review lecture the week before the exam.
Advice from 2014
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Don't leave the written assignments for the last day before they're due. They are worth half your grade, and
they will take longer to finish than you expect them to (especially the pain interview).
I attended very few lectures - everything is in the syllabus!
The exam had a surprising amount of detailed quiz questions. I recommend attending lectures, since they
are fairly interesting, and then just studying right before the exam. No need to study tons during the course.
The readings are worthwhile if you have time.
Another well-intentioned and ultimately fairly shallow course. Exam questions came pretty much
exclusively from the syllabus.
A lot of it will be self-explanatory and the whole course could probably be summed up in 30 minutes. Study
straight from the syllabus.
The pain interview paper is VERY time consuming - plan ahead!
You don't get much out of attending lectures because they don't go in depth much. Plan ahead for the
papers, you will thank yourself later.
This class has useful PBL sessions where you talk to patients but a…useless lecture component.
2014 Class Survey
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Regarding the podcasted lectures, for this
course it is best to:
How often did you attend lecture?
4%
I attended
every lecture
38%
30%
Not use the recordings
at all
23%
I attended most
lecutres
2%
32%
I attended a
few of the
lectures
28%
How useful was the syllabus?
Weak - poorly organized,
irrelevant to tested
material; I need to rely
heavily on the textbook or
slides
Moderate - adequately
2%
38%
60%
organized; I still need to
rely on the textbook or
slides
Very - highly organized; I
studied from the syllabus
almost exclusively
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43%
Use the recordings
only for missed
lectures
Use the recording only
for review after
attending lectures
SCIENTIFIC REASONING IN MEDICINE BLOCK
Medical Decision Making
August 24, 2011 – December 24, 2011
Course director: Margaret Hsieh, M.D.
Block: 100% of SRM Section #1 Exams: 1
Overview
MDM intends to teach you how to evaluate experimental design and wade through the numbers in
scientific papers. The course, as many 2014ers commented, is actually exceedingly important. Not only will you be
able to use the terms “odds ratio” and “relative risk” fluently, but you will be able to judge the worthiness of articles
you come across in your career. Unfortunately, the lectures take place at 8:00 am every Wednesday, which resulted
in single-digit attendance for our class. 75% of the course grade comes from a multiple-choice final exam, 15%
comes from your participation in small groups, and 10% from a 30 minute presentation about an article for your
PBL group.
One big caveat: Dr. Rao, the instructor for 2014 and the author of the required text, is replaced by Dr.
Margaret Hsieh for the class of 2015. All of this advice is based on Dr. Rao’s class, so take it with a grain of
salt! Try this revised class out for yourself before making decisions based off of last year’s class.
Textbook/Syllabus
Our syllabus did not have course notes, just the articles and exercises for the small group sessions. The
textbook is written by Dr. Rao. For us, it had all of the information you need for the course, including the same
examples Dr. Rao used in lecture. A good portion of the people in our class ignored the lectures and learned
everything from the book. The book uses simple language and does not assume you have a background in math.
Study Tips
Most students would strongly recommend learning the material in the textbook on pace with the course,
attending lecture to supplement your understanding. If you keep up with the class, you can get help from your PBL
facilitators. Usually there is plenty of time to review the course material in each PBL.
Advice from 2014


Try to figure out from the syllabus what you need to do when. It's poorly organized, so looking at it last
minute won't help.
Not worth going to. It's incredibly early and Dr. Rao read directly from his slides, which is his book
verbatim. Just buy the book and read it on your own and go over the slides. Exam was really easy.
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






Just read his book. It's the same as the lecture.
You'll need strong, strong coffee for the lectures. The book has the same material, but it doesn't have to be
read at 8 am every Wednesday.
Appreciate the Wednesday morning sleep-in (e.g. just skip lecture) ! I hope they never change the start time
for this course, though I hear Dr. Rao is leaving next year. Dr. Rao's lectures were verbatim from his book,
so either attend lecture or just read the book, though if you skip lecture you get to sleep in. If you make an
honest stab at the homework assignments, you'll be in better shape for the final. Basically though, as long
as you read the book (or review the lecture slides) before the exam, you'll be fine.
Read the book and the slides, and listen to the podcasts if you're having trouble following either of them.
Make sure to buy Dr. Rao's book. Also, don't get carried away with the statistical calculations, this course is
more focused on the big idea and use of these statistical tests.
You won’t realize the importance of this class until later on. Just try forcing yourself to learn the material
because it IS actually useful.
Read the book and do the homework and you will do fine in the course.
2014 Class Survey
How often did you attend lecture?
How useful was the course syllabus?
