Curriculum

Fundamentals of the Columbia Curriculum

Fundamentals: (Late August of the first year through December of the second year)

"Molecular Mechanisms" for one semester. This course uses cell processes to examine normal and adaptive changes in health and disease, with an emphasis on hypothesis-driven learning and small groups. The course is organized into four components: biomolecules and cells (cell biology), tissues (histology), tissues in their environment (embryology, pathology, and pharmacology), and genomic regulation (genetics). It is followed by two semesters of "The Body … in Health and in Disease," an organ systems-based approach to integrating core biomedical information about embryology, histology, pathology, pathophysiology, genetics, and pharmacology.

Foundations of Clinical Medicine I, II, and III. This course teaches the skills students will need to have on the first day of their major clinical year in order to admit patients, do a workup, attend rounds, and present their case in a coherent oral presentation. These skills include advanced history taking, development of clinical reasoning, navigating the medical literature, and utilizing laboratory information.

Clinical Gross Anatomy. The goal of Clinical Gross Anatomy is for student physicians to acquire the knowledge and language of Anatomy necessary to practice medicine and facilitate discussion of problems and medical findings between colleagues. Anatomy is taught using different modalities that emphasize concepts, not memorization of facts, as well as an appreciation of the association between structure and function. In this course you will encounter your first patient and work as part of your first professional team. Examination of your patient by the process of dissection will be your primary learning resource.

Psychiatric Medicine. The course consists of lectures and small groups for discussion and interviewing patients. The concepts of depression and psychosis will be introduced, and the major psychiatric syndromes will be covered, including Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder, Anxiety Disorders and Personality Disorders. Normal child and adult psychological development will also be presented. Principles of psychiatric treatment will be introduced. Psychiatric patients will be interviewed in small groups.

Introduction to Dermatology. Dermatologic disorders include a wide variety of diseases, many of which affect a significant portion of the general population. Our goal is to provide the student with an introduction to these common disorders and a foundation upon which to recognize disorders of the skin and their relationship to other disciplines in medicine. Concepts in basic science that relate directly to the care of patients with skin disease will be reinforced.