Immunology, Hematology and Oncology
Med 6541 | Spring Semester, 2013
Basic Science Course Director: Kristine Krafts, M.D.
Med 227 726-7911 kkrafts@d.umn.edu
Clinical Course Director: Emily Onello, M.D.
Med 153 726-7820 econello@d.umn.edu
Course Description
Immunology, Hematology and Oncology is a three-part interdisciplinary course. The first part of
the course covers the elements of immunology, including the structure and function of
immune system components, and the principles of innate and acquired immunity. The second
part of the course covers the basic principles of hematology (including the structure and
function of the cells and organs of the hematologic system, and the features of hematologic
diseases) and general principles of oncology (including the origin, development, and treatment
of tumors). Content from many different disciplines, including biochemistry, nutrition,
pathology, pharmacology, and clinical science, is used to construct a complete framework for
understanding these separate but closely related systems.
Course Textbooks
The following textbook is required:
 Owen, Punt, Stranford: Kuby Immunology, 7th ed., W.H. Freeman, 2012.
The following textbooks may be useful to you as references:
 Hoffbrand, Moss, Pettit: Essential Haematology, 6th ed., Blackwell Science, Inc: London,
2011.
 Kumar, et al., Robbins & Cotran Pathologic Basis of Disease, 8th ed.,
Saunders:Philadelphia, 2010.
 Katzung, Basic & Clinical Pharmacology, 12th ed., Appleton & Lange, 2011 (available
online for free on Access Medicine)
 Marks, Basic Medical Biochemistry, 4th ed. Williams & Wilkins: Baltimore, 2012.
Course Wiki
Our course wiki is the repository for all the information about our course. The address is:
https://wiki.umn.edu/view/MedDuluth/HematopoiesisHostDef
There are several parts to the wiki. Some are informational (like the Course Timeline and
Summary of Clinicians’ Lectures); some are reference-oriented (there is a News Items section
and an External Resources section); and some are designed solely for your input (Student
Discussion Boards and Student Lecture Summaries). There is also a Sample Test Question
section. We hope that you will use this wiki as your portal for information about the course,
and that you will feel at home contributing your thoughts and knowledge. Please check back
frequently; new information (course changes, answers to student questions) will be posted
under the Directors Corner section.
IHO – page 2 of 5
Exams
The course has 6 exams. Broadly speaking, the exams will cover the prior week’s material. If
there is any deviation to this schedule (for example, if a particular lecture will not be on the
following Monday’s exam), I’ll post that information on the wiki in the Director’s Corner. In
addition to the exams, there will be a 10 point assignment in conjunction with Dr. Fitzakerley’s
Simulation Case.
Exam 1: All lectures from Monday, April 22 through Friday, April 26
Exam 2: All lectures from Monday, April 29 through Friday, May 3
Exam 3: All lectures from Monday, May 6 through Friday, May 10
Exam 4: All lectures from Tuesday, May 14 through Friday, May 17
Exam 5: All lectures from Monday, May 20 through Friday, May 24, plus Dr. Fitzakerley’s
Immune System Modifiers and Antiangiogenesis and Combination Chemotherapy lectures on
May 28
Final Exam: Dr. Repka’s Lymphoma lecture on May 28, plus all lectures from Tuesday, May 28
through Monday, June 3, plus a comprehensive component covering the entire course (see
below). Dr. Fitzakerley’s Sim lab will have a written assignment and will not be specifically
covered on the final (though you are responsible for all the drugs she covers during lecture
time).
Exam dates, times, and approximate points are as follows:
 Exam 1 (36 points): Monday 4/29/13, 8:00 – 9:00
 Exam 2 (33 points): Monday 5/6/13, 8:00 – 9:00
 Exam 3 (40 points): Monday 5/13/13, 9:00 – 10:00
 Exam 4 (27 points): Monday 5/20/13, 10:00 – 11:00
 Exam 5 (40 points): Wednesday 5/29/13, 11:00 – 12:00
 Final Exam (38 points + 71 cumulative points): Friday 6/7/13, 9:00 – 12:00
Exams will be computer scored and an item-analysis performed on all exam questions.