I attended every
lecture
40%
11%
11%
38%
11%
I attended most
lectures
52%
37%
I attended a few
of the lectures
Very - highly organized; l
studied from the syllabus
almost exclusively
Where's LR4?
Regarding the podcasted lectures, for this
course it is best to:
How useful was Rao's Rational Medical
Decision Making?
Not use the recordings at all
15%
17%
4%
21%
43%
Weak - poorly organized,
irrelevant to tested material; I
needed to rely heavily on the
textbook or slides
Moderate - adequately
organized; I still needed to rely
on the textbook or slides
2% 6%
9%
Use the recordings only for
missed lectures
Use the recordings for
review only after attending
lectures
Use the recordings instead
of live lectures
83%
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Indispensable
(definitely buy)
Occasionally useful
(use the library copy)
Not worth the time or
money
No opinion, I never
looked at it
Methods & Logic in Medicine 1
January 5, 2011 – May 18, 2011
Course directors: Rachel Givelber, M.D.
Course directors: Peter Drain, Ph.D.
Block: 100% of SRM, Section #2 Exams: 0
Overview
Following winter break, Methods and Logic in Medicine (MLM) replaces Medical Decision
Making in the Wednesday morning time slot. The good news for those who love their sleep is MLM
isn’t scheduled for every week.
The MLM course follows a two-part format: MLM A and MLM B. MLM A is designed to get
you thinking about your scholarly project (yes, already). In this half of the course, you invent a
research project that you could feasibly perform while in medical school, and you present this idea
to your small group. For most students, this is a chance to present and receive feedback on their
Dean’s Summer Research Project presentation. (However, don’t be concerned if you have other
plans for the summer and are not planning to submit an SRP; you get a chance to invent a purely
hypothetical project, which might be more fun.) After presenting your project, you get feedback
from both a student in your small group and the course facilitators; at the end of the course, you
submit a final plan for your project incorporating these comments.
For MLM B, the course directors provide you with clinical vignettes, and you conduct a
literature search to identify an article relevant to the patient’s condition. Some of your classmates
are assigned to critique the paper you choose. When Wednesday rolls around, you present the
article (with trusty Powerpoint) as classmates and faculty raise comments and questions about the
scientific method of the paper.(If you’re confused about the process, don’t worry; the course
directors outline it in plenty of detail.)
Textbooks
There are no textbooks for MLM.
Hints and tips
Our class found MLM to be somewhat disorganized, and at times the requirements for
presentations and responses to articles were unclear. The course is completely run through the
Learning Portfolios (LPs) site on The Zone, which can be a bit confusing at first. There are three
different hierarchies to the LPs (see below). Small group discussions and the dissemination of
general course information occur through discussion boards on the LPs, and the default setting is to
send you an email letting you know someone has posted a new discussion, but without the content
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of the message itself. It would be worth spending a few minutes familiarizing yourself with the
Learning Portfolios site:
• Methods & Logic in Medicine: This is the main site for the entire course. Course
announcements are posted here, as are course documents (including those with the course
schedule and descriptions of the different tasks), articles for MLM A, and clinical vignettes
for MLM B.
• Small Group ##: This site is for your small group. It is where you self-assign roles for each
week. Presentations and evaluations from small group members are to be posted to the
documents section prior to each class.
• YOUR NAME—Learning Portfolio: This is your individual learning portfolio. You can post
presentations, documents, and article responses and correspond with your facilitators in a
site that is open to you and course faculty only.
Throughout MLM, you play various roles. One week, you may have to present an article,
while the next you only critique a classmate’s article. Signing up for your role early using your
small group LP will allow you to get your pick of article, small group role and the date on which you
present, which may help manage your workload if you know you will be gone certain weekends or
especially busy with exams. Although articles were only released a week ahead of time for MLM A,
individual small groups usually pre-assigned roles and dates for the entire course during the first
small group meeting. This helped with planning and coordinating so that we all met the role
requirements.
Other Advice:
•
•
•
•
•
Prepare your presentation early! There are a lot of requirements for article presentations,
so if it is your turn to present, make sure you start early. It was common for people to spend
2–3 hours preparing their presentations.
Do not forget about the training modules. The syllabus hardly makes mention of them, but
there will be several mandatory training modules that you must complete online. Most
people are able to test out of them without actually going through the module.
Don't expect organization or consistency from the course directors, and despite what they
say, don't feel like you need to have a definite scholarly project by the end of first year.
If you love research, you'll love MLM and MDM. If not, you won't.
As with many of the non-core science courses (and the science courses, for that matter), you
get out of this course what you put into it.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We would like to thank the classes of 2013 and especially 2014 for their input
in creating this document. Also, we thank Rich Levitt and the previous SARC coordinators, John
Luiza, Russel Spingarn, and Luke Johnson.
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