NST Part II BBS Major Subject Pathology Mechanisms of Disease: From Process to Patient
Introduction
Mechanisms of Disease: From Process to Patient was introduced into the MVST in 1999. It is aimed principally at medical students but the course is suitable for veterinary students and for those natural science students who wish or intend to pursue a career in medical science. Unlike other Pathology courses, students do not choose from a selection of options. The course is self-contained and is considered a “Major” subject by the NST Part II BBS; for this reason, it must be combined with another “Minor” subject. Additionally, students undertake an independent literature-based study leading to a dissertation of up to 6,000 words.
The course is scientifically substantial and has clinical relevance but does not have a laboratory-based research project. The objective is to teach students about diseases in terms of processes and how disease presents in the patient. The course explores student-centred learning and has a problem-oriented component. It exposes students to a true inter-disciplinary synthesis insofar as the course enables "vertical integration" of pre–clinical and clinical perspectives and "horizontal integration" of knowledge of anatomy, physiology and biochemistry with that of pathology. A more detailed description of the course is provided at the end of the Options section (below).
The number of places on offer may vary but all students gaining an upper second class or better in the MVST 1B or NST 1B Triposes are likely to be offered a place. A minimum of twenty places is offered. The upper limit, which is likely to be between 30 and 40 places, depends on the number of staff that the Department can allocate to supervise/examine the course in a particular year. Places will be allocated on the basis of the order of merit of applicants in the MVST and NST 1B Triposes.
Eligibility
NST Part II BBS Major Subject Mechanisms of Disease: From Process to Patient is open to medical, veterinary and natural sciences students. Priority is given to any student who has read Part IB Pathology and gets an upper second class or higher in the Part IB Tripos. Ideally, the applicant would have read Biology of Cells at IA and Physiology at IB.
The Course
This course draws on the generous participation of clinicians/scientists based at Addenbrooke's Hospital as well as on members of the Department of Pathology. The course is organised by the Department of Pathology and lectures, seminars etc. take place within this Department on the Downing site. The course consists of:
- A lecture course (usually one hour each day from 10:30am to 11:30am) which, whilst not attempting to be comprehensive, covers some of the most active and topical scientific issues in medicine. At each lecture, students will be given three references to original scientific papers. Study and assimilation of this scientific literature is an important component of the course design.
- A series of case studies (usually 90 minutes from 2pm on some weekdays; mostly in Michaelmas Term) in which a less formal problem-oriented approach will encourage students to link knowledge of cellular and molecular mechanisms with organ/system pathophysiology, biochemical disturbance, disturbed anatomy and clinical consequences. For instance a case study on pernicious anaemia would link different pathological processes (eg. autoimmunity, chronic inflammation, neoplastic transformation, tumour progression), the biochemistry of vitamin B 12, and anatomy/physiology of organ/system, both from the point of view of gastric mucosal function/absorptive mechanisms in terminal ileum and from that of biochemical/physiological consequences of gastric outflow obstruction.
- Supervisions (one-to-one) in which guidance is given on the selection of a dissertation title, the design and structure of dissertations and feedback on any essays written by students. Appointments are made by e-mail, with 20 – 30 minutes per student per supervision.
The course will be useful to medical students but it will be neither essential nor necessary for the training of house officers. The course will retain an optional status in the undergraduate curriculum, and as such it complies with the accepted philosophy which characterises the Part II year in Cambridge. The content of the new course will neither reiterate material covered in Part I courses nor overlap with clinical teaching to such an extent as to make the latter redundant. Veterinary students have taken the course and found it to be a useful and sound basis for subsequent clinical studies.
The course is also suitable for NST students who wish to pursue a career in medical science. Ideally, NST applicants would have read Biology of Cells at 1A and Physiology at 1B.
A timetable for the NST Part II BBS Mechanisms of Disease: from Process to Patient will be available on CamTools.