Stritch School of Medicine - Graduate School - Core Curriculum in Biomedical Science

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Core Curriculum in Biomedical Science

Introduction

The American system of graduate education in the biomedical sciences is organized around an intensive and realistic research experience that has become the world model for simultaneously conducting basic research and educating graduate students as scientists. In this model, research training is preceded by curricula that introduce scientific facts and provide opportunities for the development of critical thinking skills, synthesis of information, further development of factual knowledge, and the ability to read and comprehend original literature.

Graduate education in the biomedical sciences is basic to achieving national goals in several ways. First, the biomedical programs existing within the context of medical schools are responsible for producing the teachers and researchers of industry and academe who will provide the groundwork for the paradigms and products of the future and who will, in turn, educate future teachers and researchers. Second, the formal and thorough education of graduate students in the biomedical sciences provides the critical mass of applicants for faculty positions in the nation’s medical schools, thereby ensuring the formal education of medical students in basic medical science. The linkage of a modern graduate education of biomedical scientists to the need for research-oriented faculty in schools of medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, and allied medicine requires an on-going analysis of the intersect between curricula and practice in these fields. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, all biomedical science fields now recognize the need for high levels of integration of scientific knowledge to accelerate opportunities for translational research.

Our system of graduate education is important as a source of future leaders in biomedical science and as a source for new ideas. Curricula, therefore, should: 1) equip students to think in the context of the new age of biomedical science that is highly integrated, 2) orient students to issues surrounding human and animal health issues, 3) enable students to cope with the continually emerging and enormously complex technical components of science, and 4) enable students to move from the desk to the bench top.

Justification and Scope of the Program

Virtually all biomedical science at the investigational level is interdisciplinary, drawing upon theory and fact from traditional areas and new, emerging areas of science. Curricula in graduate courses reflect how modern science is now being conducted and are interdisciplinary. To that end, major university medical centers having doctoral programs in biomedical science have redesigned their curricular offerings along interdisciplinary and integrated lines irrespective of departmental administrative structures.

Curriculum Design

The Core Curriculum consists of four courses and is entirely within the first semester of graduate training. Two didactic 90 minute lecture sessions occur each day, a morning lecture and an afternoon lecture. Modules include problem solving sessions, small group sessions, review sessions, paper discussions and exams.

All incoming Ph.D. students are required to register for all of the courses of the Core Curriculum regardless of the program to which they have been admitted. Students admitted to a program may also be required to register for additional courses during the first semester, e.g. Seminar, Journal Club according to policies of the individual program. At the completion of Semester I and the Core Curriculum students will register for program-specific courses in Semester II.

The curriculum begins with the Macromolecular Biochemistry course (weeks 1-10), overlapping with the Cell Biology course (weeks 3-10). The Systems Biology course begins in week 12, extending to week 18. The Methods in Biomedical Science course is incorporated during the semester. The required text for the Core Curriculum is Alberts, et al., "Molecular Biology of the Cell". All examinations are essay-type.

Goal Statement for the Macromolecular Biochemistry Course

Macromolecular Biochemistry will give students knowledge of the synthesis, structure and function of DNA and proteins. The course will also present the biochemical pathways of cellular metabolism emphasizing the rate controlling enzymes of these pathways and their regulation. A series of lectures will compare orthologous components and regulation of the metabolic pathways in prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms. The thermodynamic and kinetic energetics of biologically important processes will be emphasized where appropriate. The goal of the course is to prepare the first year graduate student to progress to a general understanding of basic biochemical principles to form a basis for more advanced biological studies. Problem solving sessions whereby students synthesize basic concepts and integrate facts into the framework of the scientific processes of experimentation and discovery will be important and essential components for the course.

Goal Statement for the Cell Biology Course

Cell Biology will provide students with knowledge of the structure and functions of cells, including the experimental foundations of cell and molecular biology. The course will begin with an overview of prokaryotic organisms and then advance to eukaryotic cells. The concepts of cell biology will be communicated in the context of macromolecular biochemistry, thereby providing students with a core foundation for present-day biomedical research. Problem solving sessions whereby students synthesize basic concepts and integrate facts into the framework of the scientific processes of experimentation and discovery will be important and essential components for the course.

Goal Statement for the Systems Biology Course

The objective of the Systems Biology course is to provide first year graduate students with an introduction to biological systems. Emphasis will be been placed on major biological systems such as the nervous system, and cardiovascular system. Examples of other major tissues and organs of the body are included. The course will provide an understanding of immunological processes and how the immune system interacts with microbes. The course will familiarize the students with important pathological and therapeutic concepts and include examples of pathology and therapeutic treatments.

Goal Statement for the Methods in Biomedical Science Course

The objective of this course is to familiarize first year graduate students with various methods that are used in contemporary biomedical research. It will introduce the methods required in the teaching of the Molecular Biochemistry, Cell Biology, and Systems Biology courses, including molecular biology, tissue culture, transgenic model systems, imaging, biochemistry, electrophysiology, and immunology. The theory behind the techniques, as well as practical considerations will be discussed. The course will provide students with a conceptual foundation for the critical evaluation of published experiments, and guide the choice of methods used in their own research.