Question appropriateness will be at the discretion of the Course Faculty. Tests and exams will
be administered in accordance with the Duluth Campus Examination Policy and Honor Code,
which outlines legitimate reasons for absences.
Course Grading Policy
In accordance with the U of M Medical School Grading Policy, all final course grades will be
either Pass (P), Not Pass (N) or Honors (H). An incomplete grade (I) will be assigned whenever
coursework has not been completed due to legitimately excused absences, such as an
extended illness. In order to receive a grade of pass (P), a student must obtain 70% or more of
the points available for the entire course (including the final exam) AND 70% or more of the
cumulative points available on the final exam, in accordance with Medical School Policy.
A grade of 90% or higher for the entire course – or for the final exam – will be required for
honors (H). If no students achieve this level of performance, the faculty will consider setting a
lower criterion.
IHO – page 3 of 5
Remediation
The Immunology, Hematology and Oncology faculty reserves the right to develop a
remediation program that is unique to each student, which may include exam formats other
than multiple choice questions.
If a student receives a grade between 60% and 70% in the course or on the final exam, a
remedial exam may be offered as part of the remediation program. In accordance with the
Duluth Campus remediation procedure, a student must achieve a grade of 70% on the
remedial exam in order to remediate the N grade. If the student fails to pass the remedial
exam, he or she will be required to repeat the course.
If a student’s score in the course is substantially below 70% (i.e., <60% of total course points),
the faculty will meet to determine if remediation will be offered to that student.
If a remedial exam is recommended, it will be scheduled as soon as feasible. Most often this is
scheduled during the summer, when Year 1 classes have been completed.
It is the students' responsibility to check their final grades and to make arrangements with the
Course Director to remediate a grade of "N" or remove a grade of "I".
Student Evaluation of the Course
Evaluations are very important to us as we plan for the following year’s course. All courses use
CoursEval for student evaluations. We will have a special reward for the class if ≥90% of the
class fills out the evaluation form – more details on that as we near that point in the course.
In addition, I encourage you to email either course director (kkrafts@d.umn.edu or
econello@d.umn.edu) as issues arise throughout the course so we can deal with them as they
occur.
Special Student Needs
Accommodations can be made for students with special needs. Students must contact the
Student Affairs Office to make arrangements for such accommodations.
Course Faculty
Dr. Steve Downing
Dr. Janet Fitzakerley
Dr. Basem Goueli
Dept. of Biomedical Sciences
sdowning@d.umn.edu
Dept. of Biomedical Sciences
jfitzake@d.umn.edu
St. Luke’s Hospital
IHO – page 4 of 5
Dr. Alan Johns
Dr. Kristine Krafts
Dr. Thomas Nelson
Dr. Daniel Nikcevich
Dr. Emily Onello
Dr. Jean Regal
Dr. Pat Scott
Dr. Andy Skildum
Dr. Ruth Westra
Dr. George Trachte
Dr. Richard Ziegler
bgoueli@slhduluth.com
Dept. of Family Medicine
ajohns1@d.umn.edu
Dept. of Biomedical Sciences
kkrafts@d.umn.edu
Essentia Health
Thomas.Nelson@essentiahealth.org
Essentia Health
Daniel.nikcevich@essentiahealth.org
Dept. of Family Medicine
econello@d.umn.edu
Dept. of Biomedical Sciences
jregal@d.umn.edu
Dept. of Biomedical Sciences
pscott@d.umn.edu
Dept. of Biomedical Sciences
askildum@d.umn.edu
Dept. of Family Medicine
rwestra@d.umn.edu
Dept. of Biomedical Sciences
gtracht1@d.umn.edu
Dept. of Biomedical Sciences
rziegler@d.umn.edu
IHO – page 5 of 5